Roller Coasters in Alaska

There is ONE roller coaster in Alaska, and it’s at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. Aftershock lives at the fairgrounds year-round, but it looks like the only opportunity to ride it is during the fair, which in 2023 is August 18 – September 4. It costs $12 to ride once and is NOT included on the unlimited-rides wristband used for the other amusement rides they truck in.

H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark

It’s not a roller coaster, but there’s a water coaster at H2Oasis waterpark in Anchorage. And a big plus is that it’s located completely indoors and is open year-round! Packed inside is a wave pool, lazy river, a pirate ship, and three slides. The two “regular” slides are body slides (aka, no tube/mat), one open (orange), and one closed (green.) Then the third slide is the water coaster, the Master Blaster. (Click for video!) This means water pushes you uphill and down for a more roller-coaster-type ride. You and a partner ride in a two-person tube up, down, and around the indoor space.

The cost is $30 and under for the day. Food is served inside, but during Covid, they’ve cut back to only (overpriced) pizza, I think. They sanitize surfaces and test the chlorine levels every two hours to keep the germs at bay.

An interesting fact is that if you’re an RV traveler, you can park in a lot next to H2Oasis for the price of admission (which can be as low as a child’s ticket for $20.) This is also a favorite place for birthday parties, so expect lots of kiddos running around in general.

Mukluk Land

I would be remiss if I did not mention Mukluk Land. This “amusement park” is at the side of the Alaska Highway in Tok, not far from the Yukon territory in Canada. And no, there are no roller coasters or water slides here. The closest Mukluk Land comes to a ride is a bouncy house.

Operated by retired couple George and Beth Jacobs, this collection of Alaska memorabilia is billed as a “life-size history book of Alaska.” This apparently includes large machinery, creepy dolls, and “Santa’s Rocket Ship,” along with skeeball, mini-golf, and cotton candy. It’s an “only in Alaska” kind of place. I would 100% visit. And it’s only $5!

Did I miss anything? Have you been to either of these parks? What are you looking forward to doing this summer? Let me know in the comments below!