Summer is here and in full swing. It’s time to go out and have fun in the summer. If one is planning to travel the legendary Route 66, one of the fun places to visit is the Canyon Coaster Adventure Park. The park is home to a number of thrilling adventures, including Arizona’s only roller coaster.
Williams may be far from anywhere, but it’s on the way whether going to the Grand Canyon, exploring Route 66, or just crossing the country on I-40 . Williams and its Canyon Coaster Adventure Park are arguably some of the best stops one can enjoy along Route 66.
Williams – The perfect stop on Route 66
Canyon Coaster Adventure Park is located in Williams, Arizona. Williams is a town located on historic Route 66 in northern Arizona. It has a population of approximately 3,000 and is located west of Flagstaff. While the city was bypassed by Interstate 40 in 1984, it continues to thrive as a tourist attraction along the Interstate and historic route.
- Located: On route 66
- Population: 3,000
Williams is also the southern terminus of the Grand Canyon Railway which takes visitors to the Grand Canyon Village. Williams is known as the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon”.
- Known as: The Gateway to the Grand Canyon
The small town is home to many restaurants, motels and inns as it is a popular destination for tourists during the summer and vacation periods.
Williams attractions include hiking trails, fishing lakes, the Sycamore Canyon, skiing, wildlife, and many other outdoor and entertainment attractions.
The Canyon Coaster – Arizona’s Only Mountain Coaster
The thrilling Canyon Coaster offers stunning mountain scenery on the way up and thrilling rides on the way down. Experience steep descents, hairpin bends, dips and 360 degree corkscrews. The trail is one mile long and open year-round.
- Season: All year
- Length: 1 mile track
The adventure park is brand new – just a year or two ago the area was all dirt, and now it’s a unique attraction in the Grand Canyon State. The track is about a mile long and descends to 310 feet in elevation. At the top, runners can enjoy sweeping views of Williams and then sweeping views all the way down.
The Joyriders control the descent. They control the speed on the descent with possible speeds of up to 35 miles per hour for those who dare. Sometimes riders are 35 feet in the air.
- Top speed : 35 miles per hour
- Control: Riders control the speed of descent
The ride is nothing like a normal roller coaster ride – on this ride you can control the speed and descent by yourself.
Cost:
- Adults: $20.00 per person each way
- Children: $10.00 for children – under 54 inches tall (minimum height 38 inches)
The Canyon Coaster is a Wiegand coaster. These coasters are karts attached to a track. The racers have seat belts and have kart controls to control the speed. There is also a distance control system that prevents karts from getting too close to each other.
Visit the Canyon Coaster Adventure Park and other attractions
Canyon Coaster Adventure Park also has some other thrilling rides – mountain tubing in the summer and snow rides in the winter.
- Location: 700 East Route 66 – Williams, AZ 86046
Opening hours:
- From Sunday to Thursday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. / Dusk (extended hours begin Memorial Day weekend)
Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you can’t go tubing! At the park, visitors can experience the thrill of tubing without the snow. They also have uphill conveyors – so there’s no need to walk back up the hill after each ride. Converts are also covered in Plexiglas for rider comfort.
- Routes: 4 way
- Tubes: Tube rental included
Come in winter, and the summer slide turns into a winter slide. It is a perfect family winter activity and a very fun and exciting attraction while crossing the country during the winter months. They have four state-of-the-art snow guns and with them they guarantee snow from mid-November to Easter.
- Snow season: Mid-November to Easter
Winter admission for the tube slide is $59 per adult for a full day and $35 for a child.
