Celebrate Spring: Best Extreme Sports And Rec Spots In Detroit
If you're looking for some recreation that is a little more challenging than walking down a trail, well you are in luck. There are plenty of places around the Metro Detroit area where you can get your adrenaline flowing and try out some of the more extreme sports the city has to offer.
Planet Rock Climbing Gym and Training Center – Ann Arbor
82 Aprill Dr.
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103
(734) 827-2680
www.planet-rock.com
Price: Click here for prices and packages
Hours: Mon – Wed 3 p.m. -10 p.m., Thurs 3 p.m.– 11p.m., Fri 3 p.m. – 10 p.m., Sat 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
If you have ever wanted to scale a rock wall or rappel down a cliff then Planet Rock is the place to go. This indoor climbing gym has 24,000 square feet of climbing area, walls reaching 55-feet into the air and climbing routes that rate from beginner to expert. There are three bouldering caves and work out areas. Test your endurance at this extreme rock climbing gym.
Modern Skate Park, Royal Oak
1500 N. Stephenson Hwy
Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 546-PARK
www.modernskate.com
Price: Click here for prices and packages
Hours: Sun – 11a.m. to 9 p.m., Mon to Tues – 3:30 p.m. to 9: 30 p.m.; Wed – 3:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Thurs to Fri – 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sat – 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Skateboarding, roller blades, BMX bikes and scootering are about as extreme as you can get when it comes to human powered locomotion. You can grind alongside some of the best at Modern Skate Park, the third largest indoor skate park in the North America. The 80,000 square foot facility offers courses for beginners to experts. There are lessons available and walk in clinics held each weekend. BMX bikers also find a home at this indoor course.
Howell Conference & Nature Center
1005 Triangle Lake Road
Howell, MI 48843
(517) 546-0249
www.howellnaturecenter.org
Prices: $10 for first climb, $4 for additional climbs. Zip Line, $5 per ride. High Ropes $25, reservations needed.
Hours: Daily - 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
With the tallest outdoor climbing tower in the state at 60–feet, this in itself should be enough to bring any adventurer to the area, but it's only the beginning. Add a 25–foot climbing wall, a 500–foot long zip line that carries riders over a pond and a high ropes course that runs through a series of obstacles while suspended 25–feet in the air. This is an adventure destination for individuals, families or groups of almost any age.
Related: Best Ski Hills in Detroit
Stony Creek Metropark Mountain Bike Trails
4300 Main Park Road
Shelby Township, MI 48316
586-781-4242
www.metroparks.com
Hours: Nov 1 to April 30 – 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; May 1 – Oct. 31, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Price: $25 entry permit required, annual permit/$5 daily permis
If you are looking for some extreme two wheel fun, then pull out your mountain bike and head over to Stony Creek Metropark located off Mound Rd., between 26 Mile and 31 Mile roads. What you will find are 14 miles of mountain bike trails that are color coded and ranging in difficulty from easy to most difficult. And these are mountain bike trails meant for bikers and maintained by bikers. The Michigan Mountain Bike Association assists in grooming and maintaining the trails.
Midwest Skydiving
62912 Kunstman Rd.
Ray Township, MI 48096
(586) 752-5867
www.midwestfreefall.com/
Click here for pricing
Hours: April 15 to Oct. 31 Tues and Thurs – by appointment only; Wed and Fri – 4 p.m. to sunset; Sat and Sun – 9 a.m. to sunset
Free fall face first at the planet for one of the most extreme experiences Detroit has to offer. Don't stress about pulling the string, though, newbies here go tandem and get plenty of free flight, and free fall, training. Become a member to get the full effect, but first-timers aren't required to purchase a membership. One of the friendliest, most welcoming dive options in Detroit, Midwest Skydiving was designed to make extreme appealing to everyone.
Related: Best Metro Detroit Bike Rides
