One of the best things about being a roller coaster enthusiast is finding parks and roller coasters that are a bit off the beaten path. When driving home to North Carolina from Cincinnati this past weekend, I wanted to make it a point to visit West Virginia’s Camden Park, a 26-acre amusement park that has been operating in the Huntington area since 1903.
It could be because I never saw myself driving through West Virginia again, or just wanted an excuse to break up the seven hour car ride, but I knew that the park featured four (yes, four — more on that in a little bit) roller coaster credits, and realized that I had to stop in during my drive. In just under an hour, I managed to park, enter the park, ride all four roller coasters, and get back on the road. Camden Park has the classics, for sure, but also a touch of modern coaster technology with Slingshot, an SBF-Visa Spinner that opened at the park in 2016.
If you’re like me, and want to know a little bit more about Camden Park’s roller coasters before you stop in for a quick visit, keep reading! (If you’re looking for a more thorough description of the park, read our 2018 Small Park Showcase Article!)
Big Dipper
Camden Park’s signature attraction is the National Amusement Device Co. built Big Dipper, which opened at the park in 1958. Not the tallest or fastest coaster by modern standards, Big Dipper utilizes a double-figure-eight layout to thrill riders, even six decades after its opening. The coaster’s “first drop” is rather small, but an incredible pop of airtime can be felt on the coaster’s 35′ tall second drop. Like other classic wooden coasters, you can truly “feel” the age of the track as you rattle through the course.
The classic Century Flyer trains are a great bit of nostalgia, and feature a single ratcheting lap bar. True to its era, even in 2021, the trains are operated by a series of levers to release and stop the train in the station. While each car on the Century Flyer features three rows, the back row of the train has been taken out of service, and only features space for 8 rows’ worth of riders.
If you’re looking for a classic wooden roller coaster thrill, look no further than the Big Dipper.
Little Dipper
Across the park, you’ll find Big Dipper’s “little brother,” the Little Dipper. Manufactured in 1961, also by the National Amusement Device Co., Little Dipper is perfect for thrill seekers who might not be ready for the “larger” Big Dipper. The double-oval layout takes about a minute to complete, and like the larger coaster across the park, has a few pops of airtime.
Little Dipper relies on simple camelback hills for its thrills, but is a fun coaster to ride, even for an enthusiast who has ridden countless other coasters. It’s a reminder of an earlier era of roller coasters that have become fewer and further between.
Slingshot
Camden Park’s Newest Coaster, Slingshot, opened in 2016. A “figure eight” spinning model from SBF-Visa, similar coasters have been popping up like crazy over the past few years. The rides are great for younger riders looking for a thrill, but if you know how to arrange your weight in the ride vehicles, they can really get spinning, resulting in a borderline disorienting experience. Even if you’re just riding “for the credit,” don’t miss Slingshot!
Hawnted House
Whether or not you count Hawnted House as a roller coaster, if you visit Camden Park, this attraction is not to be missed. One of only two remaining gravity-driven dark rides built by the now defunct Pretzel Amusement Ride Co., Hawnted House features a roller coaster-style chain lift and a short drop before entering the dark ride portion of the attraction.
While the inside is as kitschy and quirky as you would expect a classic haunted house dark ride to be, the tight turns and quick drop, not to mention the fact that there are only two of these attractions remaining, make Hawnted House worth your time. If you’re wondering how the ride stops? The ride operators catch the train in the station. Yes, it’s as awesome as it sounds.
Classic amusement parks like Camden Park are becoming harder and harder to find. If you have the opportunity to visit, take the time and experience some of the coasters! The admission fee is still less than $20 a person, and for more information, visit Camden Park’s website!
This park has nothing but kiddy rides. I’ve seen the video to the little dipper. That’s a kiddy ride. Every ride in that park are kiddy rides. From what I saw in the video, it looked like nobody was having any fun at all. To me it from what I saw, it looks to be one of the worst theme parks I have ever seen. I’m from Georgia The Empire State of the South. I’m glad this park is not in my state.