An Evening at Canobie Lake Park (10/4/25)

Back in October, I made a road trip back to my hometown in Massachusetts to visit my parents and friends.  Six Flags New England was the typical choice for a theme park visit in the area, but come to find out, my friend Eric's daughter was going to Canobie Lake Park with her Girl Scout troop.  I hadn't been there since my eighth grade class trip, so I loved the idea of going back as an adult.

Join me for a trip down memory lane to re-experience this New England gem with rides on the Yankee Cannonball wood coaster, their newest addition Untamed, and more on this quick stop at Canobie Lake Park.

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Transcript

What’s up coaster nerds, it’s Erik from Coaster Redux, and this is Redux Rundown.  Back in October, I got to spend a few hours at Canobie Lake Park in Salem, NH, a traditional New England amusement park that I last visited in middle school. It was great to get back on their classic Yankee Cannonball, and take my first ride on their latest roller coaster the Untamed Gerstlauer Eurofighter. Join me on a trip down memory lane as I return to Canobie Lake to re-experience the ambiance, and see what’s new.  Let’s get into it.   

It was the stuff of legend.  Probably the greatest thing that could happen to a 14-year-old.  A veritable rite of passage, and a reward for successfully navigating two of the most challenging years of adolescence: junior high.  As summer approached, we got the opportunity of a lifetime.  The 8th grade class trip.  One last hurrah before we transitioned into high school.  On this special day, we showed up to school, but instead of heading for homeroom, we were herded onto coach buses.  You know, the ones with TV’s and VCR’s, so we could watch a movie on the road.  But this wasn’t an ordinary field trip.  We weren’t going to the fine art museum, or the aquarium.  On this fine morning in late May of 1997, we had a mere hour’s drive north to a New England staple.

This classic family-owned amusement park featured two of the region’s best-known thrill rides: The Yankee Cannonball wood coaster, and the infamous Canobie Corkscrew.    

Now I know what you’re thinking.  This is gonna be the story of me conquering my fear of riding roller coasters, but fortunately for me, I did that a week prior on the annual band trip to Riverside Park.  Not only did I marathon the crap out of the Thunderbolt, their smaller figure-8 wood coaster, and take my first ride on the absolutely outta control Riverside Cyclone, but I mustered the courage to take on the Black Widow, an Arrow Shuttle Loop that’s long since been removed.

I began this day with my chest puffed out, and ego riding high.  There was nothing in this park I couldn’t handle.  Our first ride was Galaxi, a portable Zyklon-style ride with single cars, steep drops and high banked turns.  It was a great warm-up.  Then we did the Corkscrew, where I first encountered Arrow headbanging.  I was only mildly scared by the ride, but I lamented the pain as my head was boxed against the horsecollar throughout the janky transitions.  Finally, we rode the Yankee Cannonball, and I remember liking it about the same as the Riverside Thunderbolt.  Plenty of drops with some lifting you off the seat, and turns slamming you to the side.

It was one of the best school days ever!  I had fun with my friends, rode my second upside down roller coaster, and didn’t wuss out on anything.  I was a budding coaster enthusiast at this time, and I left with my head held high.

That same year, Riverside introduced Mind Eraser, the new inverted SLC.  I’d watched it run last week on the band trip, but the line was too long so I didn’t get to ride.  Over time, Riverside continued to add more new attractions, and eventually became Six Flags New England.  As I grew into my coaster obsession in high school and college, Six Flags was always the preferred theme park, especially with new additions like Superman: Ride of Steel and Batman: The Dark Knight.  Canobie Lake faded into the background; a family park overshadowed by a corporate juggernaut, yet not only does it survive, but thrives!

Fast forward to October 2025.  I’m planning a road trip up to Boston from Florida.  It’s been two years since I’ve visited the area.  My parents split their time evenly between southwest Florida and Massachusetts, so I see them plenty during the winter months when they’re close by, but it’s always nice going back to my hometown, catching up with my friends who still live there, and spending time sailing on Boston’s spectacular harbor.  

As the trip approached, I was talking to my friend Eric, who joined me on many trips to Six Flags during our high school years.  You may remember from Episode 16 that his daughter Ali is also a budding coaster enthusiast who took her first ride on the Joker 4-D Free-Spin the same day I did.  As I was laying out my planned dates, we talked about returning to Agawam.  After a glance at his calendar, Eric said Ali’s Girl Scout troop was going to Canobie Lake on that Saturday.  I was immediately excited.  

