Thrill Seekers Unite!
Calling all thrill-seekers! If you have a roller coaster bucket list, then this article is for you. If you don’t, well, you should.
These roller coasters have a reputation for inducing fear and exhilaration. Based on user ratings and reviews, these are the best roller coasters you’ll find in each of America’s 50 states.
What is the scariest roller coaster in America?
Kingda Ka at Six Flags Adventure Park in Jackson, New jersey tops the list for scariest roller coast in the U.S.
This intense ride uses a hydraulic launch to shoot riders out at 206 km/h in 3.5 seconds to a height of 456 feet at a 90-degree angle, and back down in a 270-degree spiral, followed by a 129-foot camel hump hill.
A Need for Speed in America
Five out of the 10 fastest roller coasters in the world are located in the United States. Not only that, the nation is also home to 7 of the 10 highest roller coasters in the world.
Now let’s get a closer look into each state’s best ride.
Alabama: Rampage
Adrenaline junkies heading to Alabama’s Adventure Amusement Park go straight for the Rampage—a 120-foot-tall wooden roller coaster boasting a 102-foot drop.
Not only is it huge, it’s fast too, with a top speed of 56 mph.
Martin Lewison, Wikimedia Commons
Alaska: Master Blaster
Alaska doesn’t exactly have traditional roller coasters, but you can find scream-inducing rides at H2Oasis Indoor Water Park. The Master Blaster, known as a “water-powered roller coaster”.
After climbing about 50 stairs, you’ll board a tube that will launch you off the 43-foot-high Blast Off Station. The ride is fast, and shoots water at you on the way down, so hold on tight!
Federico Rostagno, Shutterstock
Arizona: Desert Storm
The Desert Storm at Castles-n-Coasters in Phoenix features double upside-down loops, vertical drops and spins.
At 90-feet, it’s the tallest roller coaster in the state—but it’s only 90 seconds long, so enjoy the ride!
Arkansas: X Coaster
Roller coaster enthusiasts visiting Hot Springs should get in line for Magic Springs Theme and Water Park’s X-Coaster.
Riders will get an unnerving thrill on the backward slow quarter-loop that has you hanging above the theme park before you suddenly whip around a 360-degree corkscrew.
California: X2
Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia upped its game and introduced X2—an innovative “fifth dimension” roller coaster that features 360-degree seats that actually extend on wings off the track which allows your body to flip fully around while the coaster dives and twists around turns and loops.
The entire roller coaster is madness that will leave you stuck in a constant scream the entire time.
Robert V Schwemmer, Shutterstock
Colorado: Cliffhanger Roller Coaster
The Cliffhanger Roller Coaster at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood is named the “highest elevation full-sized roller coaster in North America.”
It sits 7,160-feet high, offering fantastic views of the Colorado River before launching you at incredible speeds around cliff-side curves and heart-stopping drop offs.
Connecticut: Boulder Dash
Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce in Bristol is ranked as the fourth best wooden roller coaster of 2019 by Golden Ticket Awards.
This dramatic ride reaches a top speed of 60 mph, and whips passengers around a bumpy hillside with unexpected twists and excitement around every corner.
Delaware: SuperFlip 360
Delaware isn’t exactly bumpin’ with roller coasters; in fact, you won’t find any in the state. But the next best thing is the SuperFlip 360 at Funland in Rehoboth Beach.
Reviews claim it is the scariest ride in the state, whipping riders around 360-degrees, giving that stomach-dropping feeling you’d get on an actual roller coaster.
The Washington Post, Getty Images
Florida: Tigris
Florida residents can’t agree on which of their roller coasters is the scariest. Sea World’s Manta and Kraken are top favorites, but Busch Gardens’ Tigris in Tampa Bay takes the cake.
As the tallest launch coaster in Florida, not only is it high, it takes riders forward, backward, though loops and over drops—all at a top speed of 60 mph.
Georgia: Goliath
Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell is dubbed a “hyper-coaster”, and for good reason. According to reviews, “the first drop will have you rethinking your decision to get on it.”
