Excitement In The Air: Fields Of Fire Adventure Park
Aerial Obstacle Courses, Zip Lining, Roasting Marshmallows & Drinking With Friends: What Else Could An Outdoor Enthusiast Ask For
Climbing through the trees in the darkness, the sky lit up below with LED lights spiraling up the trunks and branches... The flames of a fire pit crackling from below... It's a surreal experience that can only be had while night climbing at the Fields Of Fire Adventure Park in Mystic, Connecticut.
While the park is open during the day, the night climbing is something unique to the park. Said one of the park's employees Mark Lombardi: “The park is just an absolutely gorgeous place at night. The atmosphere is so different.”
Up in the trees, elevated 30 feet in the air, surrounded by an ever-expanding collection of LED lights, adventurous climbers work their way through a variety of obstacles on five different courses, which range from beginner to “brutal.” The strapped in guests have to balance, problem solve and manuever their way through the trees to get to the end of the course, where they then zipline back to the ground below.
Lombardi has tried out the courses multiple times (except the black course – the one he labeled “brutal.”). His favorite is the blue course, which is the second to hardest course. While the other four courses end with a zipline, the blue course ends with a different kind of send-off called Big Blue. At a platform up in the trees where the course ends, guests are hooked into a self-retracting coil and then they simply jump from the platform to the ground below.
“Of course, it's a steady fall,” he stated, “but at the very beginning it feels like you're free falling. It's a lot of fun. It's a great way to get off the course.”
And Lombardi isn't the only employee who can't get enough of the Field of Fire's five courses. Owner Thomas Vignato is also a frequent night climber.
His favorite course is also the blue course because of the tightrope obstacle. Holding a bar for balance, climbers attempt to walk across a single cable up in the trees.
“I just love the overall feeling of being outside, being in nature,” said Vignato. “But I also love testing myself. You're doing something different. It's the exhiloration of going through the courses. It's you against the course. You're competing against yourself. I do it where I try to beat my time. I try to go as efficiently as I can. I want to get better and better.”
While being up in the lit up trees, climbing and struggling through obstacles is an exciting activity that most people haven't ever tried, it's the “drinking on the ground afterwards” that Lombardi feels is the best aspect of night climbing. And even though he said it with a laugh, he wasn't joking.
At night, the climbing takes on a more adult vibe. There's usually a DJ playing or some music cranking. And there's the five fire pits scattered below the obstacle courses, surrounded by lawn chairs. Guests are encouraged to bring their own alcohol and food. So after ziplining out of the trees, many groups get together to roast marshmallows and make S'mores.
It's the perfect way to enjoy nature, friends and celebrate an accomplishment or wind down after facing your fears. Said Lombardi: “A lot of people doubt themselves. They think they can't do it. Or they're too scared. The next thing you know they're on the blue course going crazy and having an awesome time. It's a huge self-confidence builder and the staff here are very supportive.”
While the fire pits have always been a part of the adventure park, the aerial course is actually quite new. Two years ago Vignato transformed the park from a paintball park to the adventure park, which he felt was more family friendly and fit in with the day trip vibe of Mystic.
Before opening the park, Vignato was in hotel operations for 20 years. He was a hotel manager in Las Vegas and then at Foxwoods. But he decided to switch up his business plan when he saw his friend playing Call of Duty one summer day.
“It was such a nice day out,” he recalled, “but he was inside talking with his friends over the internet, fixated on this game. I wanted to harness their excitement for Call of Duty, but get them outside, getting some exercise. I felt paintball was a good way to do that.”
The business was a success, but Vignato – who stated that he's always researching what's cool, new and outdoorsy – decided to switch over to aerial adventure park to draw in an even bigger crowd.
“People want to get outside. It's different. You're in the woods. You're getting back to nature. And it's really, really nice to look at, with a great vibe,” said Vignato. “It's just a bunch of friendly people hanging out around a fire.”
But nothing beats being up in the courses for Vignato.
“I'm up there all the time,” he said. “It's a great form of exercise for me. Instead of the gym, I'll go do one of the courses.”
And soon the 50 acres of property will have even more outdoor adventures to offer. Right now, Vignato and his team are thinking up other exciting attractions, like training courses for tough mudders and American Ninja Warrior.
But for now, guests are thrilled just to be ziplining through the trees, lights and a crackling fire glowing beneath them in the dark, the sound of laughter filling the air from the people drinking and roasting marshmallows below, celebrating their victory.
Olivia Richman
A graduate of East Connecticut State University in Journalism, Olivia has written for Stonebridge Press & Antiques Marketplace among others. She enjoys writing, running and video games.
Make Sure You Stay At:
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