The Bat Chaser, a new coaster supposed to combine the feel of hang gliding, zip lining and roller coaster riding into one ride, is undergoing construction in Indiana Caverns.
This ride is the first steel zip coaster in the Midwest. One other exists in the United States in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and many have been built in countries around the world.
The ride reminds people of zip lining, said Carol Groves, director of public relations and marketing for Indiana Caverns, as riders hang from a steel cable in a harness, taking dips and drops as the ride goes on.
It will include over 600 feet of track, starting from a 50-foot tower, followed by a 360-degree loop and three drops. The ride can hit 20 miles per hour.
Indiana Caverns, a show cave in Indiana, opened in 2013.
“We started with some smaller projects to complement the cave, but this zip coaster is the big one,” Groves said. “It’s truly different and a lot of fun.”
The zip coaster was developed by Walltopia, a company that designs and manufactures adventure rides and climbing walls.
“It was obvious from the get-go that in today’s world people were looking for somewhere they could go and do lots of things in one location and so we started looking for things we could add on for families and individuals,” said Groves.
“These are all over the world, from Thailand to Liberia and now to Indiana,” Groves said.
The ride is set to open in mid-May.
