Ghost Town in the Sky

Ghost Town in the Sky is a western-themed amusement park atop Buck Mountain in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The site spreads across several themed zones with wooden structures, a small roller coaster, and pathways winding across the mountain plateau.

Entrepreneur R.B. Coburn opened this mountain park in 1961 as a tourist attraction for the region. Several closures and reopenings marked the following decades before operations stopped permanently.

Visitors often wore cowboy hats and posed in front of saloons and sheriff buildings for photos. Performers in period costumes also embodied the American frontier image and invited spontaneous conversations.

The main street with shops and arcades sits on the upper level, while the roller coaster and Indian village sit further along the slope. Visitors exploring the site should wear sturdy footwear, as paths can be uneven and bridge elevation changes.

The Red Devil Cliffhanger was one of the few roller coasters in the US built on a steep mountainside and running directly along the cliff edge. On clear days, riders could see into the Great Smoky Mountains.

Location: Maggie Valley

Inception: 1961

Website: http://ghosttowninthesky.com

GPS coordinates: 35.52877,-83.10238

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:23