Ride of Steel at Six Flags Darien Lake, between Buffalo and Rochester, is the coaster that brought the hypercoaster arms race to New York. Opened on May 15, 1999 as Superman — Ride of Steel, the 208-foot Intamin mega coaster was the first of its breed in the Northeast and remains the tallest coaster in New York State.
Designed by legendary engineer Werner Stengel and built by Swiss manufacturer Intamin, it trades the classic camelback formula for something more varied: giant airtime hills mixed with enormous, forceful helixes along the shore of Darien Lake itself. Below you’ll find every stat, the height requirement, the full name-change history, and what to expect in the seats.
Quick Answer
Ride of Steel is a 208-foot (63 m) Intamin mega coaster at Six Flags Darien Lake in Darien Center, NY. It drops 205 feet at a 68-degree angle, hits a top speed of 73 mph (117 km/h), and runs 5,400 feet of track in about two minutes. Riders must be between 54″ and 76″ tall. It’s still the tallest roller coaster in New York State.
Key Stats at a Glance
Height: 208 ft (63 m) · Drop: 205 ft (62 m) at 68° · Length: 5,400 ft (1,600 m) · Speed: 73 mph (117 km/h) · Duration: 2:02 · Inversions: 0 · Manufacturer/Model: Intamin — Mega Coaster · Designer: Werner Stengel · Opened: May 15, 1999 · Capacity: about 1,100 riders per hour · Height requirement: 54″–76″ (137–193 cm).
New York’s Tallest Coaster
At 208 feet with a 205-foot first drop pitched at a steep 68 degrees, Ride of Steel out-drops many taller rides — see how it stacks up against the biggest roller coaster drops in the world and the tallest coasters on the planet. The drop runs down toward the lake and slings the train to 73 mph, which Six Flags itself lists as the fastest speed of any coaster in New York State.
The layout packs multiple airtime hills — including one with a twist in it — plus a 540-degree and a 500-degree helix into 5,400 feet of track, wrapping up in a brisk 2 minutes and 2 seconds. Six Flags also markets it as one of the tallest roller coasters east of the Mississippi River, a claim that still holds up against the current Northeast lineup.
From Superman to Ride of Steel
The ride opened as Superman — Ride of Steel, and a near-identical sister opened a year later at Six Flags America in Maryland. That installation ran for 25 years before Six Flags America closed permanently on November 2, 2025, leaving the Darien Lake original as the only full-size version of this Intamin mega coaster still operating in the eastern United States.
When Six Flags sold Darien Lake to PARC Management in 2007, the park lost the DC Comics license and the coaster was renamed simply Ride of Steel — the name it has kept ever since, even after the park rejoined the Six Flags family.
Ride Experience
Intamin’s mega coaster trains are famously open — low sides, simple lap bars, riders seated two across — which makes the 205-foot plunge feel even bigger than the numbers suggest. The first helix piles on sustained positive Gs, the mid-course hills deliver genuine out-of-seat floats, and the twisted airtime hill near the end has become the ride’s signature moment.
Because the restraint is a lap bar rather than an over-the-shoulder harness, rear rows on this style of train typically whip through the hills with noticeably more airtime than the front seats — a common trait of open-sided Intamin mega coasters. Two 32-passenger trains give it a capacity of about 1,100 riders per hour, so lines move quickly outside of peak summer weekends.
Height Requirement & Who Can Ride
Six Flags lists the height requirement for Ride of Steel as 54″ to 76″ (137–193 cm), with posted rules noting that guests with certain body proportions may not be able to ride safely regardless of height. Ride operators check both height and restraint fit before dispatch.
The minimum height and boarding rules are enforced strictly in part because of a tragic 2011 incident in which a rider who had lost both legs was fatally ejected from the ride after being allowed to board in violation of posted policy. It’s a sobering piece of the ride’s history, and it’s why staff at the loading platform are firm about requiring both legs and a properly fastened lap bar for every rider.
Planning Your Visit
Ride of Steel sits inside Six Flags Darien Lake in Darien Center, NY, roughly midway between Buffalo and Rochester. The park operates seasonally, typically opening in mid-May on weekends before shifting to daily operation in summer and running into the fall for Halloween events, so hours and the daily schedule shift throughout the season.
Admission is sold as single-day tickets, season passes, and ongoing memberships with add-ons, with pricing and perks that change year to year. For the current calendar, ticket prices, and today’s park hours, check the official Six Flags Darien Lake site before you go.
Photos
Ride with your glasses on and keep them. Many parks allow glasses on rides if they're strapped, so check the ride rules first.
Small enough to ride with on most coasters, big enough for a phone, card and keys. Two zippers mean nothing falls out upside down.
A fan and a mist in one, rechargeable. Very popular in queue lines once the afternoon sun hits.
Ride of Steel height, speed & stats FAQs
How tall is Ride of Steel at Six Flags Darien Lake?
Ride of Steel is 208 feet (63 m) tall with a 205-foot (62 m), 68-degree first drop — the tallest roller coaster in New York State.
How fast does Ride of Steel go?
The coaster hits a top speed of 73 mph (117 km/h) at the base of its first drop, which Six Flags lists as the fastest speed of any coaster in New York.
How tall do you have to be to ride Ride of Steel?
Riders must be between 54″ and 76″ tall (137–193 cm). Guests with certain body proportions may be restricted regardless of height, and both legs are required to ride due to the lap-bar restraint.
Why isn’t it called Superman anymore?
The ride opened in 1999 as Superman — Ride of Steel, but when Six Flags sold Darien Lake in 2007 the park lost the DC Comics theming rights, and the coaster became simply Ride of Steel.
Is the Maryland version of this coaster still open?
No. The near-identical Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags America in Maryland closed on November 2, 2025 when that park shut down permanently, leaving the Darien Lake original as the sole survivor of the pair.
Is Ride of Steel the tallest coaster in New York State?
Yes — at 208 feet, it’s still the tallest roller coaster in New York State and is marketed by Six Flags as one of the tallest coasters east of the Mississippi River.
When is Six Flags Darien Lake open?
The park runs a seasonal schedule from mid-spring through fall, generally opening weekends in May before moving to daily operation in summer. Check the official Six Flags Darien Lake site for the current calendar and hours.
Get More from Ride of Steel height, speed & stats
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Ride of Steel height, speed & stats, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.