It’s the perfect roller coaster to end your day with, leaving you with your heart racing all the way home.
Jeremy Thompson, Wikimedia Commons
Hawaii: Shaka
The Aloha State isn’t exactly known for roller coasters, but they do have a heart-stopping ride at Wet ‘n Wild in Oahu.
The Shaka is described as a “wet/dry attraction”, with a top speed of 41mph and a 36-foot drop, this ride easily provides that zero-gravity feeling.
Marcio Jose Bastos Silva, Shutterstock
Idaho: Aftershock
The Aftershock at Silverwood Theme Park was voted “Top Hanging Coaster” by Travel Channel back in 2012.
This 191-foot towering ride will take you on extreme drops and loops that will propel you forward and pull you backward with intensity.
Illinois: Goliath
The Six Flags Great America outside of Chicago boasts the Goliath coaster—which will slowly lift you up and then suddenly drop you down a super-steep slope.
This giant beast features impressive heights, astonishing speeds and stomach-tightening inversions.
Jeremy Thompson, Wikimedia Commons
Indiana: The Voyage
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in the town of Santa Clause is home to The Voyage, a wooden “out and back” coaster with steep drops, underground tunnels, and exhilarating turns.
Reviews claim The Voyage is the most exciting roller coaster in the state.
Iowa: The Monster
If you’re in Iowa and looking for a terrifying experience, head to Adventureland in Altoona for a spin on The Monster.
This intense ride offers loops, corkscrews, and even something called “an Immelmann”—the name given to a feature where a loop looks like a traditional vertical before inverting at its peak.
TheCatalyst31, Wikimedia Commons
Kansas: Dragon Coaster
There aren’t many amusement parks in Kansas, but the scariest ride can be found at All Star Adventures in Wichita. The Dragon Coaster offers curves, dips and turns that are sure to excite the tiny thrill seeker.
Kentucky: T3
Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville has a roller coaster with the tagline, “The Next Generation of Fear,” which says a lot in itself.
The T3 offers several terrifying loops and inversions, flipping riders around at top speeds across the track.
Louisiana: Ragin’ Cajun
Dixie Landin’/Blue Bayou Water Park in Baton Rouge is home to the Ragin’ Cajun, the state’s most scream-inducing roller coaster.
This massive steel structure features three inversions, a cobra roll, and a loop with a top speed of 47 mph.
Maine: Excalibur
If you’re in Maine you definitely want to check out Funtown Splashtown USA’s Excalibur—which holds the titles of both tallest and longest roller coaster in northern New England.
This colossal wooden roller coaster takes you high up over the trees offering incredible views before launching you through the track at intense speeds.
Maryland: Superman: Ride of Steel
At Six Flags America in Upper Marlboro, the Ride of Steel is the most terrifying coaster in the state of Maryland.
This hyper-coaster stands at 205-feet with an out-of-this-world 200-foot drop.
Massachusetts: Superman The Ride
Massachusetts offers a ride with a similar name to Maryland, Superman The Ride, located at Six Flags New England, was voted #3 Best Roller Coaster of 2018.
Reviews claim its best feature to be the whopping 200-foot drop that will vacate your stomach contents.
Thomas Wagner, Wikimedia Commons
Michigan: Shivering Timbers
Michigan’s Adventure in Muskegon has the Shivering Timbers roller coaster—a massive structure that will have your heart pounding just looking at it.
Over a mile long, this coaster is known as the “crown jewel” of the park, and the long line up is said to be, “so worth it.”
Jeremy Thompson, Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota: Wild Thing
If you’re looking for thrills with a fantastic view, Valleyfair’s Wild Thing roller coaster in Shakopee is where you want to be.
This colossal green machine reaches a top speed of 74 mph—one of the fastest roller coasters on this list. It also offers impressive drops and a figure-eight helix that will take your fear to the next level.
Mississippi: Backsplash
Mississippi is another state with limited roller coaster options. But the Backsplash at Geyser Falls in Choctaw will still get your heart pounding.
