5 Thrilling Roller Coasters at Dollywood That You Need to Ride
5 Thrilling Roller Coasters at Dollywood That You Need to Ride
Thrillseekers will be in heaven when they visit Dollywood, as the world-famous theme park is home to one of the best collections of roller coasters in the country! Whether you are racing along the rails of a traditional wooden coaster, looping upside down on a steel track, or blasting through the corridors of an abandoned mine, you’ll find plenty of breathtaking opportunities to experience during your visit to the park! Here are 5 thrilling roller coasters at Dollywood that you need to ride:
1. Big Bear Mountain
Big Bear Mountain is not only one of the newest roller coasters to join the lineup at Dollywood, but it also happens to be the longest coaster in the park! After being secured in a place with a lap bar, you’ll experience a triple-launching track layout that spans nearly 4000 feet! During the two-minute expedition of your search for the Big Bear, prepare to travel up to 48 miles per hour while twisting and turning through this amazing adventure! To add to the fun, the coaster is a first-of-its-kind at Dollywood as it features onboard audio with narration and music!
2. Lightning Rod
Another one of the thrilling roller coasters at Dollywood that you need to ride is the Lightning Rod! Themed after a 1950s-era hot rod, this incredible coaster sends you more than 20 stories up the lift hill, where you’ll encounter twin summit airtime hills before tackling the 165-foot first drop! Hold on tight as you race along the 3,800 feet of unique hybrid track structure and experience nearly 20 seconds of combined airtime throughout the layout! It is no wonder that the Lightning Rod has been named as one of the country’s top 10 coasters by USA Today!
3. Mystery Mine
Explore an abandoned coal mine on the Mystery Mine, where you never know what might lurk around the corner on this wild coaster that features both indoor and outdoor sections! The ride features uncertain encounters and amazing maneuvers, including a hair-raising 95-degree, 85-foot vertical drop that plunges into total darkness! In addition to this crazy drop, the Mystery Mine features two complete inversions, extreme banking, and speeds reaching 43 miles per hour!
4. Wild Eagle
When it comes to the thrilling roller coasters at Dollywood that you need to ride, be sure not to miss the Wild Eagle! This “wing” coaster was the first of its kind in the United States. Instead of having the train on the track, the Wild Eagle seats riders on either side of the track so that there is nothing above or below you! While riding this coaster that is perched 21 stories above Dollywood, you’ll feel like you are actually soaring high above the Smoky Mountains!
5. Thunderhead
Thunderhead is a traditional wooden roller coaster that offers “old school” thrills, despite being less than 25 years old! The massive coaster is situated between two mountains and takes advantage of the area’s rough and tumble terrain to create a daring ride with a 100-foot drop and a top speed of 55 miles per hour! Thunderhead also features a unique station “fly through”, where waiting guests can see the trains race through the station at 40 miles per hour!
Where to Stay Near Dollywood
Ready to start planning your getaway to Dollywood and the Smokies? Check out all of our vacation rentals in the Smoky Mountains today to stay just minutes away from these thrilling roller coasters at Dollywood!
