Iconic Wooden Coaster Returns to Elitch Gardens for 2025 Season
A Denver amusement park favorite is back in action. Elitch Gardens reopened its beloved wooden roller coaster, Twister III: Storm Chaser, for the first time this year after months of extended maintenance.
“The ride required additional work to meet our highest safety and performance standards, which took longer than expected,” an Elitch Gardens spokesperson said. “We’re thrilled to have guests experience this park classic once again.”
The reopening comes just two months after the park’s Sidewinder coaster returned following a two-year closure for an electrical system overhaul. Originally debuting as Twister II, the ride was refurbished, reimagined, and renamed Twister III: Storm Chaser in 2023. Standing 10 stories tall, the coaster features a 90-foot drop and a 100-foot pitch-black tunnel that simulates the wind, sound, and visuals of a tornado. With 4,640 feet of track, it remains the park’s longest ride, carrying on the legacy of the original Mr. Twister, which debuted in 1964 at Elitch Gardens’ previous location.
