2. Boulder Dash

Lake Compounce , Bristol, CT The charming Lake Compounce is America's oldest, continuously operating amusement park, but there's nothing quaint about Boulder Dash, Levine's choice for the top wooden roller coaster. The physics-defying ride seems to pick up speed on its return trip as it deftly combines a wood coaster's characteristic rough-and-tumble feel with rock-solid performance. And speaking of rocks, the coaster, which is built into the side of Southington Mountain, amps up the thrills with near-misses of trees and, yes, boulders. <!-- // define variables var date = new Date(); var current_time = date.getTime(); // write SCRIPT tag to browser document.writeln(' '); // -->
Lake Compounce, Bristol, CT

The charming Lake Compounce is America's oldest, continuously operating amusement park, but there's nothing quaint about Boulder Dash, Levine's choice for the top wooden roller coaster. The physics-defying ride seems to pick up speed on its return trip as it deftly combines a wood coaster's characteristic rough-and-tumble feel with rock-solid performance. And speaking of rocks, the coaster, which is built into the side of Southington Mountain, amps up the thrills with near-misses of trees and, yes, boulders.

(Text by Arthur Levine/ Photo courtesy of Lake Compounce)