Thunder Canyon
River Rapids at Valleyfair, Shakopee, Minnesota. Opened 1987.
- Height
- n/a
- Drop
- n/a
- Top speed
- n/a
- Length
- n/a
- Inversions
- n/a
- Ride time
- n/a
- Designer
- Barr Engineering
Thunder Canyon is a river rapids ride at the back of Valleyfair in Shakopee, Minnesota, next to Excalibur. It opened in 1987, and Wikipedia credits it to Barr Engineering. Because the park sits on the banks of the Minnesota River, Thunder Canyon and Excalibur were built outside the river dike, designed with flooding in mind.
Riders sit in large family-size rafts, which Wikipedia describes as six-person rafts, and float down a canyon past rocks, rapids and waterfalls. The park warns that there is no avoiding getting drenched, and guests standing along the course can fire water soakers at the rafts as they pass. The park suggests it as a way to cool off in the Minnesota summer heat.
Riders must be at least 46 inches tall.
Sources
- valleyfair.enchantedparks.com/rides-and-experiences/attracti... (Park page: family-size rafts float down a canyon past rocks, rapids and waterfalls; riders get drenched; guests along the course fire water soakers; operates Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day; at the back of the park next to Excalibur; minimum height 46 inches.)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valleyfair (Thunder Canyon, 1987, Barr Engineering, six-person river rafting ride; Excalibur and Thunder Canyon are built outside a pre-existing river dike with flooding in mind.)
Numbers are from the ride's manufacturer and park where published; "n/a" means we have not confirmed that number yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.