Defiance is a steel Eurofighter roller coaster at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, built into the side of Iron Mountain roughly 7,132 feet above sea level. Opened on July 9, 2022 after a soft opening on July 1, riders climb a 75-foot vertical chain lift before plunging down a 110-foot drop angled past vertical at 102.3 degrees, the steepest freefall drop in the western United States.
Manufactured by Germany’s Gerstlauer Amusement Rides, Defiance packs a banana roll and an inline twist into a compact 1,083-foot layout, earning it recognition as the highest looping roller coaster in the country. The park’s own Cliffhanger coaster actually sits at a higher elevation, 7,160 feet, but has no inversions, leaving Defiance to claim the looping-coaster record. Its mountaintop perch also makes it one of the most scenic coasters anywhere, with sweeping views of Glenwood Canyon and the surrounding Colorado River valley.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
- Manufacturer: Gerstlauer (Eurofighter model)
- Opened: July 9, 2022
- Height: 75 ft
- Top speed: 56 mph
- Length: about 1,083 ft
- Inversions: 2
- Elevation: about 7,132 ft above sea level
The Ride Experience
After a deliberately slow ascent up the 75-foot lift hill, Defiance’s train hovers for a split second at the top before tipping into a 110-foot drop angled at 102.3 degrees, a beyond-vertical plunge with no brakes to soften the fall. The roughly 56-second ride then threads a banana roll and an inline twist into its short but intense layout, reaching speeds up to 56 mph across the flank of Iron Mountain.
Each of Defiance’s two single-car trains seats riders four across in two rows, for eight riders per train, keeping the experience intimate and the queue moving quickly. Because the entire ride sits on a mountainside high above Glenwood Springs, the drop and inversions unfold against open-air views rather than the enclosed structure typical of most Eurofighter models.
A Record-Setting Mountain Coaster
Defiance’s location, roughly 1,300 feet above the town of Glenwood Springs and about 7,132 feet above sea level, makes it the highest looping roller coaster in the United States thanks to its two inversions. The project was announced in April 2021 as a custom layout designed specifically for its challenging mountaintop site.
The coaster joins Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s other mountainside thrill rides, including the non-looping Cliffhanger coaster, which actually sits slightly higher at 7,160 feet, reinforcing the park’s identity as a destination built around its dramatic canyon-rim setting rather than a conventional flat amusement park footprint.
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Defiance FAQs
Where is Defiance located?
Defiance is at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, built into the side of Iron Mountain.
How tall is Defiance’s drop?
The drop is 110 feet, angled at 102.3 degrees past vertical, making it the steepest freefall drop in the western United States.
Is Defiance the highest roller coaster in the U.S.?
It’s the highest looping roller coaster in the country at about 7,132 feet elevation, though the same park’s non-looping Cliffhanger coaster sits slightly higher at 7,160 feet.
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