Backsplash is known to be both a roller coaster and a waterslide rolled into one, where riders use a two-person tube to share the exhilarating experience.
Anna Frodesiak, Wikimedia Commons
Missouri: Outlaw Run
Silver Dollar City’s Outlaw Run will bring out that inner child scream in you.
This wooden roller coaster has a 162-foot drop and a double barrel roll. As of 2020, it’s the sixth fastest wooden roller coaster in the world, with a top speed of 68 mph.
Branson Convention and Visitors Bureau, Flickr
Montana: The Shredder Xtreme
Once again, you won’t find any traditional roller coasters in Montana. But you will find The Shredder Xtreme at Big Sky Waterpark in Columbia Falls.
Known to be “the most chilling ride” there, this tube ride is the biggest slide in the park, and is said to be “extremely fast-paced” for a waterslide.
Nebraska: Rockin’ Rapids
The closest thing you’ll find to a roller coaster in Nebraska is the Rockin’ Rapids at Fun-Plex in Omaha.
This ride is an impressive five stories tall with 1,200 feet of slide, offering riders a serious adrenaline rush.
Nevada: Canyon Blaster
Canyon Blaster at Circus Circus Hotel & Casino Las Vegas is an incredible indoor attraction boasting a double-loop and a double-corkscrew while speeding through Adventuredome.
Riders claim to be “pleasantly surprised” by the thrill this ride offers considering it is located in an indoor theme park.
New Hampshire: Untamed
If you’re looking for serious scares, the Untamed at Canobie Lake Park in Salem offers zero gravity rolls, banked turns, vertical drops, and loops that will have even the most experienced rider screaming.
This thrilling ride is known to be one of the best rides in New Hampshire.
New Jersey: El Toro
Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey is home to states most terrifying roller coaster, El Toro—according to some. Another close contender is Kingda Ka—which has earned the title of scariest roller coaster in the U.S. by many people.
El Toro was voted #1 in USA Today’s 10 Best Awards in 2022. This classic wooden coaster is nearly 19 stories high and launches riders down a sudden 176-foot drop at a 76-degree angle before speeding through the track at 70 mph.
New Mexico: The Hurricane
The Hurricane in Wester Playland in Sunland, New Mexico is a steel windstorm-style coaster that only hits a top speed of 35 mph, but still has enough drops and g-force to impress the thrill-seekers of New Mexico.
New York: Cyclone
The iconic Cyclone at Luna Park at Coney Island, located in Brooklyn, isn’t very tall or fast, but it is the second steepest wooden roller coaster in the world and offers an adrenaline-charged 85-foot plunge that sends you through drops, curves and 27 elevation variations.
This coaster has been in operation for more than 90 years—which adds a great deal of fear in itself.
North Carolina: Intimidator
The Intimidator—which debuts its new name, Thunder Striker in the 2024 season—at Carowinds in Charlotte is the state’s scariest roller coaster. Standing at a height of 232-feet, it certainly is intimidating.
This huge steel structure is known to have a smooth ride powering through the track at a whopping 80 mph.
North Dakota: Runaway Train
The Runaway Train in Super Slide Amusement Park in Bismarck is the state’s only roller coaster. Not very big, the structure stands just 18-feet high at its tallest peak.
But considering it’s the only roller coaster around, it takes the “scariest roller coaster” title by default.
Ohio: GateKeeper
The GateKeeper at Cedar Point in Sandusky is a roller coaster with wings. It turns passengers upside down a total of six times, while rapidly moving from side-to-side the entire time.
Cedar Point is known as the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World,” so if this ride doesn’t do it for you, there’s plenty more to try.
Jeremy Thompson, Wikimedia Commmons
Oklahoma: Brain Drain
Another Six Flags franchise winner—the Brain Drain at Six Flags Frontier City in Oklahoma City loops passengers around a high speed, leaving them hanging for a bit in an effort to “drain the brain.”
Oregon: Adrenaline Peak
Oaks Park in Portland, Oregon introduced Adrenaline Peak in 2018, a roller coaster with three inversions and a chilling beyond-vertical first drop.
