Visit any Colorado Springs hiking website or travel guide and you’ll find one place mentioned over and over: the Manitou Incline. It’s TripAdvisor’s #1 “Thing to Do” in the nearby town of Manitou Springs and rates 4.8 out of 5 stars on Google. So, what is this mysterious hotspot?
The short answer is that it’s a popular hiking trail. It’s located about 11 miles from Colorado Springs, and is one of the most frequent day trips for guests at nearby Cheyenne Mountain Resort.
How It Began
The Manitou Incline started out as a cable car track to help carry building materials for a new pipeline on Pike’s Peak. After work was complete, the cable car continued as a tourist attraction. Visitors were transported to the top for breathtaking panoramic views of the Peak and the surrounding mountains.
In 1990, a landslide damaged a section of the railway, forcing officials to remove the track and its cars. The railroad ties were left behind. Local hikers started using the mountain path as a workout trail, climbing up its railroad tie “steps” to get to the summit and back down – despite the fact they were on private land. Eventually, the trail opened for public use.
The Basics
At just one mile long, the Manitou Incline isn’t a long haul. The difficult part is ascending a staircase that rises 2,000 vertical feet in elevation. It’s tricky, tiring, and literally takes your breath away. According to Competitor Running, Mt. Washington Road Race Joe Gray broke the record for fastest ascent of the Incline in 2015, with a time of 17 minutes and 45 seconds. For most tourists, that time is more like 1.5-2 hours round trip.
Manitou, Step-by-Step
Arizona resident Nick Christensen, who conquered Manitou for the first time during a summer stay at Cheyenne Mountain Resort, recommends creating checkpoints or milestones during the hike. “Things seem to move much slower when you're going up an incline,” he says. “Choose a shady spot or large rock up the trail and focus on making it to that point. Catch your breath. Then find another area up the trail and do it again. Keep doing that and eventually you'll make it to the top!”
Other tips for hiking Manitou Incline include:
- Bring sunblock. Reapply often when sweating heavily.
- Start early in the day, especially during summer months.
- Drink LOTS of water.
- Bring high-protein snacks.
- Wear comfortable hiking shoes. This isn’t the time to break in your new Converse.
- Don’t walk back down the incline. Take the separate “bailout” trail 2/3 of the way up or the Barr Trail at the top.
Closed for Renovations
Hikers looking to climb the Incline during a visit to Colorado Springs will have to wait a few months, as the path is temporarily closed for restoration in fall 2017. Officials expect Manitou Incline to reopen by December – though it’s far less visited in the snowy winter months.
The good news is that fall travelers have plenty of things to do in town and at nearby Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs. Visit Garden of the Gods, go hiking on our 200+ acres, or relax with a massage at Cheyenne’s Alluvia Spa & Wellness Retreat. Contact us today to get the fall fun started.
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