Canyon Blaster is an indoor steel roller coaster at the Adventuredome, the glass-domed amusement park attached to Circus Circus on the Las Vegas Strip. Built by Arrow Dynamics and opened on August 23, 1993, as the anchor attraction of what was then called Grand Slam Canyon, it has run continuously ever since, making it one of the longest-operating coasters in Las Vegas.
The layout sends riders through back-to-back vertical loops and a double corkscrew before finishing with a high-speed helix carved into the park’s artificial mountain facade. It was long billed as the world’s largest indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster, and it shares its design with Arrow’s earlier Rolling X-Train coaster at Everland in South Korea.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Adventuredome (Circus Circus), Las Vegas, Nevada
- Manufacturer: Arrow Dynamics
- Opened: August 23, 1993
- Height: About 94 feet
- Top speed: About 41 mph
- Length: About 2,423 feet
- Inversions: 4
The Ride Experience
After a chain lift and an initial drop of about 66 feet, Canyon Blaster runs riders through two consecutive vertical loops, a signature Arrow Dynamics element from the late 1980s and early 1990s. The train then threads a double corkscrew before diving into a helix built inside the park’s man-made canyon walls, giving the whole finale an enclosed, cave-like feel that’s unique to an indoor setting.
The coaster runs two six-car trains, with riders seated four across in two rows per car, and the full circuit lasts about a minute and a half. Because it operates entirely under the Adventuredome’s climate-controlled dome, it’s one of the few loop-and-corkscrew coasters in the country that runs rain or shine, day or night, regardless of the desert heat outside.
A Vegas Landmark Since 1993
Canyon Blaster opened alongside the rest of Grand Slam Canyon (later renamed Adventuredome) as Circus Circus expanded its family entertainment offerings on the Strip. Over three decades of operation, the ride has appeared in family films and television productions shot at the park, and it remains a recognizable fixture for visitors looking for a genuine thrill ride without leaving the casino corridor.
Its longevity is notable in an industry where indoor coasters of this scale are rare; the combination of Arrow Dynamics engineering and a fully enclosed dome has kept Canyon Blaster a consistent draw for both thrill-seekers and families since the early 1990s.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Canyon Blaster FAQs
Where is Canyon Blaster located?
Canyon Blaster is inside the Adventuredome, the indoor amusement park attached to Circus Circus on the Las Vegas Strip.
When did Canyon Blaster open?
It opened on August 23, 1993, as the centerpiece of the park then known as Grand Slam Canyon.
How many inversions does Canyon Blaster have?
It has four inversions: two vertical loops followed by a double corkscrew.
Get More from Canyon Blaster
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Canyon Blaster, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: Nast89 / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.