South Central Region
Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Colorado Springs, CO

"O purple mountains majesty, above the fruited plain..."

America The Beautiful was written in 1893 after Katherine Lee Bates visited the top of internationally famous Pikes Peak while staying in Colorado Springs. She took a mule-drawn wagon to the top.

Today, you can take the thrilling Pikes Peak Cog Railway from Manitou Springs to the Visitors Center on the summit of Pikes Peak.

Completed in 1891, this is the highest cog railway in the world & the highest railroad of any kind in the United States, reaching almost the very top of Pikes Peak at 14,110 feet. It climbs 7,539 vertical feet in 9 short miles.

A cog railway has wheels that are great big gears, with monstrous teeth that fit into the cogs of the track. This allows the train to climb some impressively steep mountainsides.

Today's railway features modern Swiss-made engines & railcars, unlike the cruder open cars of yester-year.

The views are impressive and beautiful. Garden Of The Gods, Colorado Springs, and the snow-capped Rocky Mountains are all laid out from the summit in a sweeping 360-degree panorama.

Wildlife is common, many visitors see bighorn sheep, marmots, hawks, mountain goats, and more.

The climb takes you through several ecological zones, from the semi-arid pine forests of the lower slopes through high-altitude Aspen groves, into the alpine tundra above treeline, and finally into granite lichen-covered rock fields close to the summit.

Plan on 3 hours 10 minutes round-trip, with 30-40 minutes spent at the Summit House to take in the views, check out the Gift Shop, and get a cuppa joe or hot chocolate.

Bring "layered" clothing, as it can be quite warm at the bottom and quite chilly at the higher elevations. It's even possible to see a wet snow shower in July and August!

Many people instead drive the Pikes Peak Highway to the top, and hiking or biking to the summit is popular...but for a stunning way to visit the mountain, nothing beats the Cog Railway.