Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway

The Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway — also known as the Pikes Peak Cog Railway — is the highest cog railway in the world and one of Colorado’s most iconic experiences, carrying passengers from the mountain resort town of Manitou Springs to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak, one of the most famous mountains in America. Originally completed in 1891, the railway climbs 7,539 vertical feet over just under 9 miles of track, passing through dramatic ecological zones from Ponderosa pine forest to alpine tundra to the windswept summit plateau that inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write America the Beautiful in 1893. The railway underwent a complete modernization in recent years, replacing its historic Swiss-built diesel cars with state-of-the-art Swiss passenger coaches designed for the extreme altitude and weather conditions. At the summit, passengers can visit the newly renovated Pikes Peak Summit Complex, a world-class visitor center and restaurant perched at the top of one of the 50 highest peaks in the contiguous United States. Clear-day views encompass Denver, the Great Plains, and hundreds of miles of the Rocky Mountain range. The railway operates year-round, weather and conditions permitting, and is one of the most visited tourist railroads in the country. The original 1891 cog rail system and the railway’s remarkable engineering history remain central to the visitor experience.