Head up to Zip ‘N Slip in Mars Hill, NC for a fun, fast ride on any of their eight snow tubing lanes. We checked them out (several times) and have all the details on enjoying this fun, winter entertainment. (Updated with our 2026 visit!)
You cannot miss Zip ‘N Slip Snow Tubing Park in Mars Hill, North Carolina. It’s right off Highway 26 heading through NC towards Tennessee, about an hour and 40 minutes from Greenville, SC. And wow, you’re in for some fast and fun rides at this snow tubing park.
Want more? Here’s our guide to all the fun places to hit the slopes.
About Zip ‘N Slip Snow Tubing Park
Zip ‘N Slip has eight snow tubing lanes that can run more than 800 feet long in optimal snow conditions. How long is that in terms of flying down on a tube? About 20 seconds! It’s really fast, especially in colder weather.
My kids – ages 13 and 9 – had a blast at this snow tubing park, and it was well worth the drive up there. The owner, Andy, is really nice and has owned the property for more than a decade. He initially wanted to build a hotel and shopping center on the property, but ended up having so much fun with the snow tubing park that he kept the fun winter activity as it was and just updated the park and equipment!
There are eight snow tubing lanes. At least there were when we went. Because of weather and snow-making abilities, this can definitely change each season, or each week, or month, as the park is able to create the snow needed for the hill. If you get to go when there is natural snow, then it’s even more fun. It is always a good idea to visit the social media pages or website of any seasonal activity before you head out to check out the current conditions.
There are heated bathrooms at Zip ‘N Slip, as well as hot chocolate and apple cider for sale. They also give every rider two free marshmallows to roast over the fire pit. We saw plenty of kids with sticky fingers enjoying these treats! They sell concessions like hot dogs and nachos in their store, and they host a food truck from High Ridge Adventures every day at lunchtime for those who want to try some incredible brisket or other barbecued favorites.
If you forget your winter gear like hats, gloves, or even socks, you can purchase them at the park.
Tubing at Zip ‘N Slip
Tubing at Zip ‘N Slip was unlike most places I’ve been because the guests, once they got their safety briefing and tickets, were pretty much on their own. It was definitely fun but like the Wild West of tubing.
Zip ‘N Slip limits ticket sales to help reduce crowding, so they very often sell out on weekends, especially holiday weekends. Advance reservations are highly recommended to guarantee a spot on the slopes, and we suggest buying your tickets for the earliest hour available for the lowest crowds.
Once you get your tube, you’ll head over to the Magic Carpet ride, a moving sidewalk that will carry you and your tube to the top of the hill. Pro tip: Lean forward so you don’t fall backwards, and let young children ride in the tube while you hang onto the strap. Once you get to the top of the hill, step quickly and carefully onto the platform on the left and keep moving, keeping in mind that there are other people coming up behind you who need somewhere to land.
There aren’t any staff members at the top of the hill, so you just choose your lane and go straight down. Sometimes a line can form right at the top of the moving sidewalk, but if you just excuse your way through the group, you can generally find more elbow room and a shorter wait at the lanes on the far side of the hill. Because there are eight lanes, we got in a lot of runs and rarely had to wait for a spot.
But it does get a little tricky at the top pulling a tube amongst other people while navigating snow. I slipped twice, but in my defense, it was a little icy. And I’m clumsy. I was fine. Just be aware of the risk for slips, especially as the day goes on and the snow at the top of the hill gets more compact.
Once you choose your lane, put your tube strap inside the tube, and then get in and shimmy to the edge of the great abyss, uh, lane. It’s very important to check to make sure no one is at the bottom of your lane before you start moving, because there’s no stopping once you’ve started. If someone is there, wait until they are clear before you go. Wait for them to get out of the way and then shimmy your tube closer – or get someone to push you – to the edge and go down. Wheeee!
Once you get down to the bottom, get out of your tube, grab the strap, and get out of the way. Fast. I cannot emphasize how fast you need to move once you are at the bottom. There are no staff to tell you to get out of the way or telling anyone at top when they can or cannot go.
You’re responsible for getting out of the way, so do it, and impress the importance of this to your kids: People are going to come speeding down those lanes, whether you’re paying attention or not.
And have fun! Depending on how many people are there, you may get through a lot of runs during your time on the hill. I can’t even count how many times my kids and I went down. It was probably at least 30 times. We had the first slot of the day when we went at 10 am and it wasn’t sold out. The slot at Noon was sold out and there were definitely more people. So when you go, maybe choose the earlier time slot.
