Copperhead Strike is a steel launched roller coaster at Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina, built by Mack Rides and opened to the public on March 23, 2019. It replaced the park’s former Whitewater Falls log flume and Sand Dune Lagoon area, bringing a modern launch coaster to the Carolina Boardwalk section of the park.
The ride is themed around a snake-in-the-grass encounter and is known for its dual LSM launch system, which fires riders forward out of the station and later sends them through a second forward acceleration mid-course. Trains are styled after a 1939 Ford DeLuxe Convertible Coupe, adding a vintage touring-car look to the high-speed layout.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Manufacturer: Mack Rides
- Opened: March 23, 2019
- Height: 82 feet
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Length: 3,255 feet
- Inversions: 5
The Ride Experience
Riders board one of three trains, each seating 16 people, and start with a slow heartline roll out of the station before turning into a themed shed scene. From there, the first LSM launch rockets the train from 0 to 42 mph in about 2.5 seconds, sending it straight into the first of two vertical loops, an airtime hill, and a fast corkscrew before a turnaround.
The train then hits a second LSM launch, which boosts speed from 35 to 50 mph while continuing forward over an airtime hill into an elevated cutback. The layout wraps up with a second vertical loop and several low-to-the-ground turns before a final airtime hill and the brake run, packing the whole sequence into about two minutes and twenty-four seconds across roughly 3,255 feet of track.
History and Theming
Copperhead Strike opened as part of a broader expansion of Carowinds’ Carolina Boardwalk area, taking the place of the long-running Whitewater Falls flume ride that had operated since 1988. The investment marked one of the park’s more significant coaster additions in recent years.
The ride’s snake-themed name and 1930s-style convertible trains create a nostalgic boardwalk aesthetic, blending vintage car styling with the modern launch technology supplied by German manufacturer Mack Rides.
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Copperhead Strike FAQs
Who manufactured Copperhead Strike?
Copperhead Strike was built by Mack Rides GmbH & Co KG, a German roller coaster manufacturer, and uses a custom launch coaster model.
How fast does Copperhead Strike go?
The coaster reaches a top speed of about 50 mph during its second launch segment, which accelerates riders forward from 35 to 50 mph.
How many inversions does Copperhead Strike have?
Copperhead Strike features 5 inversions, including two vertical loops, a corkscrew, and a heartline roll.
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Photo: Martin Lewison / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.