Deep in the wooded hills behind Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, The Beast has been devouring riders since 1979 — and no wooden roller coaster on Earth has ever matched its sheer size. At 7,361 feet (2,244 m) of track sprawled across 35 acres of forest, it has held the title of world’s longest wooden coaster for its entire life, a record recognized by Guinness World Records.
Built in-house by Kings Island’s own team — designers Al Collins and Jeff Gramke — for $3.2 million, The Beast is less a traditional coaster than a runaway train through the woods. Riders spend more than four minutes out of sight of the midway, diving through tunnels and skimming ravines on a course that uses the natural terrain instead of fighting it.
Key Stats
| Height | 110 ft (34 m) |
| Drop | 141 ft (43 m) |
| Length | 7,361 ft (2,244 m) |
| Speed | 64.78 mph (104.25 km/h) |
| Duration | 4:10 |
| Max vertical angle | 53° |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Type / Manufacturer | Wood — built in-house by Kings Island |
| Opened | April 14, 1979 |
| Capacity | 1,200 riders per hour |
The Longest Wooden Coaster on Earth
The Beast’s defining number is its length. At 7,361 feet, it is not just the longest wooden coaster in the world — it is one of the longest coasters of any kind, and it sits high on our list of the longest roller coasters in the world. Because the lift hill is only 110 feet tall, the ride achieves its scale by burrowing into the landscape: the first drop plunges 141 feet into a ravine (and straight into a tunnel), deeper than the lift is tall.
That length translates directly into stamina. With a ride time of about 4 minutes and 10 seconds, The Beast also ranks among the longest ride times at any theme park — an eternity by coaster standards, where most rides wrap up in under two minutes.
History and the 2022 Retracking
When it opened on April 14, 1979, The Beast was the tallest, fastest and longest wooden coaster in the world. The tallest and fastest crowns eventually moved on, but the length record never has. The ride uses two separate chain lift hills — one at the start and a second midway through the course — to keep the trains moving across its enormous footprint.
Ahead of the 2022 season, The Gravity Group completely re-tracked 1,090 feet (330 m) of the ride and steepened the first drop from 45 to 53 degrees. The reprofiling actually added two feet of track, nudging the official length to 7,361 feet — extending the record it already held.
Ride Experience
The Beast is famous for what you can’t see. After the first tunnel-piercing drop, the train snakes through the forest at a sustained clip of nearly 65 mph at its fastest, with long, low straightaways and lateral-heavy curves. The finale is the stuff of legend: off the second lift, the train slides down a long, shallow drop and slams into a double helix tunnel at full speed, hitting forces up to 3.6 G in the dark.
Ask any enthusiast and they’ll tell you: ride it at night. With no lights in the woods, the final helix becomes one of the most disorienting — and beloved — coaster moments anywhere.
FAQ
How long is The Beast at Kings Island?
The Beast is 7,361 feet (2,244 m) long — the longest wooden roller coaster in the world, a record it has held since opening in 1979. The full ride lasts about 4 minutes and 10 seconds.
How fast does The Beast go?
The Beast reaches a top speed of 64.78 mph (104.25 km/h), achieved on its 141-foot first drop into a tunnel.
Is The Beast still the longest wooden coaster in the world?
Yes. As of 2026, no wooden coaster has surpassed it, and the 2022 retracking by The Gravity Group actually added two feet to its length.
Photo: Jeremy Thompson via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)