While Lake Compounce boasts the usual fare of bumper cars, Ferris wheels, and pirate ships, the park is best known for its one-of-a-kind rides that mix nostalgia with modern thrills.
Boulder Dash Coaster
Voted the number one wooden rollercoaster in the world by the National Amusement Park Historical Association, the Boulder has another, even more impressive claim to fame –Being the only roller coaster in the world built directly on a mountainside! With a drop of 115 feet and a max speed of 65mph, the Boulder is one of the park's main attractions, racing among trees for over 4500 feet of track.
DownTime
The park's newest addition is a 185-foot tower that drops riders at soaring speed. According to Lake Compounce's General Manager Tom Wages, this is not a ride for the faint of heart. Kids who want to take part on the free fall experience can head over to Garfield's Drop Zone, a 40-foot kiddy version of a drop tower.
Antique Carousel
Hand carved by carved by Loof, Carmel and Stein & Goldstein, the 1911 carousel is one of America's oldest and has two chariots, 49 classic horses, and a goat.
Mark Twain Stern Wheeler
The 70-foot authentic sternwheeler cruises the lake on a mellow ride, taking the 65 passengers into a journey back to simpler times.
The Trolley
The genuine 1911 open-air trolley, in permanent loan from the Shoreline Trolley Museum, used to take riders from New Haven to Lake Compounce until the line shot down in 1935. A $35 million restoration was started in 1997 to restore trolley service. Shore Line Trolley Museum Car 1414 now takes riders on an 1800-foot journey alongside the lake.
Mammoth Falls
The 551-foot long raft ride takes passengers through dark loops, tunnels, and waterfalls before plunging them down a 50 foot canal.
Sky Ride
The chair lift takes visitors on a 700-foot scenic ride to the summit of Compounce Mountain for striking views of the park's 325 acres.
Wild Cat
The park oldest coaster (and one of the first rides to open) is a classic wooden coaster offering a lot of airtime and a shaky fun ride.
Splash Harbor
Lake Compounce's own water park offers log rides, a lighthouse, and slides that empty into the lake.