Not only is it fast, but the it’s extreme, with a 72-foot lift that you’ll want to brace yourself for.
Jeremy Thompson, Wikimedia Commons
Pennsylvania: Steel Curtain
Looking for thrills in Pennsylvania? Head to Kennywood in Pittsburgh for the Steel Curtain, the park’s newest roller coaster.
This beauty offers a whopping nine inversions, one of which is known to be the tallest in the world at 197-feet.
Rhode Island: Dragon Coaster
Rhode Island is another state with zero roller coasters, unfortunately. But the tiny Dragon Coaster at Atlantic Beach Park in Westerly is a favorite for kids.
It doesn’t cost much and it is sure to excite the littlest thrill-seekers.
Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, Picryl
South Carolina: Fury 325
Fury 325 at Carowinds in Fort Mill is technically located in both North and South Carolina, straddling the state line.
This terrifying coaster peaks at 325-feet and boasts a 190-foot barrel turn that is said to feel “death-defying.”
South Dakota: Rushmore Mountain Coaster
Rushmore Mountain Coaster at Rush Mountain Adventure Park in Keystone, South Dakota is a mountain coaster featuring one and two-person carts that whips riders around trees and, of course, the mountainside.
Interestingly, riders can control the speed, so if you want to slow down a bit, you can.
Tennessee: Wild Eagle
Wild Eagle at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee makes the list of scariest rides because of its wings. It was actually the first winged roller coaster in the U.S.
The highest peak is a whopping 21 stories high and boasts a 135-foot drop at speeds up to 61 mph.
Texas: Titan
The Titan at Six Flags Over Texas is known as a “giant among coasters”.
This hyper-coaster takes riders up an impressive 245 feet—nearly the height of the Statue of Liberty—and drops them down at a top speed of 85 mph.
Utah: Cannibal
The Cannibal at Lagoon Park in Utah is known as the craziest coaster in the state. It sends riders up 208-feet just to plunge them back down into a 116-degree beyond vertical free-fall taking them into an underground tunnel.
If that isn’t enough, this beast also has an inverted loop and a water feature that impresses even the most adventurous thrill-seekers.
Vermont: Beast Mountain Coaster
The Beast Mountain Coaster at Killington Resort in Vermont offers some serious thrills.
The 4,800-foot-long alpine coaster spins through the woods and boasts terrifying twists, turns, and 360-degree corkscrews.
Virginia: The Intimidator 305
Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia is home to the state’s scariest roller coaster: The Intimidator 305.
The incredible steel structure offers a massive 300-foot-tall initial drop that sends you flying at 91 mph with sudden sharp turns and insane drops.
Washington: Timberhawk: Ride of Prey
If you’re looking for a thrilling experience in Washington, head over to Wild Waves Theme and Water Park for the Timberhawk: Ride of Prey roller coaster.
This intense ride is a 75-feet-tall wooden coaster that reaches a top speed of 50 mph.
West Virginia: Big Dipper
West Virginia doesn’t have many roller coasters, but the biggest and scariest has to be The Big Dipper at Camden Park in Huntington.
The Big Dipper isn’t very fast, or big, but it offers a double-figure-eight layout that adds to the naturally terrifying experience that comes with riding a 60+ year old roller coaster.
Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons
Wisconsin: Hades 360
The scariest roller coast in Wisconsin is the Hades 360 at Mt. Olympus Park—which is the world’s first upside-down wooden roller coaster and has the world’s longest underground tunnel.
Not only does it boast a 360-degree loop, it drops from 140-feet and speeds through the track at 70 mph.
Wyoming: Cowboy Coaster
Cowboy Coaster at Snow King Mountain in Jackson Hole has both winter and summer versions of the ride.
In the summer, the roller coaster takes riders through wildflower meadows, and in the winter, it offers views of skiers and snowboarders.
With a speed of only 25 mph, this roller coaster makes up for its speed with a drop plummeting the equivalent of a 45-story building.
Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce, Flickr
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