Earlier this year we published a list of the tallest roller coaster in every state, but for a lot of coaster enthusiasts height isn’t the end all and be all. A long, epic, ride might be more your style. Once again, we’ve combed through the invaluable Roller Coaster Database (RCDB), this time to find the longest operating roller coaster in every US state. Some of these overlap with the tallest in the state, some are famous and ranked among the best coasters in the country, and some aren’t really very long at all (and hopefully if you’re in one of those states you’re nearby another). And note, for this article like the last, we didn’t include any alpine coasters (which can get very long), and we’re looking at track length, not ride time.
Alabama
Rampage at Alabama Splash, 3,500 feet long. It’s also the tallest roller coaster in Alabama, built by Custom Coasters International. Originally built in 1998, it’s had a few stretches of being SBNO, but since 2013 has operated continuously.
Alaska
Debuting at the 2021 Alaska State Fair, Aftershock, from Italian ride manufacturer Interpark, is the first permanent roller coaster installation in Alaska, and features 1,181′ of bright yellow track!
Arizona
We’re not positive about the longest coaster in Arizona, but we’re pretty sure that it’s Desert Storm at Castles and Coasters in Phoenix at 2,024 feet long. It’s also the tallest coaster in the state (anyone else think Arizona could use a major theme park?).
Arkansas
Arkansas Twister at Magic Springs, 3,340 feet long. Originally known as the Florida Hurricane at Boardwalk and Baseball near Orlando, it opened up in Arkansas in 1992 as Arkansas Twister. Check out our full feature on it from 2016.
California
Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure, 6,072 feet long. A bit of a surprise that Disney holds this California record. Incredicoaster (formerly California Screamin’) got its makeover in 2018 for the opening of Pixar Pier. The LIM launch coaster lasts a whopping 2:36.
Colorado
Twister II at Elitch Gardens, 4,640 feet. Twister II is a custom wood coaster that was based on the Mr. Twister coaster at the original Elitch Gardens. The future of Elitch Gardens is murky, so if you get a chance to ride it, you should do it!
Connecticut
Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce, 4,725 feet. The longest coaster in Connecticut has won the Golden Ticket for best wooden coaster multiple times, including four straight from 2013 to 2016. In the most recent awards it came in at #4.
Delaware
Sadly no coasters in Delaware. But hey, you’re not that far from some pretty good parks in neighboring states!
Florida
Mako at SeaWorld Orlando, 4,760 feet long. Despite being really long, Mako is actually the second shortest B&M hyper coaster in the USA. Only Goliath at Six Flags over Georgia is shorter. Check out our review of Mako from when it first opened in 2016 (safe to say we’re fans).
We realized we jumped the gun on Mako! There’s a new for 2019 ride that beat it out, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure! The new coaster from Intamin at Wizarding World of Harry Potter clocks in at a whopping 5,053 feet long! Need a lot of length for all those animatronics!
Georgia
Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia, 4,480 feet. Like we said above, Goliath is actually the shortest B&M hyper coaster in the USA. But, it is longer than it’s sister hyper coaster, Goliath at La Ronde in Quebec, Canada, which opened just about a month after Georgia’s Goliath did.
Hawaii
Longest Coaster: No Operating Roller Coasters
But, fun fact, another US owned Pacific Island DOES have a roller coaster. Guam! It’s home to an indoor family coaster called “Creature Coaster”. So if you find yourself in the Pacific and you take these things seriously, might be worth grabbing that credit.
Idaho
Tremors at Silverwood at 3,000 feet. Another Custom Coasters International wooden coaster on this list. The ride features four underground tunnels, including one that goes under the ride’s gift shop.
Illinois
Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America, 5,057 feet. One of the take-aways from making this list is the hyper coasters tend to be long. The whole C101 team recently visited Six Flags Great America, and we were big fans of Raging Bull. In fact, some of us might think it’s the best B&M Hyper.
Indiana
The Voyage at Holiday World, 6,642 feet long. Only the second coaster ever built by Gravity Group, The Voyage is the second longest wooden roller coaster in the world. It also has the most tunnels of any wooden coaster at 5. When the Coaster101 team visited Holiday World a few years ago, we loved it. Especially at night!
