Ravine Flyer II opened on May 17, 2008 at Waldameer & Water World in Erie, Pennsylvania, and immediately earned a Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride in the World. Designed by The Gravity Group and built with Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters trains, the wooden coaster plunges into an actual ravine, producing a first drop of roughly 118–120 feet — larger than its 80-foot lift hill — and generating up to 3.5 Gs across ten moments of airtime.
What sets Ravine Flyer II apart from any other coaster on earth is its 165-foot arch bridge, which carries riders twice over Pennsylvania Route 832, a four-lane highway. That singular engineering feat, combined with the coaster’s consistent presence in top-ten wooden coaster rankings — including a peak of fifth place in Amusement Today’s 2016 Golden Ticket poll — has cemented its status as one of the most celebrated wooden coasters in the United States.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Waldameer & Water World, Erie, Pennsylvania
- Manufacturer: The Gravity Group (design); Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (trains)
- Opened: May 17, 2008
- Height: 80 ft (24 m)
- Drop: About 120 ft (37 m)
- Top Speed: About 60 mph (97 km/h)
- Length: About 2,900 ft (884 m)
- Inversions: 0
- Duration: 1 min 30 sec
The Ride Experience
Riders board at the station and ascend the chain-lift hill before cresting and diving into the ravine for the signature first drop. The plunge below grade — the coaster descends beneath the level of the surrounding terrain — is what creates a drop distance far exceeding the height of the lift hill, a design trick that delivers sustained airtime and forceful positive G’s in the valley.
The course then climbs back up to cross Pennsylvania Route 832 on its celebrated arch bridge before diving again, producing a secondary 105-foot drop. Four tunnels and constant changes in speed, direction, and elevation round out a 90-second layout that rides hard from start to brake run. The minimum height requirement is 48 inches.
Awards and Legacy
Ravine Flyer II captured 52 percent of the vote for Amusement Today’s 2008 Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride in the World. It has ranked in the top ten wooden coasters in that poll every year since 2009, peaking at fifth in 2016. In spring 2025, USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards voted it the second-best wooden coaster and fourth-best coaster overall in the United States.
For a regional park like Waldameer, operating a world-class wooden coaster that consistently out-ranks attractions at far larger parks is a remarkable achievement. The ride draws enthusiasts from across the country to Erie and has become the defining reason many visitors make the trip to Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie shoreline.
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Ravine Flyer II FAQs
Where is Ravine Flyer II located?
Ravine Flyer II is located at Waldameer & Water World in Erie, Pennsylvania, near the shores of Lake Erie.
What makes Ravine Flyer II unique among wooden coasters?
It is the only coaster in the world to cross a four-lane highway — Pennsylvania Route 832 — on a 165-foot arch bridge. It crosses that road twice during the course of a single ride.
How tall is the drop on Ravine Flyer II?
The first drop is approximately 118–120 feet, which is actually larger than the 80-foot lift hill because the coaster plunges into a real ravine, descending below grade.
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Photo: Cards84664 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.