Lakeside Amusement Park opens for 118th season with possible return of iconic Cyclone coaster

Going to Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver is like a rite of passage, you have to do it at least once, and your next chance is coming quick!

Lakeside, off I-70 and Sheridan Boulevard, is now open, offering Denver one of the most affordable amusement park experiences in the country — and possibly a long-awaited comeback for its most famous ride.

The park, founded in 1908, will open weekends only, including Memorial Day Monday, before shifting to a broader summer schedule. Admission with unlimited rides is $35 per person for those over 48 inches tall and $25 for smaller riders. Weekday evening passes drop to $25 and $15, respectively, and gate-only admission — for those who just want to soak in the neon-lit nostalgia — is $5. Parking, as always, is free.

The biggest question hanging over the 2026 season is whether the Cyclone, Lakeside’s signature wooden roller coaster, will finally reopen after four years of silence. The ride has been closed since 2022, when a rider was injured and state regulators ordered the park to find a way to make it safer. Earlier this spring, the American Coaster Enthusiasts group reported that the Cyclone had been spotted testing on its tracks — the first sign of life since the shutdown. There is no official word on if or when the famous coaster will open.

Lakeside has long served as Denver’s scrappier, more affordable alternative to Elitch Gardens, trading polished corporate sheen for vintage charm and a lakeside setting that has drawn families for more than a century. The park accepts cash, credit and debit cards at the entrance and sells ride coupons individually at 50 cents each for visitors who prefer to pick and choose.