On top of a mountain in Colorado stands the country’s tallest looping roller coaster
Glenwood Springs, Colorado is only 2.5 hours west of Denver. The town’s location on the Colorado River makes it an ideal jumping off point for exploring the nearby Glenwood Canyon, whose cliffs rise up to 1,300 feet from the riverbed.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, located on Iron Mountain at the city’s outskirts, is the only mountain-top theme park in the United States. Only accessible through a breathtaking gondola ride, the park offers visitors above- and below-ground adventures, including the newest addition to the park: the United States’ tallest looping roller coaster.
The Defiance roller coaster has a 110-foot, 102.3-degree drop that is the steepest freefall drop in the Western United States. The 56-second ride has many bends and twists in addition to the freefall, including a 98-foot twisted top hat switch, a 111-foot banana roll, and a 41-foot Zero-G heart line-roll. That’s roller coaster lingo for an abundance of exhilaration, notes Travel + Leisure.
The town, which in 1879 went under the name of Defiance before changing to Glenwood Springs, inspired the name of the roller coaster. The ride is a unique Euro-Fighter roller coaster created by German amusement park maker Gerstlauer, and it is located amazingly 7,132 feet (about 2.17 km) above sea level.
“We are beyond thrilled to be working with both Gerstlauer and Ride Entertainment to make this coaster a reality,” Nancy Heard, general manager of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, said in a June 2022 statement about the roller coaster. “Defiance is sure to become instantly recognizable around the world for its incredible setting and unparalleled thrills.”
Defiance is currently running, weather permitting, and this summer will mark its first full season of operation.
The exhilarating ride is one of numerous top attractions at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, including the famous Fairy Caves and the 16,000-foot-long Glenwood Caverns, which stretch inside Iron Mountain. Visitors continue to flock to the Giant Canyon Swing ride above ground to face a swing that can reach speeds of up to 50 mph and is located 1,300 feet above the Colorado River.
Tickets at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, where Defiance is located, begin at $52 in the spring, though weather conditions may force closure of some attractions. Without Defiance or any of the other rides, the base price for a gondola trip and tour of the Glenwood Caverns is $45.
Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.