Coast 'N' Through The Trees At Knobles

Aug 7, 2022
3 min read

Hey all!

Today, we reached one of the last stops on our journey, Knobles Amusement Park!

After parking, we entered through the Midway. A distinctive feature of Knobles is its "Pay Per Ride" system, where you buy tickets at ticket booths. On certain days, you can opt for a wristband for unlimited rides, but if you're pressed for time, tickets are the most efficient choice. Once we had our tickets, we headed to our first ride of the day, the Phoenix, their renowned wooden roller coaster. This ride was relocated by the Knobles family in the mid-1980s from Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas, where it was known as The Rocket. Knobles, owning a lumber yard next door, reopened the ride for the 1985 season. Famous for its thrilling experience with buzz bar lap bars and its double up and double down airtime hills, this ride did not disappoint. I would say it's the most intense wooden roller coaster experience I've had, except for the Cyclone at Coney Island. Overall, it's a must-ride.

We then visited Knoebels to try out their distinctive "Wooden Bobsled Ride." This one-of-a-kind attraction was designed internally by Knoebels to bring back a forgotten ride experience. Prior to boarding, riders are weighed to ensure that weight is evenly distributed in each car, which is crucial for safety on its track where the cars glide freely. This is another great attraction for families and thrill seekers alike.

We then experienced some of the flat rides, including the well-known Cosmotron, an indoor Scrambler with light effects, and the Haunted Mansion ride, a dark ride featuring spooky effects. Afterward, we went to the re-built dark ride/coaster, The Black Diamond. This attraction takes you in small mine carts through a four-story building themed like a coal mine, complete with thematic surprises. The ride features small dips and drops throughout its course. It's impressive that this was once again constructed in-house by Knobles.

We then made our way to the opposite side of the park to experience our final two roller coasters of the day, The Twister and Impulse. Twister is an imposing wooden roller coaster featuring two lift hills and a large, powerful, sweeping helix that comes very close to the ride station. It also includes a tunnel finale at the end. This ride was incredibly enjoyable. It was modeled after the original Mr. Twister from Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado.

Next, we went on Impulse, the steel roller coaster located at the front of the park. It features a vertical lift, a 90-degree drop, and four inversions. The ride was extremely intense, giving the sensation of almost falling out with just a lap bar restraint. For me, it was a one-time experience. It was fantastic, but the lap bar restraint during the upside-down and vertical sections left me feeling a bit uneasy.

Before we departed, we took a ride on the Knobles Carousel. This carousel is special because, while it moves, you grab rings from a dispenser on its side and aim to toss them into a clown's mouth. I unknowingly picked up the golden ring and successfully threw it, which led to an announcement of my achievement over the speakers, and we were awarded three tickets for our victory!

We then headed out to head to the next park on our trip. Check out some of the pictures from our day at Knobles below!