If you want to look down on the world and get an adrenalin rush, spend a few hours with Matt Baker and his team at Terrapin Adventures at Savage Mill in Savage, Md. Here you will find waiting for you a climbing tower, zip line, giant swing and high ropes challenge course along with other lower to the ground challenges. If you just want a few hours of fun or if you are looking for a summer camp, place to hold a party or a team building venue, Matt has you covered. If you want to take a kayak tour, or go horseback trail riding, rock climbing, river tubing, sailing, fishing, geo-caching and more, Matt has you covered there, too.

Adventure begins

You begin your adventure — and adventure it is — by parking in the Savage Mill parking lot and going to the Terrapin Adventures office inside the Mill. There you select your adventure(s), purchase a ticket, get your helmet and harness and you are ready to fly or climb or both. Your highly skilled and experienced guide will explain the adventure, taking into consideration your experience level; hook you into your harness; and watch over you as you engage in your adventure, shouting encouragement. The equipment is top of the line, easy to use and extremely safe, with four different protection devices. In addition, your highly trained and experienced guide will do more than one equipment check to ensure your safety. 

Fly through the air

You may choose to ride on the giant swing, where you will experience the thrill of the world dropping out from under you — think roller coaster that has just started its downward run.  The swing is large enough for up to three people. If you prefer the zip line, you will flow through the trees on the 330-foot line and then slide back the way you came.

Going up!

If climbing and balancing are what trigger your adrenalin, the high ropes challenge course will certainly work for you. The course is set up with six traverses and three levels of difficulty, 18 traverses in all. You will walk on ropes and cables from platform to platform, where your guide will be waiting to encourage you on to the next step off. A belay will hold you from platform to platform. The higher you go the more difficult the challenge becomes. 

If the high rope course is not enough, take on the climbing tower challenge. The 43-foot tower offers 12 routes. Each of the four sides of the tower can accommodate two climbers at a time. An auto belay system is used for beginning climbers and for more experienced climbers, a manual “just right” system is used. There are flat routes and an overhanging route, your choice. 

Closer to the ground

If you are looking for adventure closer to the ground, try the low challenge course. A good course for team- and confidence-building exercises, this course involves problem solving and working together to overcome the challenges.  

Other tours and summer camp

Terrapin Adventures offers individuals numerous outdoor tours: kayaking on local waterways, sailing near Gunpowder Falls State Park, horseback riding in Patapsco Valley State Park,  mountain biking on local trails, and on and on. In addition, summer camp is available, which teaches outdoor leadership skills to boys and girls, ages 12–15. 

Terrapin Adventures is located at 8600 Foundry Street, Savage, MD 20763.  For more information, call 301-725-1313 or visit www.terrapinadventures.com.