Knoebels Amusement Resort

Development of select park features

In 1926, Knoebels added a restaurant, a steam-powered Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) carousel, and a few simple games to the grove, marking the beginning of Knoebels Amusement Park. On July 4, 1926, a large concrete swimming pool was opened on the site of the original swimming hole. Featuring a filtration system that provided clean water instead of muddy creek water, the pool was named Crystal Pool. Since then, the park has developed around the pool, adding rides, games, concession stands, and other attractions.

In 1962, a campground with six sites opened behind the amusement park. As of 2004, the campground spanned 160 acres (65 ha) with 500 campsites.

After the 1972 flood, the roller rink building was re-floored and used as a skating rink until the mid-1980s, when it was converted into the Roaring Creek Saloon. The building now contains a concession stand, an arcade, the XD Theater, and a place for live performances.

In 1973, the Haunted Mansion dark ride opened. The ride has been recognized as one of America's best dark rides by organizations such as Dark Ride and Funhouse Enthusiasts (DAFE) and the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA). In 2008, it was the subject of a one-hour documentary, "Laff In The Dark's Behind The Scenes At Knoebel's Haunted House".

From 2007 to 2019, the park's Grand Carousel was consistently voted the best carousel in the Golden Ticket Awards. The carousel competition was retired in 2019 because the Grand Carousel was undefeated.

For the 2013 season, Knoebels added StratosFear, the park's tallest ride at 148 feet (45 m). In October of that season, Flying Turns, a wooden bobsled coaster inspired by similar early 20th century rides, opened after seven years of delays.

In 2015, a new roller coaster named Impulse opened, replacing two former rides: Bumper Boats and Boat Tag.

In 2023, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum acquired a trolley that had been converted into a cottage at Knoebels.

Richard “Dick” Knoebel, who was the long-standing president of the park and led many significant projects, died at the age of 87 in July 2026.

Floods

Because the park sits at the confluence of the South Branch Roaring Creek and Mugser Run creeks, it has suffered several major floods and a marker at the park shows the flood levels for them.

• June 1972: Resulting from Hurricane Agnes, this was the park's worst flood. The creeks rose 6 feet (1.8 m) over their banks. The flood destroyed six cottages and damaged many other buildings, including 24 of the park's then-25 rides, as well as the roller rink.

• September 1975: Resulting from Hurricane Eloise

• January 1996: Resulting from a blizzard that was followed by a quick thaw

• September 2004: Resulting from Hurricane Ivan

• June 2006: Resulting from heavy rains

• September 2011: Resulting from Tropical Storm Lee, this was the park's second-worst flood with waters reaching nearly as high as the 1972 flood.

• July 2018: Resulting from heavy rains and flash flooding

Roller coasters

Knoebels has six operating roller coasters. Knoebels' two main wooden roller coasters are well-known, with Phoenix consistently rated in top ten lists and Twister ranking high as well.

Ride	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Photo
Phoenix	1985	Designed by Herbert Paul Schmeck, built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters	A relocated and restored Herbert Paul Schmeck/Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters wooden roller coaster. This coaster has consistently been rated as one of the top ten wooden roller coasters in the Golden Ticket Awards, placing first every year since 2018. The ride was originally built in 1947 and known as The Rocket. It was purchased from Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas after the park's 1980 closure. It was moved to Knoebels in 1985. It utilizes buzz bars.
Twister	1999	Designed by John Fetterman, built in-house	A wooden roller coaster heavily inspired by Mr. Twister, a 1964 Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters ride that was designed by John Allen.
Flying Turns	2013	Designed by John Fetterman, built in-house	A wooden bobsled roller coaster modeled after a 1920s John Norman Bartlett and John A. Miller design and built on the site of the former Whirlwind coaster. The coaster was completed in 2007, but its opening was pushed back numerous times due to problems with cars navigating the course. It opened on October 5, 2013. It won the Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride in 2014.
Kozmo's Kurves	2009	E&F Miler Industries	A steel children's roller coaster that operates on the site of the former High Speed Thrill Coaster
Black Diamond	2011	Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters	A steel enclosed roller coaster. It was originally known as Golden Nugget and operated at Dinosaur Beach in Wildwood, New Jersey from 1960 to 1998. The ride was eventually purchased by Knoebels, and was built on the former site of the relocated Bald Eagle Habitat. The name change to Black Diamond was in recognition of the anthracite coal industry, which is prevalent in the area.
Impulse	2015	Zierer	A steel roller coaster. It has a high-hat initial rise to 98 feet (30 m), and features a cobra roll, a vertical inversion, and a zero-g roll. It replaced Bumper Boats and Boat Tag.

Rides

The park operates many historic rides

Former rides

• 1001 Nacht - HUSS Park Attractions/Weber - 1001 Nights
• Axis - Zamperla Mixer
• Boat Tag - Boat ride
• Bumper Boats - Bumper boats
• Eli Ferris Wheel - Eli Bridge Company - Ferris wheel
• Flying Cages
• Fire Ball
• Frog Hopper - Children's drop tower
• German Carousel - Wilhelm Hennecke Uelzen
• Hey Dey - Spillman Manufacturing
• High Speed Thrill Coaster - Overland Amusements - Steel children's roller coaster that operated from 1955 to 2008
• Jet Star - Schwarzkopf - Steel Jet Star roller coaster that operated from 1977 to 1992. The ride was purchased from independent operators from Coney Island who had fallen on hard times. After being removed from Knoebels, it was relocated to Morey's Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey, where it operated under the same name. In 2000, the coaster was sold to a traveling showman in France.
• Kiddie Carousel - Allan Herschell Company
• Kiddie Cars - Allan Herschell Company
• Kiddie Planes
• Lindy Loop - Spillman Manufacturing
• Merry-Go-Round - Edward Joy Morris
• Moon Rocker - Overland Amusements
• Spindle
• Space Ship - Converted into Sky Slide
• Strat-O-Ship
• Over the Top - SBF Visa Group - Operated for only a few weeks in 2018 before being removed due to complications
• Wipeout - Removed following the 2020 season
• The Whip - Earlier 8-car model replaced by the 12-car Whipper
• Whirlwind - Vekoma - A steel roller coaster that operated on the site of the former Jet Star coaster from 1993 to 2004. This ride was purchased from Playland in New York, where it operated from 1984 to 1992 under the same name before being moved to Knoebels. After the 2004 operating season, the ride was moved to Parque Diversiones in San José, Costa Rica, where it now operates under the name Bocaraca.

Restaurants and food

Knoebels has several restaurants throughout the park. These eateries have contributed to the park winning awards from organizations which judge amusement park food, including Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for Best Food every year from 2000 to 2012. The park tied with Dollywood in 2013, but Knoebels reclaimed the title in 2015, 2016, and 2018. In 2025, Amusement Today magazine retired the Best Food contest and awarded Knoebels their "Legend" Golden Ticket Award for the category.

The park's Cesari's Pizza (now simply named Pizza) and the International Food Court were featured on a Food Network special. The alligator bites served at the International Food Court were selected by Delish.com as one of the top seven most daring amusement park foods.

Three Ponds Golf Course

Knoebels' Three Ponds Golf Course is located roughly a quarter mile from the park and campground. It is a par 71 eighteen-hole golf course which provides two nine-hole layouts. There is also a restaurant on the golf course grounds.