Cliff Hanger at Ghost Town in the Sky

The Cliff Hanger at Ghost Town in the Sky is a Hopkins designed looping coaster, first built in 1988 as Red Devil. At a height of the ride from top to bottom of only 90 feet and a layout of just over 2000' in length, its stats were not the reason this ride is considered one of the most interesting standing-but-not-operating rides out there, but rather its location.

Ghost Town Village, when it was planned to open in April 2019. (Beverly-Hanks & Associates photo)

Located at the side of a mountainside made this ride was one of the most unique coasters in the United States, along with the rest of the park. The park was located in Maggie Valley, NC, and was only accessible via a chairlift, which climbs 1,250 feet in elevation to the entrance. The ride was originally painted red, but that paint has faded over time, and evidently was repainted off-white during one of the long periods of downtime.

Image: Carl D Ragan, UltimateCoaster.com via RCDB

In addition to being in the mountains, there was frequent fog in the area, making this ride experience truly unlike any other coaster, as an almost surreal video of the ride in 1997 shows.

Image: Abandoned Southeast

Unfortunately, this made the park much more difficult to operate profitably, and it along with its rides have not operated regularly since 2002. It briefly reopened in 2009 as Ghost Town Village, but was closed again by June of that year. 

Numerous plans to reopen the park and the ride have come and gone nearly every year since, so the chance to visit this uniquely located theme park isn't likely to come again soon, but the status of the area is highly volatile to say the least.

Theme Park Crazy featured this coaster on their video of "10 Roller Coasters in Crazy Locations", embedded below.


Today, Ghost Town Village literally is a ghost town, although one that has a chance, however small, of one day opening again.

Thanks as always for reading!

Location: 16 Fie Top Rd, Maggie Valley, NC 28751, USA

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