There was nothing new to ride at Six Flags New England this year since their Quantum Accelerator Intamin family launched coaster was pushed back to 2026.  Would I have loved to get more laps on Superman and Wicked Cyclone?  Absolutely.  But I relished the idea of going back to Canobie for the first time since 8th grade.  While the Corkscrew and Galaxi had long since been removed, they added Untamed in 2011, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter with a beyond vertical drop and three inversions.  New credit?  Yes, please!  Plus, I couldn’t wait to soak up the atmosphere of this lakeside oasis, and grab another ride on the historic Yankee Cannonball.

Bags packed, I headed north on Sunday, and arrived on Boston’s South Shore right around lunch time on Tuesday.  I joined my parents for a delightful harborside lunch complete with New England Clam Chowder and a tuna melt.  It was great to be home.

I spent the next three days catching up with friends, sailboat racing, relaxing with my parents, watching Red Sox playoff baseball, and devouring as much New England seafood as I could.  It was a wonderful escape, and come Saturday, it was time to begin the return trip.            

Canobie Lake Park was operating for their Screeemfest Halloween event, so gates didn’t open until late afternoon.  This wasn’t ideal, as I had a bit of a drive after leaving Canobie to the halfway point between Salem, NH and tomorrow’s planned park visit, but it didn’t matter.  This trip down memory lane would be worth it.

I enjoyed a phenomenal late brunch with my parents at a local gem serving a Mexican fusion breakfast menu, and I left beyond stuffed by my pork enchilada, and ready for the day to come.  The weather was seasonably perfect.  Clear skies with temps in the 70’s.  

I said goodbye to my parents and headed to Eric’s house to pick him up.  He’d already dropped Ali off with her Girl Scout Troop, and we made a stop for him to grab lunch, as it had been a whirlwind morning of soccer games for him.  His wife Rachel and daughter Emma followed just behind us.

We hit the road northbound, taking the tunnel beneath Downtown Boston on I-93, a familiar drive from childhood trips to New Hampshire ski country.  We departed the city center and relaxed amid a canopy of trees that were just beginning to turn into fall colors.  We exited the highway and turned left onto North Policy Street leading to the park.  

I got my first glimpse of the Yankee Cannonball as we entered the parking lot.  Its white paint looks clean as it wraps around the northern end of the property.  That side was jam packed though, and we were routed to the far southern end of the lot.  While I thought the $64 ticket price was a bit steep, I relaxed upon finding out that parking was free.  I’d rather pay one price for a park ticket than be surprised by a steep parking charge.  Canobie for the win here.

We parked and met up with Rachel and Emma for the walk to the gate.  That front entry plaza oozes New England charm.  Castle-style turrets abound, each with a flag on top, and the walls are covered with natural wood clapboard siding with forest green trim.  You enter through an archway covered in shiplap, the park name following its curve with its opening year of 1902 proudly placed above.

Founded by the Hudson, Pelham, and Salem Railway, Canobie began life as a trolley park,  a weekend destination to generate additional revenue during off-peak days.  Situated beside Canobie Lake, it was known for lush vegetation and featured picnic groves, swings, canoes, and an arcade.  The park closed in 1929 with the decline of the trolley company and was purchased by Patrick Holland, who saved the property from becoming a housing development.  He invested in new attractions, including the Yankee Cannonball, restoring the park’s popularity.  Holland passed away in 1943, and his family operated Canobie until 1958 when it was sold to the current owners.  It’s a family-operated amusement park, and from my first step into the park, it’s clear that these people are passionate about quality.

The main midway was bustling with activity.  As if the parking lot wasn’t an indication, the place was packed!  We passed the Antique Carousel from 1903 before approaching the entrance to the Yankee Cannonball.  No doubt, this needed to be our first ride.  The line stretched right to the end of the queue, but the switchbacks were relatively short.  I was immediately impressed by the detail put into this area.  Columns supporting the shade structure looked like ivory with pavers on the floor.  It looked great!  Even better, we could clearly hear the evening’s live entertainment from the stage across the midway.  A Poison cover band added more to the vibe this afternoon.  Unfortunately, Canobie only operates one train on this coaster, so this relatively short line still took about 45 minutes.                    

