King of the zip line

A treetop obstacle course and recreational park in rural east Manatee County received an unexpected marketing boost from someone who knows his way around high wires: Nik Wallenda, the Sarasota native and resident who made national news earlier this year with his tightrope walk over the Grand Canyon.

Wallenda and a group of eight others, friends and family, spent a recent weekend morning at TreeUmph! Adventure Course. The park, on State Road 70, nine miles east of Interstate 75, opened earlier this year. It's a combination of zip lines with wobbly bridges and bungee swings with hanging nets.

Now the park is also Wallenda-approved: “Had a great time at TreeUmph! Adventure Course, something every family in Sarasota and Bradenton must do!” Wallenda wrote on his Facebook page Dec. 1. “Special thanks to the staff!”