Lagoon Amusement Park sits in Farmington, Utah, about 18 miles north of Salt Lake City, and traces its roots back to a lakeside resort called Lake Park that opened in 1886. When the Great Salt Lake receded and stranded the original site, Simon Bamberger moved the buildings to Farmington, and Lagoon opened there on July 12, 1896. Still family-owned today, it ranks among the oldest continuously operated amusement parks in the United States.
The park now spans 95 acres divided into five areas: The Midway, Pioneer Village, the Lagoon-A-Beach water park, Kiddieland, and the upcharge X-Venture Zone. Its ride collection includes roughly a dozen roller coasters spanning nearly a full century of coaster design, from a 1921 wooden classic to modern steel launch rides, giving Lagoon a rare mix of preserved history and contemporary thrills.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Farmington, Utah
- Opened: July 12, 1896 (as Lagoon)
- Size: About 95 acres
- Areas: 5 (Midway, Pioneer Village, Lagoon-A-Beach, Kiddieland, X-Venture Zone)
- Roller coasters: About a dozen, including a 1921 wooden classic
- Oldest ride: Roller Coaster (1921), designed by John A. Miller
- Notable coasters: Colossus the Fire Dragon (1983), Wicked (2007, Zierer launch coaster), Cannibal (2015)
The Ride Experience
Lagoon’s marquee attraction is simply named Roller Coaster, a wooden ride designed by John A. Miller that opened July 15, 1921. Standing 62 feet tall and running 2,500 feet of track at speeds up to 45 mph, it survived a 1953 fire, earned American Coaster Enthusiasts Landmark status in 2005, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. New Millennium Flyer trains arrived in 2018, keeping the century-old layout running smoothly.
Beyond the historic wooden coaster, Lagoon’s modern lineup includes Colossus the Fire Dragon (1983), the Zierer-built launch coaster Wicked (2007), which fires riders up a 110-foot tower with two LSM launches and a single zero-g roll inversion, and the launched Cannibal (2015), giving riders a spread of ride styles from classic out-and-back wood to modern steel launches.
History and Cultural Legacy
Lagoon’s stage hosted Big Band-era legends including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Glenn Miller, and the park closed for three seasons during World War II before rebounding. It has also served as a filming location for television and movies since the 1960s and was referenced by The Beach Boys in 1965, cementing its place in regional pop culture well beyond its rides.
Explore more: more classic theme parks.
Lagoon Amusement Park FAQs
Where is Lagoon Amusement Park located?
Lagoon is in Farmington, Utah, roughly 18 miles north of Salt Lake City.
When did Lagoon Amusement Park open?
The park’s predecessor, Lake Park, opened in 1886; Lagoon opened at its current Farmington site on July 12, 1896.
What is Lagoon’s oldest roller coaster?
Roller Coaster, a wooden coaster designed by John A. Miller, opened in 1921 and is one of the oldest operating coasters in the world.
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Photo: Scott Catron from Sandy, Utah, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.