Log flume (ride)

File:WalterKnottBudHurlbutLogRideKBF1969.jpg and Bud Hurlbut ride the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm]]

Log flumes are a variant of the chute rides and old mill rides that were popular in the United States in the early 20th century. Shoot the Chute rides continue to be built today. Both of these types of rides took rather simple approaches to handling water flow. It was not until Karl Bacon of Arrow Development got involved and studied hydrodynamics that the use of water flow in an amusement ride was fully exploited.{{cite book |last=Reynolds |first= Robert|title=Roller Coasters, Flumes and Flying Saucers, The Story of Ed Morgan and Karl Bacon |year= 1999|publisher=Northern Light Publishing|location= Jupiter, Florida|isbn=0-9657353-5-4 |pages= 94–104}}

The first modern day log flume amusement ride constructed by Arrow was El Aserradero at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas, which opened in 1963 and is still in operation. The Mill Race, Arrow Log Flume number two, opened just a few weeks later at Cedar Point. Log flumes proved to be extremely popular and quickly became staples at amusement and theme parks throughout the world. The ride was so popular that some parks started adding second flume rides to help reduce the long lines. Cedar Point added Shoot the Rapids in 1967, and Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Over Georgia both added second flumes in 1968. When Six Flags Over Mid America opened in 1971, it featured twin flumes.

In the 1960s and early 1970s Arrow had a monopoly on the log flume business, producing over 50 flumes by 1979.{{Citation | last = Slade | first = Gary | title = Arrow, The Most Influential Ride Manufacturer of Our Time | journal = Inside Track | issue = Special Section | pages = 2–16 | date = November 1994}} In 1976, the French company Reverchon Industries started building flumes and in 1979 Hopkins Rides entered the flume building business.{{Citation | last = Slade | first = Gary | title = O.D. Hopkins Enjoys Past, Anticipates Bright Future | journal = Inside Track | pages = 2–3 | date = November 1989}} Other manufacturers eventually followed with Intamin building its first log flume in 1986{{Cite journal | title=Reference List | journal=Intamin Product Catalog | publisher = Intamin A.G. | location = Wollerau, Switzerland | year= 1998}} and Mack Rides in 1987.

Log flumes are generally out in the open, though some may contain enclosed or tunneled sections. The flume is usually made of fiberglass, concrete or galvanized steel. In a typical course, the boatful of riders floats through a small section of channel upon leaving the station, then engages a lift hill that takes them on a winding course in the water-filled trough. A second lifthill then culminates with an exciting drop and a splashdown finale.{{cite web |url=http://www.hopkinsrides.com/public/flume/index.cfm |title=The Flume Ride, a park cornerstone | work= HopkinsRides.com |publisher= Hopkins Rides LLC |access-date=29 May 2013}} The amount of splash can be controlled by using rubber belting of differing widths and differing heights. To increase the chance of being soaked, the flume can be designed to be turbulent, or to run underneath waterfalls. Water cannons (typically coin-operated) aimed along the path are sometimes installed alongside the flume. Additionally, the exit path from the ride may cross over or go near to the flume, such that departing riders are drenched by the boat currently en route.

File:Splash Mountain, Tokyo Disneyland (9409908130).jpg

File:Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland.jpg

Image:Logger's Revenge at S.C. Boardwalk.JPG]]

File:Flumeride.jpg, Sweden]]

One of the first elaborately-themed flumes was Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm. Originally built as a concession run by Hurlbut Amusement Company, most of the ride is inside a man-made mountain. Bud Hurlbut and his right-hand man Harry Suker were responsible for the theme of the ride. Upon his retirement, Hurlbut sold the ride to Knott's Berry Farm where it is still in operation.

Log Chute at Mall of America's indoor park Nickelodeon Universe contains sections within a large rocky structure and some out in the open.

Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland is based on the animated sequences of Disney's 1946 film Song of the South. It consists of a single trough running in a continuous circuit through the middle of a show building containing Audio-Animatronics characters, with the largest drops and a few turns positioned outside the show building.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland is based on Disney Animation's 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. It includes Audio-Animatronics characters and is a re-theme of the versions of Splash Mountain that were located at those parks, reusing the same flume layout.{{cite news|last=Michaelsen|first=Shannen|url=https://wdwnt.com/2023/05/splash-mountain-tiana-signs-disneyland/|title=PHOTOS: Tiana's Bayou Adventure Signs on Construction Walls Around Splash Mountain in Disneyland|website=wdwnt.com|date=May 31, 2023|accessdate=December 21, 2024}}{{cite news|last=Mitchell|first=Bea|url=https://blooloop.com/theme-park/news/disney-imagineering-audio-animatronic-tianas-bayou-adventure/|title=Disney Imagineering unveils most advanced audio-animatronics yet|website=blooloop.com|date=April 5, 2024|access-date=April 4, 2025}}

Luna Park's Wild River contains a few turns, then a lifthill which holds the riders (usually 4 or 5) upwards for 15 seconds then the log turns left and drops down. The second lifthill lifts up higher with audio playing in the back and then an exciting drop occurs and the riders return.

Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls is a log flume attraction themed to the animated character Dudley Do-Right. The ride was manufactured by Mack Rides and is located at Universal Islands of Adventure. It features multiple smaller drops before a 75-foot drop at the end. In addition, the ride is one of the few of its kind to use lap bars as a method of restraining riders.

• ABC Rides
• Arrow Dynamics
• Barr Engineering
• Bear Rides
• Big Country Motioneering
• D.P.V. Rides
• Fabbri Group
• Hafema
• Hopkins Rides
• I.E Park
• Intamin
• Interlink
• L&T Systems
• Mack Rides
• Mimafab
• Preston & Barbieri
• Reverchon Industries
• Rides and Fun
• SBF Visa Group
• Schwarzkopf
• Senyo Kogyo
• Soquet
• Van Egdom
• Venture Rides
• WGH Transportation Engineering
• WhiteWater
• Zamperla

{{cleanup list|section|date=June 2024}}

• Old Mill (ride)
• Log flume

{{Commons category|Log flumes (attraction)}}

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{{Intamin}}

{{Amusement rides}}

Log flume rides

Category:Water rides