Iowa
Tornado at Adventureland, 2,840 feet. The classic out-and-back wooden coaster has been operating at Adventureland since July 4th, 1978, and has a somewhat unique layout, following the shore of a small lake. The name for the ride is partially in reference to the fact that the opening of Adventureland in 1974 was delayed by an actual tornado hitting the park.
Kansas
Unsure
Like we mentioned in our list of tallest coasters in each state, Kansas only has a few kiddie coasters, and stats on them are sparse. So we’re not sure which is longest, but none are very long.
Kentucky
Thunder Run at Kentucky Kingdom, 2,850 feet. The Dinn Corporation coaster originally operated from 1990 to 2009 before closing when Six Flags shuttered the park. The coaster sat unused until reopening when Kentucky Kingdom was brought back from the dead in 2014. Interestingly, it was Rocky Mountain Construction that restored the coaster back to operating condition in 2013.
Louisiana
Again, we’re not 100% sure as stats seem to be thin for rides in Louisiana, but we’re fairly sure the longest is Gilbeau’s Galaxy at Blue Bayou Dixie Landing. But, we don’t have an exact length.
Maine
Excalibur at Funtown Splashdown USA, 2,700 feet. This CCI coaster is the only wooden coaster operating in the state of Maine, and is both the longest and tallest coaster in the state.
Maryland
Superman Ride of Steel at Six Flags America, 5,350 feet. One of three “Superman” themed coasters on this list all of the same model, the one at Six Flags America is ever so slightly shorter than the two sister coasters.
Superman Ride of Steel seems like a good reason to stop at Six Flags America.
Massachusetts
Superman the Ride at Six Flags New England, 5,400 feet. Speaking of sister rides, this Superman was briefly re-themed to Bizzaro from 2009 to 2016, then returned to a Superman theme (the original name was also Superman: Ride of Steel, but switched to Superman the Ride for the retheme). It also briefly used VR headsets, a questionable choice for a coaster consistently rated as one of the best roller coasters in the country.
Michigan
Shivering Timbers at Michigan’s Adventure, 5,383 feet. Another CCI coaster on the list, Shivering Timbers is the 4th longest wooden coaster in the world. It had a run of consistently being ranked the #2 wooden coaster by the Golden Ticket awards in the 2000s, although these days falls more often in the ~20th range. Check out our feature on the ride from way back in 2013 (probably due for an update!)
Minnesota
Wild Thing at Valleyfair!, 5,460 feet. It was the first hyper coaster built by the DH Morgan company, and its success led to additional Morgan hyper coasters being built, including two more on this list.
Mississippi
All American Coaster at Brookhaven Exchange Club Park, probably? Another state lacking in coasters, we think this kiddie coaster might be the longest, but aren’t really sure.
Missouri
Mamba at Worlds of Fun, 5,600 feet. The third Morgan hyper coaster built, and the last built in the US, it opened in 1998.
Montana
Sadly, no operating coasters in Montana 🙁
Nebraska
We’re not sure, there only a couple of kiddie coasters operating in Nebraska, and we couldn’t find length stats.
Nevada
Desperado at Buffalo Bill’s Casino, 5,843 feet. This 1994 Arrow Dynamics hyper coasters is one that anyone who’s driven from Los Angeles to Las Vegas would recognize. It’s basically in the middle of nowhere, but it’s at a casino right over the border just off I-15. A portion of the ride actually runs through the casino interior!
New Hampshire
Yankee Cannonball at Canobie Lake Park, 2000 feet. The ride was originally built in 1930, but moved to Canobie lake in 1936. When we talked to GCI a few years ago about how they refurbish a roller coaster, they discussed their work on Yankee Cannonball and the effort to keep the experience as true to the historic ride as possible.
On older coasters like Yankee Cannonball, GCII strives to keep them as historic feeling as possible.
New Jersey
Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, 5,394 feet. Another B&M hyper coaster on the list, Nitro was the third of that model to open. It consistently gets rated as one of the best steel coasters in the world, and has great views of the New Jersey woods from its secluded route out of the park.
New Mexico
New Mexico Rattler at Cliff’s Amusement Park, 2,750 feet. Opened in 2002, this was the final coaster to open designed by CCI. CCI actually filed for bankruptcy partway through construction so the park itself had to finish construction, completing it just before the end of the 2002 season.
