The Longest Mountain Coaster in North America Is Located Alongside an Olympic Bobsled Track

The longest mountain coaster in North America is located in New York's Lake Placid and it just so happens to be the bobsledding track used in previous Winter Olympic games.

The Cliffside Mountain Coaster at Mt. Van Hoevenberg is the longest mountain coaster in North America, according to the attraction. It runs for 1.4 miles.

"The coaster follows the alignment of the 1932 & 1980 Olympic Bobsled track as it descends the mountain," Olympic Regional Development Authority President & CEO, Mike Pratt said in a statement. "The views are amazing, and the curves get your heart pounding."

The experience is set up so visitors drive their own car along the track. They control the speed of the ride as they slide through the track, hearing commentary about the 1980 Winter Olympics and the sport of bobsledding.

"The Cliffside Coaster is one of our latest and most thrilling additions to the Olympic Regional Development Authority venues, and part of our ongoing effort to modernize the entire Mt. Van Hoevenberg complex," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.

The coaster is the result of recent developments in making the Lake Placid Olympic Sites a year-round destination. Recently, the park has also opened a zipline, ADA-compliant gondola, indoor bobsled and skeleton start track, cross-country biking experience, and Olympic Center tours. New York State is spending more than $240 million on building up the Olympic area for tourists and events.

The mountain coaster is open during the summer with tickets at $55 for one driver and $65 for a driver and one passenger, ages three through 12.

Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. When in a new city, she's usually out to discover under-the-radar art, culture, and secondhand stores. No matter her location, you can find her on Twitter, on Instagram or at caileyrizzo.com.