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Passengers on board Pikes Peak Cog Railway
VISIT COLORADO SPRINGS
COG WILD
All aboard Colorado’s Pikes Peak Cog Railway, where history climbs high, the air gets thin and the donuts are a pinnacle of delight.
By Amity Moore Joyce
At 14,115 feet tall, Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs has long attracted adventurers eager for a physical challenge and visitors excited to see the views. In the 1880s, the trip required a grueling, two-day-long mule ride. That option literally didn’t sit well with Zalmon G. Simmons, founder of the Simmons Beautyrest Mattress Co., so he decided to finance a more comfortable option: a cog railway. Today, after extensive restoration, the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway chugs to the top of America’s Mountain—the one that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write “America the Beautiful.”
Book in Advance
The views are indeed breathtaking, which is why the journey is popular. This year, the railway introduced dynamic pricing, meaning that as availability decreases, prices increase. Thus, it is most economical to book your tickets online and in advance, particularly if visiting June through August—the train’s busiest months. Although views from both sides of the train car are good, try to book seats on the left side to catch the first panoramas of the Continental Divide.
Pack for the Peak
No matter the month, May, or otherwise, the heated train follows the same three-hour roundtrip route. What changes is the weather. Spring generally brings windy conditions, with gusts of 15 to 20 mph, or it could be perfectly still. Be prepared to dress for temperatures that are 30 to 40 degrees cooler than the temperature in Manitou Springs. Translation: if it’s 80 in town, pack long pants and closed-toe shoes—flip flops and shorts won’t cut it at the top.
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The railway depot is the starting point for the journey to the summit of Pikes Peak.
adobe stock
Depot Details
For a seamless ascent from town, park in Manitou Springs’ Hiawatha Gardens lot and take the free Route 33 shuttle to the railway depot. Alternatively, if you’re coming just for the train, park in the Cog Railway directly across from the depot (Both parking locations are paid lots). Give yourself 15 to 30 minutes before departure to get some bottled water, shop for railway souvenirs, use the restroom (since there isn’t one onboard) and take some photos with the bright-red train cars.
The passenger train includes large windows for enjoying the view along the track.
Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway
All Aboard and to the Top!
Once passengers are settled, the Swiss-designed cog train begins the steady, scenic, 9-mile climb as a conductor shares stories of the railway and the mountain. It was no easy feat to build the highest cog railway in the United States, but it happened upon the backs of mules and men, starting in 1889. On June 30, 1891, the first passenger train reached the top, with the years in between seeing service limited to the Halfway House Hotel.
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The train winds through Pike National Forest along gurgling—and sometimes rushing—Ruxton Creek and then into narrow Englemann Canyon, where it’s fun to seek out the named formations the conductor mentions. Passengers crane across the car to see a gushing waterfall and peer through the panoramic windows hoping to see a bear, deer or moose among the evergreens. One of the standout species here is the Bristlecone pine, a few that tree experts estimate to be older than 2,000 years.
Tracks heading to the summit
The train pushes up Son of a Gun Hill, through the Icebox—a cool shaded canyon—before passing the remains of the Halfway House Hotel and reaching the alpine tundra, where the views, such as those of the Continental Divide, are expansive. Keep your eyes open for bighorn sheep balancing on rocky outcroppings!
Amity Moore Joyce and family take a selfie as they enjoy views of the American Continental Divide.
BRIAN JOYCE
At the summit, use your 40 minutes snapping selfies with the distant, jagged mountains as a backdrop; sampling the famous high-altitude donuts sold inside the recently overhauled Summit Visitor Center; and browsing the permanent exhibit that interprets the people, flora, fauna and fascination associated with Pikes Peak. Time passes quickly, so be sure to appreciate the views first. Soon, it’s time to depart, feeling a kinship with poet Bates—and breathing easier with every oxygen-rich foot of descent.
Summit Visitor Center allows visitors to experience panoramic views.
PIKES PEAK SUMMIT VISITOR CENTER VIDEO
Contact a knowledgeable AAA Travel Agent to plan your vacation to Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak Summit.
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