Colorado Adventure is a Vekoma mine train roller coaster that has carried riders through Phantasialand’s Wild West-themed Mexico section in Brühl, Germany, since 1996. Designed by Peter Clerx, the custom MK-900 M model sends trains styled after runaway locomotives across nearly 4,200 feet of twisting, tunnel-laced track.
The ride opened on May 11, 1996, with Michael Jackson on hand to officially christen the attraction, and for years afterward it carried the full name ‘Colorado Adventure – The Michael Jackson Thrill Ride’ before the tribute was dropped in 2013. Despite its modest height, enthusiasts have long praised it as one of the finest mine coasters in the world, noting it rides far faster and more intense than its stats suggest.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Phantasialand (Brühl, Germany)
- Manufacturer: Vekoma
- Model: Custom Mine Train (MK-900 M)
- Opened: May 11, 1996
- Height: about 85 feet (26 m)
- Top speed: about 31 mph (50 km/h)
- Length: about 4,199 feet (1,280 m)
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Colorado Adventure runs six-car trains styled as runaway locomotives, each carrying 32 riders seated two across, with the front car holding a single row of two and the remaining cars each holding three rows of two. The layout features three tire-driven booster lifts and no shortage of tight, low-to-the-ground turns typical of the mine train genre, with a ride lasting nearly three minutes as it weaves through tunnels and rockwork built into Phantasialand’s Mexico-themed area.
Park operators have added extra tunnel sections and noise barriers over the years to address noise complaints from neighbors, a sign of just how long and active the layout is despite its relatively low top speed.
A Wild West Legacy
Named for the American state synonymous with Old West imagery, Colorado Adventure was built to fit Phantasialand’s Mexico section with saloon facades, canyon scenery, and desert theming. Its 1996 debut, headlined by Michael Jackson, made it one of the more famous opening-day spectacles in German theme park history, and the coaster kept his name in its title for 17 years afterward.
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Colorado Adventure FAQs
Who manufactured Colorado Adventure?
Vekoma built the ride as a custom mine train model, with the layout designed by Peter Clerx.
When did Colorado Adventure open?
It opened on May 11, 1996, at Phantasialand, officially unveiled that day by Michael Jackson.
Does Colorado Adventure have any inversions?
No. As a mine train-style coaster, it stays low to the ground with tight turns and drops rather than loops or inversions.
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Photo: Arabsalam / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.