Oil Derrick Observation Tower
Tower guests get a 360-degree view of not only the park, but of the metroplex
The Oil Derrick observation tower opened at Six Flags over Texas in 1969, creating the Tower area with its signature oil derrick profile. If it were an actual, operational oil derrick, it would be the tallest land-based one anywhere according to the Six Flag’s Railroad’s spiel.
Two high-capacity elevators take guests 300 feet up to one of the two levels at the top of the tower, though it has been long since the ride actually used both elevators. On clear days Oil Derrick patrons can see both Dallas and Fort Worth skylines. Views are especially good of the nearby Texas Rangers Ballpark and Dallas Cowboys Stadium, both of which are less than a mile from the park.
The 50-foot fun slide attached to the tower was removed in the late 1970s
The Oil Derrick actually has several levels, only a couple of which are accessible to park guests. The two guest-accessible levels at the top of the tower stand 255 and 267 feet high. Another level at the 50-foot mark used to be the launching point for a huge fun slide that was removed in the late 1970s. Although railing appears at the 100-foot level, there’s no platform there and the railing exists only to aesthetically “balance” the tower.
The Oil Derrick is often themed during special events. In the past a massive inflatable gorilla adorned the side of the tower during Fright Fest. Each year during Holiday in the Park the Oil Derrick is transformed into a giant Christmas Tree with green lights and a star (also meaning it does not operate during the event).
The Oil Derrick has “sister” Intamin-made observation towers located at Kings Island (Ohio) and Kings Dominion (Virginia). Instead of an oil derrick, they were modeled after the Eiffel Tower and opened in the 1970s.
Tower at Dawn
The Oil Derrick tower at dawn
Top Deck
The upper of Oil Derrick’s guest observation decks
Cowboys Stadium
The massive Cowboys Stadium and the former Texas Rangers Ballpark in Arlington can both be viewed from atop the Oil Derrick
Night View
The Oil Derrick’s lights create a familiar orange huge at night
View from the Past
An older photo of the Oil Derrick before Superman Tower of Power was added
Oil Derrick Stats
| Ride Type: | Observation Tower |
| Year Introduced: | 1969 |
| Manufacturer: | Intamin |
| Height Requirement: | None |
| Thrill Rating: | Mild |
| Park Section: | Tower |
| Status: | Operating |
| Flash Pass Enabled: | No |
Tips
For an extra thrill when exiting the elevators at the top of the tower, look straight down through the crack between the elevator and tower floor. Seeing the ground directly below you 300 feet away is not for the faint of heart!
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The slide was a blast when I was a kid, ripping down on those stinky burlap sacks…
Yeah those were the days except that one time I got a little airborne going over one of the humps near the top and I my potato sack got out from under my legs when I landed and I was wearing shorts and since I was only about eight years old I had no hair on my legs and so no buffer between my skin and that what looked like stainless steel surface and got a really nasty painful form of road rash that took a couple months to heal ….. I lost hide on that sucker all because that burlap got dislodged.
Remember the saloon scene at the top of the Big Ben roller-coaster? I’m reminded of that scene every time I go thru an In-n-Out drive thru lol.
Miss the La Salle’s river boat ride too and driving the old-timey Model T cars around that enormous track that winded thru the park.