A fantastic Colorado thrill ride is getting some national recognition for being, well, awesome!

The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park has a fantastic new Colorado thrill ride opening this summer, and it’s getting some national attention! USA Today named the Haunted Mine Drop one of the 12 most anticipated theme park rides of 2017 alongside rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, Six Flags Magic Mountain, and SeaWorld San Diego.

The Haunted Mine Drop will be the first ride of its kind to go underground, dropping riders 110-120 feet down inside Iron Mountain. Parts of the ride will reflect the history of the area, according to the park’s general manager. Mining was the way many mountain towns in Colorado were started.  

The original owners purchased the property seeking silver, but didn’t find any. They did, however, find a cave that was perfect for a cave tour. Tours of the cavern started in the 1800s! The new Colorado thrill ride will tie into the rich mining history of the area. Though it won’t be entirely factual, the ride will take some dramatic liberties to add to the whole experience.

There’s no exact opening date yet, but the Colorado thrill ride will be opened sometime during the summer of 2017. Any ride that gets national recognition is worth visiting, and this one has the added bonus of being right in our state! Once the ride opens, you can be sure that lines will be long and absolutely worth waiting in.