My Favorite Birthday Hike – Hiking the Manitou Incline

July is one of my favorite months for many reasons. At the top of the list is my birthday! I try to work in my favorite hike on my birthday each year: the Manitou Incline.  Maybe you have heard of it . . . or maybe you haven’t, but let me tell you about this favorite hike of mine.

The Manitou Incline is located at the base of Pikes Peak in Manitou Springs, Colorado. People travel from all over to complete this hike.

I recently saw a Forbes article posted in the Facebook group for the Manitou Incline. In the article, the Manitou Incline was ranked as #2 on the list of the 25 Most Physically Demanding Tourist Spots in the World.

This hike is rated hard for several reasons. Here are some numerical facts that explain what makes the Manitou Incline so difficult:

• The hike up consists of 2,744  stairs (railroad ties) straight up
• The starting elevation is 6,530 ft, and the the summit is 8,850ft
• You gain over 2,000 ft of elevation in just .9 miles
• The average grade is 41%
• The steepest grade is 68%
• The Incline is intended for uphill travel only with a 3.5 mile Barr trail down to the base
• There are 3 bailout points on the way up as well as several false summits

Things to Consider When Planning to do the Manitou Incline

Should you decide to tackle this challenging hike, you will need to make a free reservation to hike this trail. The reservations are available from 6 am to 6 pm daily through the city of Colorado Springs.

Parking is also a consideration to be aware of. There are two options for parking:

• There is limited parking at the base that is $15 per car for 4 hours. Reservations are recommended for this option.
• You can also park at the Hiawatha Gardens Parking Lot with a free shuttle to the base of Incline. Parking is $1.75 per hour Monday through Friday and $2.50 per hour Saturday and Sunday. The shuttle runs every 30 mins. It is roughly 1-3 miles uphill to the base of the Incline.

The Manitou Incline is also one route to climb to Pikes Peak, one of Colorado’s most well-known 14’er peaks, standing at 14,115 ft. If you are interested in doing Pikes Peak, check out ambassador Jackie’s blog about hiking Pikes Peak. She provides everything you need to plan your trip to Pikes Peak.

Why I Love Doing the Manitou Incline

Now that you have the specifics around this hike, let me tell you why I love to do this hike on my birthday. This hike is one of the most MENTALLY challenging hikes I have ever tackled!! The views are absolutely stunning along the entire trail. Unless you’re scared of heights like I am. Then it becomes a mental battle of look/don’t look at the view!! You will also find the most incredibly supportive people you have ever met on your way up. People travel from all over to complete this hike.

It is not that this hike is one of the longest I have ever completed, and it is definitely not the hardest one I have done. However, it is one of the most rewarding hikes I have ever completed!! Each time I do this hike, it is a mental battle within myself to continue putting one foot in front of the other all the way up.

 

I won’t lie–there are sections of this climb that I am bear crawling to get to the next step, as steep as it is. I have done this with friends and solo, and each time I complete this hike, the elation I feel standing at the top is nothing short of awe inspiring!! I do start this one early since there is very little tree cover and the temps can get warm in July.

The Manitou Incline is also one route to climb to Pikes Peak, one of Colorado’s most well-known 14’er peaks, standing at 14,115 ft. If you had a chance to read our Summit County ambassador’s recent blog, she talked about hiking Pikes Peak. It is a great blog if you are looking for additional information on conquering Pikes Peak.

My birthday wish this year is to share my love for the Manitou Incline. If you are ever find yourself in the area, make sure you look for the telltale railroad ties that can be seen from miles away straight up the side of the mountain.

Sam Clowers

Davis / Weber (UT) Ambassador