Shivering Timbers is the ride that turned Michigan’s Adventure in Muskegon from a quiet family park into a pilgrimage stop for wooden coaster fans. Stretched along the park’s entrance road, the 1998 Custom Coasters International classic is a pure out-and-back airtime machine — and at 5,383 feet, the fourth-longest wooden roller coaster in the world.
It is also the biggest thrill in the state: Shivering Timbers stands as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Michigan.
Key Stats
| Height | 122 ft (37 m) |
| Length | 5,383 ft (1,641 m) |
| Speed | 57 mph (92 km/h) |
| Duration | 2:30 |
| Max vertical angle | 53.3° |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Manufacturer | Custom Coasters International |
| Opened | May 23, 1998 |
| Cost | $4.5 million |
A Mile of Airtime
Shivering Timbers is textbook out-and-back design executed at maximum scale. The first drop leads straight into a sequence of towering camelback hills — each slightly smaller than the last — followed by bunny hops and double-up hills on the return leg. Nearly every crest produces genuine out-of-seat airtime, which is why enthusiasts often describe the ride as one long floating sensation. Its 5,383 feet place it high on the list of the longest roller coasters in the world — remarkable for a park of Michigan’s Adventure’s size.
History
Custom Coasters International, the Ohio builder behind many of the 1990s wooden coaster renaissance’s best rides, completed Shivering Timbers for $4.5 million, and it opened on May 23, 1998. It quickly became CCI’s calling card: Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards ranked it the #2 wooden coaster in the world from 2000 through 2004, and it has remained a fan favorite ever since.
When Cedar Fair acquired Michigan’s Adventure in 2001, Shivering Timbers was widely considered the crown jewel of the deal — and it remains the park’s signature attraction under the newly merged Six Flags Entertainment banner.
Ride Experience
From the 122-foot lift, riders can see West Michigan’s dunes country stretching out before the train drops away at 53 degrees and gathers up to 57 mph. The outbound run’s giant hills give way to a ‘trick-track’ section of quick banked wiggles, and the finale is the ride’s exclamation point: a 630-degree counterclockwise helix that piles on lateral forces just when riders think the ride is done. Two 24-passenger trains complete the classic woodie picture.
FAQ
How long is Shivering Timbers?
Shivering Timbers is 5,383 feet (1,641 m) long — the fourth-longest wooden roller coaster in the world — with a ride time of about 2 minutes 30 seconds.
How fast is Shivering Timbers?
The coaster reaches 57 mph (92 km/h), making it the fastest roller coaster in Michigan as well as the state’s tallest at 122 feet.
Who built Shivering Timbers?
Custom Coasters International built the ride, which opened on May 23, 1998. It ranked as the world’s #2 wooden coaster in the Golden Ticket Awards from 2000 to 2004.
Photo: Gregory Varnum via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)