The Yankee Cannonball opened in 1930 at Lakewood Park in Waterbury, CT as the Roller Coaster.  It closed in 1935 and was relocated to Canobie, opening for the 1936 season.  Designed by Herb Schmeck and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, it’s an L-shaped single out-and-back wood coaster with a height of 63 feet, a top speed of 35 mph, and 2,000 feet of track.  It features three-bench PTC trains with three cars, meaning that a mere 18 riders move each cycle.  The good news?  It’s got buzz bars, but there’s also the addition of a seatbelt.  

When it was our turn, Eric and I selected the back.  Due to the small size of the station, only 18 riders are allowed onto the platform at a time, but beyond that, the operators allow people to choose their rows.  People will typically fill the train front to back, so if you’re smart, it’s pretty easy to bypass the middle rows and snag the back.

We left the station and turned right before engaging the lift, and it’s got that wonderful classic sound.  

At the top, the train barrels down the first drop with a delightful airtime pop in the back.  Next up is a low-to-the-ground speed hill before you rise up into the first 90-degree turn.  The parking lot is visible to the right before you drop back to the ground into a large camelback hill.  You rise back up into the turnaround and dip downward to rejoin the outbound structure.  There’s a second speed hill before the pitch up into the second 90 degree turn.  You then gently drop back down into three bunny hills before entering the final friction brake.  

We glided back into the station to disembark, and I left the ride a bit disappointed.  I only really got airtime on the first drop.  I remembered the ride having several floater moments.  Maybe I remembered wrong since it had been so long, and my thrill threshold has evolved over the years.  I later watched a review video from Canobie Coaster and learned that GCI re-tracked and reprofiled the ride back in 2016, and it seems that perfecting the curvature of the hills removed pre-existing imperfections that led to airtime in years past.  I will say that it runs smoothly, and given Canobie’s family demographic, this is a great first big roller coaster for kids.  For most, that’s probably a win.  It’s still a fun ride, I just wish it had a bit more bite.

Eric and I headed across the way to the beer garden by the Midway Stage.  The cover band had wrapped up, but we enjoyed a local craft beer.  Apparently Ali’s group was about to arrive, and we were hoping to catch up with them, but they had already started their day elsewhere in the park.  While the frothy beverage was delightful, it was a bummer that Canobie Lake has a “beer jail” policy, meaning that you can’t take the drink beyond the bar area.  This is a common practice in family parks, but we would have preferred to bring our beers with us as we got in line for the park’s newest roller coaster. 

Untamed opened in 2011 as the new headlining thrill coaster at Canobie.  This Gerstlauer Eurofighter stands 72 feet tall with a 97 degree beyond vertical drop.  It’s the anchor attraction in the Big Bear Plaza section which also includes the Bear Lodge, a log cabin-style building with an arcade and dining.  The coaster’s station features a similar look with a log cabin facade.  The track is forest green with supports painted to look like birch trees.  Combined with Canobie Lake’s mature greenery, this area is beautiful.

The queue for Untamed winds back and forth directly beneath its first drop and vertical loop.  It’s an awesome photo op, and watching the trains rocket through the course helps build anticipation.  

Like Yankee Cannonball, this queue was almost full, and with two trains in operation, our wait was just short of an hour.  We entered the station, and Canobie outdid themselves here.  It looks like a back-woods hunting lodge, complete with moose antler chandeliers.  Brown bears are poised to attack on the train fronts.  While this is an off-the-shelf roller coaster model, I love the effort to make it special in this park.

Eric and I entered the station and sat in the back row.  The trains have two rows of four seats with Gerstlauer’s shoulder restraints.  We climbed aboard, and began the 1,184 foot ride experience with a right hand 90-degree turn into the vertical lift.

Facing the sky always feels strange on a roller coaster, but we don’t have much time in that position.  The train crests the lift and careens wildly down that beyond vertical drop.  It’s a wicked moment before you’re snockered with a four-and-a-half G pull into the vertical loop.  The top of this element is flatter than most, so there’s a bit of hangtime here, and it’s awesome!

Next, you pull up into a cutback to reverse direction, and there’s some shuffle through this inversion that causes headbanging.  You rise up and bank left into an in-line twist offering some righteous hangtime.  You exit left then break right into a 360 degree helix into the final brakes.

So, Untamed is fine for what it is.  It’s a pretty ride, and it gives Canobie Lake Park a marketable thrill coaster, but it’s super short, and it’s got some rough moments.  I liked the first drop and vertical loop.  The heartline roll is another solid moment, but this compact coaster isn’t one I’d hop back in line for given the long wait time.

