Rushmore Mountain Coaster gives riders a ‘rush’: Parts 1 and 2

Rushmore Mountain Adventure Park, near Keystone, is a fun adventure and the Rushmore Mountain Coaster will bring riders a rush of adrenaline and thrill.

“So, the Rushmore Mountain Coaster we built in 2016. This ride actually started in Europe. We’re about the 22nd one in North America. There’s 150 of them in Europe,” Tim Hagen, Rushmore Mountain Coaster Owner and Operator explains. “You’re attached to that cart, that cart’s attached to the track so you can go as fast as you would like to go. While it will feel like you’re going to fly off into the trees, you will not actually fly off into the trees and it is great. It’s just a great rush.”

With the coaster being on a mountain, the view can be enjoyed, but most people don’t take the coaster for the scenic view.

Photo Courtesy Rush Mountain Adventure Park, Home of Rushmore Cave Facebook

“Yeah, at the top of the hill you can see a very panoramic view of Howard Valley,” Hagen says. “If you knew exactly where to look, there is one spot you can see Mount Rushmore for about a second and a half. But most people don’t do that, but it’s a great view from the top of the hill.”

Hagen advises that: “Go fast. You go on a coaster not for these scenic drives. You go on it for the adrenaline rush.”

Along with the coaster, the adventure park recently added a ropes course called Wingwalker challenge course.

“It’s got three levels, two about us for adults, and then one smaller level for little tykes. It’s a great time,” Hagen mentions. “You get a harness. You go up there. You’re completely safe, but it feels like you’ll fall off so, again, you get that adrenaline rush a little bit. So, everything we’ve put in, there’s three good considerations. One is the age of a person that’s going to be on it, two is safety and three is if it’s fun quality.”

The course gives participates a good challenge, and added another thing to do at the Rushmore Mountain Adventure Park.

“Well, for a couple reasons.” Hagen explains why he decided to put in the challenge course. “One, it fit in with the overall theme of our park, which it’s kind of an adventure ride. Two, it eats up a lot of people, out lines start to get longer and I can get quite a few people up on this thing and it keeps the line short. Three, it’s just a lot of fun to do. I’ve done them in other places. It’s just a great attraction.”