New York
Ride of Steel at Darien Lake, 5,400 feet. The third of our Superman named coasters. This was the first of the three Intamin coasters to open, coming in May 1999. It is a nearly identical layout to the Six Flags America version, but very different from the SFNE model.
North Carolina
Fury 325 at Carowinds, 6,602 feet. Widely regarded as one of the best steel coasters in the world (if not THE best). Probably you should just go read about how much we all loved it when the C101 team went to Carowinds a couple of years ago, and our review of it from its opening.
Fury 325 treble-clef turnaround
North Dakota
Runaway Train at Super Slide Amusement Park. We don’t actually know how long it is, but it’s the only coaster in North Dakota, so it wins!
Ohio
Beast at Kings Island, 7,359 feet. The longest wooden roller coaster in the world, no surprise it’s on this list. It’s also one of our favorite roller coasters, especially to ride at night! Aside from its length and awesomeness, it’s unique for it’s two lift hill design, and the fact it was designed by Kings Island in 1979, not an outside coaster manufacturer.
Oklahoma
Wildcat at Frontier City, 2,653 feet. Wildcat originally opened at Fairyland Park in 1968, but closed when the park did in 1977. It moved to Frontier City in 1990 and reopened in 1991.
Oregon
Ice Mountain Bobsled at Enchanted Forest, 1,600 feet. Maybe the most unusual ride on this whole list. Ice Mountain Bobsled was originally more like an alpine slide, according to RCDB, but was converted into a more traditional roller coaster in 1985. It looks kind of similar to an alpine coaster. If you’ve been on it, tell us what it’s like!
Pennsylvania
Steel Force at Dorney Park, 5,600 feet. The second of the Morgan hyper coasters (and third of them on this list), it opened in 1997. Steel Force used 2,000 tons of steel in its construction!
Rhode Island
Sadly, no coasters in Rhode Island.
South Carolina
Swamp Fox at Family Kingdom Amusement Park, 2,640 feet. Opened in 1966, Swamp Fox made our list of our favorite operating coasters over 50 years old. And yes, we’re not counting Intimidator at Carowinds for this list, even though it’s technically on the South Carolina side of the border.
South Dakota
Humpty Dumpty’s Great Fall at Storybook Land. We don’t know its exact height, but it’s the only operating coaster in its state, so here it is.
Tennessee
Lightning Rod at Dollywood, 3,800 feet. It’s the world’s first launched wooden coaster, but rather than try to share fun facts for Lightning Rod I’ll just share the effusive reviews of it from Coaster101 founder John Stevenson.
Lightning Rod quadruple down
Texas
Titan at Six Flags Over Texas, 5,312 feet. Titan is one of just two hyper coasters built by Giovanola, the other being Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The two coasters are almost identical, but Goliath is actually 10 feet shorter than Titan.
Utah
Cannibal at Lagoon, 2,735 feet. Cannibal is one of those rare (especially in modern times) coasters built by an in-house team. It features the steepest drop in North America, and is the tallest beyond vertical drop in the world!
Vermont
There aren’t any traditional roller coasters in Vermont sadly, but there are a couple Alpine coasters, for what it’s worth.
Virginia
Intimidator 305 at King’s Dominion, 5,100 feet. The second Intamin Giga coaster, it opened in 2010. The ride was modified in its first off-season because of complaints that riders were blacking out on the ride. The first turn after the drop was modified to reduce the G-forces a bit (lots of people still “gray out” on the ride).
Washington
Classic Coaster at the Washington State Fair, 2,650 feet. The Classic Coaster is a 1935 Frederick Church coaster, one of the oldest operating in the country. The fair is only open for about three weeks in September every year though (and a shorter time in Spring), so it’s a hard credit to come by!
West Virginia
Big Dipper at Camden Park, 1,800 feet. It’s one of just three roller coasters built by National Amusement Devices still operating (and one of the other two is also at Camden Park, Little Dipper). Check out our Small Park Showcase feature on Camden park from a few years back.
Wisconsin
Hades 360 at Mountain Olympus, 4,746 feet. Hades opened in 2005 as Hades, and then the 360 degree roll was added in 2013 turning the ride into Hades 360. When it opened in 2005 it won “Best New Ride” from Amusement Today.
Wyoming
Sadly Wyoming has no traditional coasters, but there is a Mountain Coaster there!
Are you surprised by any of these numbers? Let us know in the comments below!
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