Cannibal is the ride Lagoon spent nearly a decade dreaming up — and then decided to build itself. Rising over the classic Farmington, Utah park since July 2015, its brown elevator tower is visible from Interstate 15, and the moment that made it famous happens right at the top: a 116° beyond-vertical dive that was the steepest drop in the United States when it opened.
Ten years on, Cannibal is still Utah’s signature thrill ride and one of the most unusual major coasters anywhere — a 12-passenger elevator-lift coaster with no chain lift, no over-the-shoulder harness, and a layout Lagoon engineered mostly in-house. Here’s every stat, record, and detail worth knowing before you ride.
Quick Answer
Cannibal at Lagoon is a 208-foot elevator-lift roller coaster in Farmington, Utah, that drops riders 116° beyond vertical, reaches 70 mph, and includes three inversions across 2,735 feet of track. Riders must be at least 48 inches tall, and Lagoon built roughly three-quarters of the ride in-house under designer Dal Freeman for about $22 million, opening on July 2, 2015.
Key Stats at a Glance
Height: 208 ft (63 m) elevator lift; roughly 197 ft (60 m) structure height
Drop angle: 116° beyond vertical — 26° past straight down
Speed: 70 mph (110 km/h)
Length: 2,735 ft (834 m)
Inversions: 3 — Immelmann loop, dive loop, and a double “Lagoon Roll”
Max g-force: 4.2 g
Duration: about 2 minutes 30 seconds
Minimum height to ride: 48 inches (122 cm); restraints are lap bars only, no over-the-shoulder harness
Builder: Lagoon Corporation in-house, designer Dal Freeman
Opened: July 2, 2015, at a reported cost of about $22 million
A Coaster Lagoon Built Itself
Major parks almost always order their coasters from specialist manufacturers, but Lagoon took a different path with Cannibal. Under lead designer Dal Freeman, the park engineered and constructed roughly three-quarters of the ride in-house — an unusual move for a $22 million project of this scale, and one that gave Lagoon full control over a layout that exists nowhere else.
Instead of a chain lift, riders board a 12-passenger open car that rolls into an enclosed 208-foot elevator tower and is hauled straight up in the dark. At the top, the car creeps out of an opening high above the midway, pauses on the brink, then tips into the signature drop. At opening, Cannibal was celebrated as home to the tallest beyond-vertical drop in the world, and its 116° angle stood as the steepest in the United States until TMNT Shellraiser opened in New Jersey in 2019.
Riding Cannibal, Second by Second
The plunge builds speed to 70 mph and slams straight into a 140-foot-tall Immelmann loop, followed by a dive loop that threads through the ride’s terrain and briefly ducks underground. Cannibal then crosses a lagoon and rips through its namesake “Lagoon Roll” — a double heartline roll that twists riders one way, then back the other — before a splashless, water-adjacent finale brings the car home.
The whole trip covers 2,735 feet of track in about two and a half minutes and peaks at 4.2 g, enough to put it in the conversation with the highest g-force coasters anywhere. Riders are held in by individual lap bars only, which makes the beyond-vertical moment at the top feel especially exposed since there is nothing over the shoulders holding you back.
How Steep Is Cannibal, Really?
A 116° first drop means Cannibal tips 26 degrees past straight down before riders even start falling. When it opened in 2015, that made it the steepest drop of any roller coaster in the United States, a title it held until TMNT Shellraiser debuted at Nickelodeon Universe in New Jersey in 2019 with a 121.5° drop.
Cannibal still ranks among the steepest coasters in the world, and its 208-foot elevator lift remains one of only a handful of vertical-lift systems used on a major coaster anywhere. Few rides pair that kind of drop angle with an in-house-built structure, which is part of why Cannibal still draws coaster enthusiasts to Lagoon a decade after it opened.
Tips for Riding Cannibal
Cannibal only runs one 12-passenger car at a time through its single elevator lift, so the line moves slower than a typical coaster — locals treat an early park-opening lap as essential strategy on busy summer days. Riders must be at least 48 inches tall, and because the restraints are lap bars only, loose items should be left with a non-rider or in a station locker before boarding.
The ride is located on Lagoon’s North Midway, easy to spot thanks to its enclosed brown lift tower and crimson track. For current wait-time estimates, ride closures, or single-rider line availability, check the ride status board in the park or Lagoon’s official app the day you visit.
Cannibal at Lagoon roller coaster FAQs
How steep is Cannibal at Lagoon?
Cannibal’s first drop is angled at 116 degrees — 26 degrees beyond straight down. It debuted as the steepest coaster drop in the United States and still ranks among the steepest roller coaster drops in the world.
How tall and fast is Cannibal?
The enclosed elevator lift carries riders about 208 feet up before the drop, and the ride hits a top speed of 70 mph across 2,735 feet of track.
Who built Cannibal?
Lagoon built Cannibal largely in-house — about three-quarters of the ride — under designer Dal Freeman, at a reported cost of around $22 million. It opened on July 2, 2015.
What is the height requirement for Cannibal?
Riders must be at least 48 inches (122 cm) tall to ride Cannibal, and Lagoon uses lap-bar-only restraints rather than over-the-shoulder harnesses.
Is Cannibal the steepest roller coaster in the world?
Not anymore. Cannibal’s 116° drop was the steepest in the United States when it opened in 2015, but TMNT Shellraiser in New Jersey surpassed it in 2019 with a 121.5° drop. Cannibal still ranks among the steepest coasters anywhere.
How many inversions does Cannibal have?
Cannibal has three inversions: a 140-foot Immelmann loop, a dive loop, and a double heartline “Lagoon Roll.”
Where is Cannibal located at Lagoon?
Cannibal is on Lagoon’s North Midway in Farmington, Utah, easily spotted by its enclosed brown elevator-lift tower visible from Interstate 15.
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