Six Flags Magic Mountain · METROPOLIS
Gold Rusher
The 1971 mine train that opened with the park — the mountain's first coaster and still its gentlest.
Ride facts
- Type
- Roller coaster
- Height
- 48in (122cm)48-inch minimum. Official source: https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/attractions/gold-rusher. Height alone does not establish permission to ride; attraction staff make the final eligibility determination. Separate physical and medical restrictions require review in the official Magic Mountain accessibility guide (version 25-1.0.0): https://media.qrtiger.com/files/2025/07/gag_sfmm-hhla.pdf. No maximum or lower accompanied-rider exception for this ride is stated in that guide.
- Intensity
- Very gentle
- Motion sickness
- No motion risk
- Getting wet
- Stay dry
- Indoor / outdoor
- Outdoor
- Air conditioned
- No
- Rider Switch
- Available
Last verified October 2026
What it is
Gold Rusher predates everything else at Magic Mountain: it opened with the park on day one in May 1971, and its lift, tunnel and dip course have introduced children to roller coasters for over fifty years. It is small, slow and completely unbothered by any of the records its neighbors chase.
As an introduction to coasters it offers a real lift hill, a small drop and a dark tunnel. The official minimum is 48 inches, regardless of age, and the official location is METROPOLIS. The historical spelling Goldrusher remains useful when searching older guides.
What riding it is actually like
A chain lift, small drops and a short tunnel introduce the mine-train ride style. Plan for a rider who meets the 48-inch minimum and the attraction’s other requirements; age alone is no guide to eligibility.
It opened with the park on day one in May 1971, which makes it the oldest ride on the mountain and the only one that predates every record its neighbors chase. The dips are mild, the speed is polite, and it is completely unbothered by all of it.
Ride it for one of two reasons: you have a first-timer with you, or you care that this is the mine train that introduced three generations of Southern California children to coasters. There is no third reason, and neither of those needs one.
Is Gold Rusher scary?
A 1971 mine train: small dips, mild speed, one short tunnel. The first roller coaster for many Southern California children across three generations.
Scores are editorial, on a 1–5 scale, judged against what frightens a typical four- to seven-year-old rather than an adult.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair
- Must transfer to the ride vehicle
- Audio description
- Check with Guest Relations
- Handheld captioning
- Check with Guest Relations
- Assistive listening
- Check with Guest Relations
- Sign language
- Check with Guest Relations
- Service animals
- Must use a kennel or wait with a companion
Transfer into mine-train style trains.
Tips that actually help
- Gold Rusher can be a gentler warm-up for suitable riders; check its current queue rather than assuming a walk-on.
- The tunnel adds a brief dark section; prepare first-time riders who are uneasy in darkness.
- Use it as a gentler warm-up for eligible riders at 48 inches or taller; it is not an under-48-inch option.
Timing
- Best time to ride
- Choose the stop using the current METROPOLIS queue and operations.
- Typical wait
- No current numerical wait forecast verified. Check the official app and attraction queue on your visit date.
- line-skip passes
- Listed for line-skip access; check current participation and availability
Gold Rusher: common questions
Is Gold Rusher scary?
No. Small dips, mild speed and one short tunnel — the brake run arrives before anyone can get scared. It has been the first roller coaster for three generations of Southern California children, which is the design brief working as intended.
What is the height requirement for Gold Rusher?
48 inches, according to Six Flags’ official attraction page. It is in METROPOLIS. All other ride restrictions still apply, and attraction staff make the final eligibility determination.
Why is Gold Rusher worth riding?
History, mostly. It opened with the park on day one in May 1971 and predates every record its neighbors chase. Ride it with a first-timer, or ride it because it is the oldest thing on the mountain — there is no third reason.