Eric and I re-united with Rachel next door at Time Winder, a Zamperla Nebulaz added in 2024.  With the sun beginning to set, the lights on this ride were starting to come alive, and we watched Ali and her friends twist freely through its unending rotations.  I still haven’t ridden one of these, and was tempted, but Rachel said the girls waited over 45 minutes, which was more than I was prepared to invest at the time.

Eric and I resolved to walk the park to see what else was out there.  We walked around the north end passing the skyride, the Caterpillar, and the DaVinci’s Dream Wave Swinger.  We paused to marvel at the view of Canobie Lake dockside with the water lapping just inches below the planks.  Lake houses adorn the shoreline in what must be a summertime wonderland.  The park offers a pontoon boat ride from this dock during peak season, but it wasn’t available this day.

We continued around the park counter clockwise.  We entered the Ye Olde Boston section, complete with grey pavers imitating cobblestones.  The Boston Tea Party Shoot-the-Chutes was closed for the season, but being among the last of this dying breed, it looked awesome with wood planked piers to observe that epic splashdown.  The Fife and Drum Gift Shop looks magnificent with colonial red brick and white trimmed windows.  A clam shack with gables of granite slate adds an architectural contrast.  I was truly impressed.

We passed the Dragon, a Zamperla powered kiddie coaster, and transitioned into the park’s western themed area, Olde Canobie Village.  It’s home to a log flume and a dark ride, Mine of Lost Souls.  We only had time to pass through, but this is another fantastic themed area with all the feels of an old western town.

Darkness was truly setting in, and with sunlight fading, Screeemfest started to become real.  Dark creatures roamed the pathways, and fog machines enveloped the park in a spooky mist.  As for me, I only had time for one more ride, and it was Star Blaster, an S&S Double Shot tower.  While it only stands 85 feet tall, it uses compressed air to launch riders up and down twice, and I was hoping for some incredible airtime.  

Eric and I completed our loop around the park and got in line.  What looked like 30 minutes ended up being close to an hour.  As we boarded, Creed’s Higher played over the speakers,  which was poetically perfect as we were about to reach the highest point in Canobie Lake Park.  Local ordinances prohibit construction above the tree line, and we were going right up to that level.

I then bid Eric adieu as I’d already stayed longer than intended.  It was almost 8:00 pm, and I had a three hour drive to my hotel for the night.  As we made our way towards the exit, I was glad I came back to Canobie.  It’s just got so much charm.  This small park is lovingly maintained by its family owners, and while it’s not big on thrills, there’s a wonderful vibe here.  The areas that are themed are done very well.  I didn’t get to experience their haunt in full force, but based on what I did see, it looked great!  They’ve also got one of the most impressive flat ride collections I’ve ever seen: a Matterhorn, a swinging ship, Flying Scooters, Wave Swinger, Roller Skater, Rotor, Frisbee, Tilt-A-Whirl, Wipe-Out, and a Round-Up.  That’s a lot of hyphens that sound like a lot of fun.  Plus there’s that new Nubulaz, and enclosed Scrambler called the Phychodrome.       

That’s a ton of fun that I missed on this visit, but it’s all the more reason to come back.  In 2026, Canobie Lake will add an SBF Visa spinning coaster.  That’s all well and good, but I think a really strong compact thrill coaster would put Canobie over the top.  The former Corkscrew plot still remains unused.  I’d love to see a compact launched coaster here, maybe something from Vekoma or Zamperla, or even a custom RMC Raptor that stays under that 85 foot height.  Regardless, this is a wonderful family park that’s well worth a visit if you’re in New England.  It’s not so much about the roller coasters here, but more so the overall experience.

I got on the road bound for the Marriott SpringHill in Danbury, CT.  I arrived just before 11pm and settled into an unusual suite with a full kitchen, two sofas, a king bed, and a hot tub in the living space.  I didn’t have time to enjoy the amenities.  I got a Domino’s pizza delivered for dinner, before passing out hard after a long but fulfilling day.  

Join me for the next episode when I continue this journey towards eastern Pennsylvania.  Back in 2023, I hit Knoebels and Hersheypark.  I only had time for two parks on that trip, so tomorrow, I’ll finish off the trifecta.  I’ll ride Demon Drop, Steel Force, Hydra, Iron Menace, and Talon at Dorney Park. 

And with that, thank you for listing to Redux Rundown.  Until next time, enjoy the ride.