The Matterhorn formed millions of years ago when several land masses slammed into one another, forcing the ground upward. Geologists have determined that the hard gneiss rock on top of the mountain came from the African continental plate as it smashed into the Laurasian, or European plate.

The Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland, which opened in 1959, was the world's first tubular steel roller coaster. The "story" or inspiration behind the ride comes from Walt Disney himself. During the filming of the 1959 movie Third Man on the Mountain in Switzerland, Walt became fascinated with the actual Matterhorn mountain and decided he wanted a scale replica in his park to hide the unsightly pylon of the Skyway ride. He reportedly sent a postcard of the mountain to his "Imagineers" with the simple instruction: "Build this." To add to the alpine atmosphere, the ride includes "The Abominable Snowman" (nicknamed Harold), who has haunted the caverns since a 1978 renovation. There is also a famous urban legend about a basketball court inside the mountain; in reality, there is a small half-court attic space used by employees and climbers to pass the time during weather delays, though it is not a full-sized gym. The ride remains a landmark of engineering, introducing the concept of multi-vehicle "block" systems to ensure safety.