Silverwood Theme Park is an amusement park located in the city of Athol in northern Idaho, United States, near the town of Coeur d'Alene, approximately 47 miles (76 km) from Spokane, Washington on US 95. Gary Norton opened the park on June 20, 1988. Originally, the park included a small assortment of carnival rides, a "main street" with shops and eateries, and an authentic steam train that traveled in a 30-minute loop around the owner's property. From 1973 to 1988, the land, along with a fully functioning airstrip, was operated as the Henley Aerodrome, named after the family whom Norton bought it from in 1981.
Over the years, Silverwood has grown in both size and popularity, transforming from a small local amusement park to a regional theme park destination. In 2003, an adjacent waterpark named Boulder Beach Water Park was opened. Entrance to Boulder Beach is included with admission to Silverwood. In 2009, Silverwood began an annual Halloween event called Scarywood, held during evenings in the month of October.
Today, Silverwood is the largest theme and water park in the American Northwest on 413 acres (167 ha) and boasting more than 70 rides, slides, shows, and attractions. It is also the northernmost theme park in the United States. In 2019, Silverwood co-hosted (along with Rocky Mountain Construction) the Golden Ticket Awards.
Timeline
Year
Addition
1973
Henley Aerodrome founded by Clayton Henley.
1981
Gary Norton buys Henley Aerodrome from the heirs of the Henley estate, lengthening and other improvements are done to the airstrip. Hangar is turned into an air museum.
1986
Norton outbids Disney and others for a narrow gauge locomotive for use at the Aerodrome.
1988
Walter Deptula, with skills and background operating visitor attractions in Hawaii is hired by Gary Norton as first General Manager. This ensures Silverwood was able to open to the public later that year with a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge Silverwood Central Railway, an airshow and Main Street shops.
Boulder Beach expansion with the opening of Eagle Hunt and Salmon Run, Part of the New Emerald Forest Expansion.
Scarywood Haunted Nights
In 2009, Silverwood opened Scarywood Haunted Nights, a nighttime fright fest filled with scare zones and mazes. In 2010, Scarywood returned on a larger, grander scale with more to do. The main attractions for Scarywood include: Blood Bayou, an indoor haunted attraction; Planet Zombie, another outdoor haunt ; several scare zones and other walk through as well as the Timber Terror: Backwards. In 2020, due to concerns with Covid-19, Scarywood was cancelled. The park did remain open weekends in October without the scary theming though. Scarywood Haunted Nights returned in 2021 with one new haunted house - Pharaoh's Curse.
A steel roller coaster, relocated from Knott's Berry Farm in 1990. When Corkscrew first opened in 1975 at Knott's Berry Farm, it achieved two things of historical significance. Corkscrew was not only the first modern inverting coaster in the world, but it also was the first roller coaster to take riders upside down twice.
A wooden roller coaster with a classic out-and-back layout. The ride uses trains from Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. Formerly known as the Grizzly until a potential lawsuit from the former Paramount Parks prompted the name change. Since 2010, the train has been reversed for the park's Scarywood Haunted Nights events every October. Starting in 2022, the park has also begun to add 208 RetraK to portions of the layout.
A powered roller coaster themed to a mine train for young children and parents as well. Ride is driven by a rear wheel that runs along a central tread that runs along the middle of the track. Ride has an oval layout and runs over a small manmade creek.
A wooden roller coaster with a twister layout that uses the terrain to its advantage. It features four tunnels, the first of which goes under the ride's gift shop. The coaster uses rolling stock from the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters company. In 2010, the ride was the first to receive "topper track," a new track system designed by Rocky Mountain Construction of Hayden, Idaho. The new system, similar to the company's new Iron Horse I-Box track system is designed to cut down on track maintenance, as well as daily wear and tear. Rocky Mountain Construction has also begun to add their new 208 RetraK track to portions of the ride starting in 2020
Current Boulder Beach Water Park slides & attractions
Ride
Year Opened
Description
Avalanche Mountain
2007
6-Person Raft Slide.
Boulder Beach Bay
2003 (1st), 2007 (2nd)
Set of 2 side-by-side wave pools.
Elkhorn Creek
2003
Lazy River.
Polliwog Park
2003
Water play complex featuring hoses, slides, shallow water pools, rope bridges, and a giant water bucket above.
Ricochet Rapids
2011
4-Person enclosed raft slide.
Rumble Falls
2003
4-tube slide complex, featuring four slides, each with their own unique layout, with two enclosed, one fully open, and the fourth half-enclosed, half-open.
Toddler Springs
2007
Toddler play complex.
Velocity Peak
2004
3-speed slide complex, featuring three speed slides side-by-side, each with their own unique layout, with one enclosed spiraling slide, one open slide, and one half-enclosed, half-open slide with recorded speeds of up to 55 mph.
Riptide Racer
2016
A 6-person racing waterslide. 55.8 feet tall with 405.9 feet of slide.
Eagle Hunt
2024
A 925 feet long Proslide water coaster.
Salmon run
2024
Kids slide complex
Gallery
Timber Terror
Corkscrew
Tremors
Aftershock
Panic Plunge
Spin Cycle
Boulder Beach Water Park
Bumper boats
Log Flume
The lazy river of Boulder Beach
One of the two wave pools in the Boulder Beach Water Park
Timber Terror
Corkscrew
Tremors
Aftershock
Panic Plunge
Spin Cycle
Boulder Beach Water Park
Bumper boats
Log Flume
The lazy river of Boulder Beach
One of the two wave pools in the Boulder Beach Water Park
Aftershock at Silverwood, 2021.jpg)
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