Our Ranking of Roller Coasters at Six Flags St. Louis
Six Flags is the largest amusement park in the St. Louis area, with a number of activities from food to Fright Fest. Between the dry park and Hurricane Harbor, you can easily spend a day — and then some — experiencing all Six Flags has to offer.
Roller coasters are maybe the biggest part of Six Flags, going back to the park’s early days. You’ll barely set foot in the park before you hear the sounds of roaring coasters and screaming passengers, sounds you’ll hear all across the park. If you like thrills, Six Flags serves up thrills.
I’ve been going since I was a kid and have visited the park dozens of times, and my family has held season passes off and on in recent years. We have our favorites, like most people, so it only made sense for us to give our own rankings of coasters in the park.
A couple of caveats. One, this is our opinion, and you’re free to disagree (politely). Two, these are coasters only, so no Catwoman Whip, Buccaneer, or Thunder River. Three, we’re leaving out rides in Bugs Bunny National Park, as those have height maximums that can only be met by young children.
Without further ado, then, let’s go!
1. Batman
Batman is the flagship ride of Six Flags St. Louis. Located near the entrance, it draws some of the longest lines for a ride, and for good reason. The coaster runs smooth, has some great loops and turns, and offers a breathtaking view from seats that let your legs dangle below you. Add in the atmosphere of the ride itself, which channels music going back to 80s Tim Burton movies, and you have a great DC-themed experience.
2. Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast
As the park’s only launch coaster, Mr. Freeze sends you hurtling out of the gate from 0 to 70 in under four seconds. Backwards. Freeze is arguably the most intense coaster in the park, but it’s also butter smooth, from the first shot, to the halfway point where you momentarily float in the air, to the final slowdown at the end. It’s neck and neck with Batman, but we give the edge to the former given that Freeze is more terrifying and thus a little less accessible.
3. American Thunder
American Thunder is the newest and smoothest wooden coaster in the park. It starts with an ominous little drop before pushing you up a hill, where from there you drop down into a succession of twists, turns, and bits of airtime. As coasters go it’s not the longest or intense, but it’s a well-designed ride that will give you some thrills while also keeping your dentures in.
4. River King Mine Train
One of the criticisms of Six Flags St. Louis — a justified one, in our opinion — is that it doesn’t have a lot of intermediate thrill rides. It’s got Bugs Bunny National Park and then it has … the Ninja. River King Mine Train, an old ride at the park, has long filled that gap, at least partially. It’s a steel coaster that runs pretty smooth and, while mostly tame, still offers some excitement, especially at the end.
5. Screamin’ Eagle
When the Eagle made its debut in 1976, it was the the longest and fastest coaster ever built. Other rides have long since passed it, but the Eagle remains a journey in and of itself. The ride starts by rolling you up an impressive hill before dropping you in a rolling race through the woods that puts you in the air. It’s biggest knock is that it shows its age, with jarring turns that will give some riders a headache, and some fans will argue it should be lower because of it. But the Eagle, for its flaws, still has character and one of the coolest in-ride views in the park.
6. The Ninja
Known as the Black Belt of Roller Coasters, this Six Flags icon made its park debut in 1989. It’s a short ride, but it also carries plenty of thrills, including a pair of loops and a wicked turn at the end that is a black belt by itself. In recent years it’s been more infamous for being a rough ride, although I thought workers did a good job smoothing it out some for 2025.
7. Pandemonium
Like River King Mine Train, Pandemonium is a nice lower-thrill coaster for riders who need that, although it doesn’t have the charm of Mine Train. It does get credit for being a smooth and unique coaster, but the spinning is deeply polarizing in the family. It’s just hard for us to justify ranking it above any of the higher coasters, on account of that fact.
8. Rookie Racer
Rookie Racer isn’t the most exciting coaster, it’s true. But it is a good entry level family coaster, and a new one at that. It’s got modest thrills — maybe a bit more than you’d think for a entry coaster — and cool theming. It won’t really wow anyone but younger riders, but older riders will appreciate the smooth track and a few of the turns. Plus, this is the place to go when you’re trying to get younger relatives to get on roller coasters with you, something you can’t do in many parts of the park.
9. Boomerang
Everything Boomerang does, Mr. Freeze does better. Boomerang creepily pulls you back against your restraints before dropping you forward, while Freeze just dispenses with the pleasantries and fires you away. Boomerang jostles you forward and then backwards while Freeze sends you hurtling through the air like a bullet. Freeze is intense, but at least satisfyingly so; Boomerang is just scary and not all that satisfying.
10. The Boss
The Boss looks impressive enough, with a towering first climb and a ton of track. Unfortunately, despite being newer than the Screamin’ Eagle, it’s also the most skull-rattling ride in the park, and the recent retracking of parts of it hasn’t fixed all of the problems. It doesn’t have to be that way: Holiday World in Indiana has The Voyage, a tall, long coaster that rides like a boat cutting through calm waters. The Boss has got plenty of potential, but in its current state, it’s more Excedrin than thrills. It’s our least favorite wooden coaster in Six Flags and a contender as one of the biggest disappointments in the park.
