We decided to use our “All-Park” access this year, so I decided to Rank Every Roller Coaster at Carowinds. If you are into coasters, be sure to check out my ranking every coaster at Kings Island!
*Last updated June 20, 2026
Ranking Every Roller Coaster at Carowinds
14. Wilderness Run
Wilderness Run is the smallest coaster at Carowinds, meant as a very first coaster for little kids. Also, it is great that there is an option, but it is still going to rank last.
13. Woodstock Express
Woodstock Express is the next level up kids coaster. Again, great to have an option for the kids, but still a kids coaster.
12. Snoopy’s Racing Railway
Snoopy’s Racing Railway is the newest coaster at Carowinds. Additionally, it is another kids coaster and opened in 2025 featuring a train-style car.
11. Ricochet
Ricochet is a “wild mouse” coaster, similar to the layout of the board came “mouse trap”. The ride only uses individual cars, so the line tends to take longer.
10. Kiddy Hawk
Kiddy Hawk is a fun all-family coaster that is centrally located. Additionally, it makes for a fun coaster that bridges some of the smaller kids coasters to the bigger rides.
It is an inverted, hanging-feet coaster. However, with the overhead pull-down restraints, it has a “head banger” reputation for bouncing you around. I didn’t think it was as bad as some online reports and still found it to be a fun ride.
9. Carolina Goldrusher
Carolina Goldrusher is a metal track coaster with wooden framing and runaway mine train theming. It is an all around okay ride and a nice in-between, all-family coaster for kids not yet ready for some of the bigger coasters.
8. Hurler
Hurler is Carowind’s largest wooden rollercoaster. Additionally, it is located just near Fury 325. If you have been to Kings Island, it has a feel similar to the Racers (minus the double track). It is a decent wooden coaster and nice to have at the park. However, as far as wooden coaster go, it is pretty average.
7. The Flying Cobras
The Flying Cobras is a boomerang, which means you run the same track both directions (forward and then backwards). It is always fun to go through loops and inversions in reverse if you’ve never done it before.
The main downside to boomerang coasters is that there is only one car, so the line takes longer than rides with multiple cars. However, we were there on a weekday so the lines weren’t too bad. This ride has 3 inversions, which means that you go upside down 6 times, 3 forward and 3 backwards.
6. Carolina Cyclone
Carolina Cyclone opened in 1980, so it is nearing 50 years old. In fact, when it came out, it was the first coaster to have 4 inversions!
It shows its age a bit, but is still a fun ride. It reminds a little of the Kings Island Vortex, which is now closed, However, it has no relation to the current Carowinds ride of the same name.
The hill goes into a double loop. However, my suggestion is to lean your head forward on the first loop as it throws your head back into the headrest if you aren’t ready for it.
5. Vortex
Vortex is a standing coaster with a drop bar and a bicycle seat. Men are sometimes not a fan of this ride due to the seat placement. However, the trick is to bend your knees before the seat locks so that you aren’t sitting. Also, there are signs that you shouldn’t be sitting on the seat, but it is a standing coaster after all.
My home park is Kings Island and it used to have a standing coaster, The King Cobra. It is a fun and unique ride style, so for this reason I slotted it in at number 5. Fun fact, King’s Island also had a coaster named The Vortex, but it was removed in 2019.
4. Afterburn*
When I was looking at the Carowinds coasters before visiting, it seems like were definitely these last top 4 that were the main 4 in everyone’s rankings. Unfortunately, I had to put an asterisk next to Afterburn in this title. We were at Carowinds for two days in June of 2026 and it was closed down both days.
This is definitely my type of ride, numerous inversions and it is inverted (feet hanging). Had I been able to ride it, it might have ranked even higher on this list. Oh well, it gives me a reason to come back to Carowinds. Hopefully it isn’t down too long!
3. Thunder Striker
Thunder Striker was formerly called Intimidator after NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. It is a hyper coaster (200-299 feet hill or drop) and has an elevation of 232 feet! Also, it hits about 80 miles per hour and lasts nearly 4 minutes.
It is a smooth ride and a lot of fun! It really adds to this top tier of premier coasters at Carowinds. Also, like many of the rides at Carowinds, it is race themed even though it traded it’s Intimidator naming.
2. Fury 325
A lot of people are going to be surprised to see this one sitting at number 2. Fury 325 is North America’s longest, tallest and fastest giga coaster. A giga coaster has a hill or drop over 300 feet and the hill on this one is 325 feet, giving it’s name! Also, the ride itself is 1.25 miles (2 km) long and it hits 95 miles per hour. Additionally, it lasts about 3 and a half minutes.
Fury 325 is a super fun and really smooth ride! It is pretty cool walking into the park and seeing Fury 325 to the right and Thunder Striker to the left. These two rides are a great giga/hyper combination. However, I do love rides that go upside down, which leads us to our next ride at number 1…
1. Copperhead Strike
Copperhead Strike may not be the fastest, the longest, or the tallest coaster at Carowinds, but in my opinion it may be the most unique and for me was the most fun!
In fact, the slower speed at parts of the ride is what really makes it stand out. It starts off out of the gate with a slow role into an upside down corkscrew. Afterwards, it stops in the shed for the first launch directly into a loop. You are launched at 0-42 mph in 2.5 seconds, which is just enough to get over the loop. The sense of hanging upside down on the loop is another unique feeling of inversion.
The ride is a double launch, meaning that it has a second launch point during the middle of the ride. Additionally, it is always fun in rides to increase speed and it feels like you are hitting a turbo button (similar to Velocicoaster in Universal).
It has a return through the initial loop and at times feels like it is threading a needle. Also, it has 5 total inversions, many close to the ground and looping through each other. I really thought this coaster had some unique features and it is definitely my type of coaster. So, for that reason, it takes the number one spot for my favorite rollercoaster at Carowinds!