Roller Coaster at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah, is a wooden coaster designed by pioneering engineer John A. Miller that first opened to riders on July 15, 1921. More than a century later, it remains in daily operation, making it the oldest ride at Lagoon and one of the longest-running roller coasters anywhere in the world.
The ride survived a 1953 fire that damaged its station and lift hill, earned American Coaster Enthusiasts Landmark status in 2005, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. Its double out-and-back layout and chain lift hill have changed little in design even as its trains have been modernized over the decades.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Lagoon Amusement Park, Farmington, Utah
- Designer: John A. Miller
- Opened: July 15, 1921
- Track Type: Wood
- Height: 62 ft (18.9 m)
- Top Speed: 45 mph
- Length: 2,500 ft (762 m)
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Riders leave the station and climb a chain-lift hill rising about 60 feet before plunging down the first drop and racing through a double out-and-back circuit of hills that gradually shrink in size, carrying the train through several turns before it returns to the station. The layout has remained essentially unchanged since 1921, though the coaster received new Millennium Flyer trains from Great Coasters International in 2018, replacing its longtime Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters trains.
At 45 mph and with no inversions, the Roller Coaster trades modern thrills for the rhythmic airtime and rattling charm typical of early 20th-century wooden coasters, giving visitors a ride experience that’s changed little since the park’s earliest days.
A Century of History
John A. Miller, one of the most influential figures in early roller coaster engineering, designed the ride using his own patented innovations, including the anti-rollback safety ratchet and underfriction wheels that kept cars locked to the track. Those inventions became standard across the coaster industry and helped the Lagoon ride stay structurally sound for over 100 years.
A 1953 fire that swept through part of Lagoon’s midway damaged the coaster’s station and lift hill, requiring a rebuild, but the ride reopened and kept running. It was named an ACE Coaster Landmark in 2005 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012, recognition of its status as the fifth oldest operating roller coaster in the world and the third oldest in the United States.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Folds into its own pocket. Pop it on when the storm rolls in and the rides reopen to short lines.
Keeps your phone strapped to you, not in a loose-article bin. Zip it before the lift hill and walk straight off the exit ramp.
Rapids, log flumes and splash zones without the rice-bag aftermath. The touchscreen still works through the window, so you can still take photos.
Roller Coaster FAQs
How old is the Roller Coaster at Lagoon?
It opened on July 15, 1921, making it over a century old and the oldest ride still operating at Lagoon.
Who designed Lagoon’s Roller Coaster?
It was designed by John A. Miller, a pioneering roller coaster engineer credited with inventing the underfriction wheel system and anti-rollback safety ratchet still used on coasters today.
Is Lagoon’s Roller Coaster one of the oldest in the world?
Yes, it’s recognized as the fifth oldest operating roller coaster in the world and the third oldest in the United States.
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Photo: Talor Berthelson / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.