Zip ‘N Slip also contracts with a professional photography group to offer high-resolution photos of the experience to visitors. You can approach a photographer to request a family photo, or just let them get plenty of candids while you’re on the slopes. After you’re done tubing, stop by the photo center to browse pictures by time slot. The photographers generally upload their pictures between every two-hour session, so you may want to hang out for a bit after you’re done tubing to make sure you can see all your pictures before you go.
Be aware that these souvenir photos are very expensive, and there are discounts when you buy five or more. You can get prints or digitals, and we recommend going with the digitals to print yourself, but be sure to check your email inbox to make sure you receive the ones you order before leaving the park.
Tips on Visiting Zip ‘N Slip
We’ve been snow tubing to several places and some of these tips follow our previous advice but read on because a few are very specific to Zip ‘N Slip:
Bring a change of clothes: Depending on the weather, snow will melt and you’ll get wet. If you don’t want to drive home in wet clothes, bring a change of clothes, socks, and shoes.
Wear layers: We were hot after the first 15 minutes and ended up shedding our hats, gloves, and jacket. It’s best to wear layers, especially if the temperatures will rise while you’re there.
You don’t need snow gear: It’s just snow tubing, and you’re not skiing. Pants and boots, even hiking boots, hats, gloves, and a jacket are fine.
Get out of the way at the bottom of the hill: When you finish your tubing run, move and move fast. The way the lanes are designed, unless you’re in the furthest half of the lanes, you’ll have to walk in front of most of the lanes to get back to the magic carpet. If you don’t move fast, you may be in the way of another tuber coming down the run.
Pay attention: For reasons mentioned above, pay attention to your surroundings, and make sure your kids are watching for fast tubers coming down the lane when they are making their way back around.
Watch the weather: If you’re going up on an unseasonably warm day, check with Zip ‘N Slip to make sure they are operating normally and try to get the first available time slot of the day. You’ll go way faster on colder snow than when it starts to melt in warmer weather.
Keep an eye on your kids: This is standard advice but here, kids need to be watched as they go up the magic carpet and make their way down the lanes and then grabbing their tubes and doing it again. They just need to be aware of their surroundings.
It can get muddy: At the bottom of the tubing hill, there’s a lot of straw and snow, which is great for stopping your tubing run. But when the weather is warm, the snow will melt and it will get muddy. This didn’t bother myself, my kids, and really anyone I saw there but just be aware that you may get dirty and refer to tip #1 about bringing a change of clothes.
Be kind and respectful: We had a blast while tubing, and everyone was great. But during busier times, there may be some jostling of uncontrollable giant tubes at the top, or people not paying attention at the bottom, or people carrying on in all kinds of ways that people generally do. Have patience, be kind, and focus on giving your kids a fun and safe experience.
Tickets to Zip ‘N Slip
You can get tickets for one- or two-hour sessions. One hour is $35/person, and two hours is $50/person. Kids must be at least 3 years old to go tubing, and they do not budge on that rule. Ages 3-5 are free and required to ride in the lap of an adult.
You can – and should, especially on busy holiday weekends – make reservations online. Save time by filling out your waiver and bringing it with you.
Zip ‘N Slip also offers discounted rates for school and homeschool groups of 15 or more.
Hours
The first part of the season runs from about mid-December through mid-January, when the snow tubing park is usually open 9 am – 9 pm on Monday – Saturday and 9 am – 6pm on Sunday. From mid-January through early March, the park is open Friday – Sunday and holidays like President’s Day and MLK Day.
They also have special events like Homeschool Day. Follow the Zip ‘N’ Slip Facebook page for details.
Stay in Mars Hill, NC
If you want to make your stay a little longer, here’s where to stay in Mars Hill, NC near Zip ‘N Slip.
Kidding Around earns when you book through this map through an affiliate relationship with Stay22.
Bonus Day Trip Fun
Because the snow tubing park was a bit of a drive, my kids and I wanted to extend our adventure a bit. So we went to explore nearby Burnsville, NC and had such a great time! The little town has a beautiful downtown and town square. They have several shops that sell homemade items like scarves, clothing, and hats plus an adorable toy store, a huge general store, a specialty tea shop, a beautiful shoe store, and lots more.
While we didn’t eat in Burnsville, there are a couple restaurants plus a coffee shop right along the main street area of the town. We spent about two hours wandering around the shops till our hearts content and could not have been more smitten with the town. I certainly plan to go back and explore it more when we are up in that area again!
Additionally, the Biltmore is on your way back from Greenville if you want to add that to your day trip itinerary.
For more places to go snow tubing, see our big story on the Best Places to Go Skiing and Snow Tubing Near the Upstate.
Zip ‘N Slip Snow Tubing Park
10725 US-23, Mars Hill, NC
828.689.8444
Zip ‘N Slip Website | Zip ‘N Slip Facebook
