Lagoon Amusement Park’s Wooden Roller Coaster Celebrates A Century In Utah

Utahns have enjoyed recreating at Lagoon since 1886, when it was a park on the banks of the Great Salt Lake. It moved to its current location in Farmington in 1899, and began adding rides.

Today, the amusement park offers all kinds of rides, from kiddie boats to thrilling coasters, but the historic wooden coaster is still a favorite. 2021 marks its 100th year in operation, and you're going to want to pay it a visit to celebrate!

John Miller, a well-known roller coaster designer and engineer who built coasters at Coney Island, designed Lagoon's coaster and built it in 1921.

The coaster's largest hill rises 60 feet above the parking lot below.

It has 2,500 feet of track...

...and reaches speeds up to 45 miles per hour.

The coaster was immediately a big hit with Utahns, and it continues to be one of Lagoon's more popular rides, even though the park now offers larger, more modern coasters.

In 1953, a terrible fire ripped through Lagoon, burning down many of the structures and destroying about half of the roller coaster.

It was soon returned to its former glory, and rides resumed.

The wooden coaster at Lagoon is one of just a few left in the country. It's the fourth oldest in the U.S., and the seventh oldest in the entire world!

You might remember the wooden coaster when it was painted white, but the park no longer paints it. The coaster was allowed to return to its natural wood state, so that as repairs are made they will match the rest of the ride.

Just about every visitor at Lagoon loves to take a ride!

Young riders on the wooden coaster must be 46 inches tall, and those who are 50 inches tall or less should be accompanied by a parent.

Learn more about Lagoon's roller coaster on its website, and check out its Facebook page for the latest updates.