Pikes Peak Cog Railway- Manitou Springs, CO
If funiculars are rare beasts, cog railways are practically unicorns. Only two still exist in the United States today, so if you find yourself in either Manitou Springs or Mount Washington, it’s you’re lucky day. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. It’s going to be a good one.
The presence of a cog railway is an indicator you are going above the clouds. They are steep grade railways, fitted with cog wheels that interlock with rack rails, allowing trains to operate on extreme slopes. Whereas a regular railroad can only climb grades of 4-6%, a cog railway can climb grades up to 48%. Good news for those of us who want to climb a mountain without any effort.
A cog railroad has been chugging up to the face of Pikes Peak since 1891. The rail company was founded in 1889 by Zalmon G. Simmons, who oddly enough was also the founder of the Simmons Beautyrest Mattress Company. Unlike other more utilitarian lines of the day, such as the one found in Durango, the railway here was built solely for the tourist trade. Several steam locomotives made the trip each day up the highest railway in North America, which was surely back breaking work for those shoveling coal. While these cars are still on display, today’s cars run on biodiesel.
Pikes Peak, at 14,115 feet, is the highest summit of the Rocky Mountain’s Front Range. Although the first Europeans to discover the peak were likely Spaniards in the 1700s, the first non-native American sighting is attributed to Zebulon Pike, who attempted to climb to the top in 1806. Without the aid of a cog railroad he failed, however, the peak was named after him as a consolation. The summit was finally reached 14 years later by a botanist from Vermont, Edwin James.
Fortunately today it is a lot easier to reach the summit. From the base, it is about an hour and a half trip by rail. There is a road, but I can’t imagine that is a relaxing drive. For the first portion of the trip, you ascend steeply through a forest of Blue Spruce and Ponderosa pines. You pass several old settlements and clearings before the grade steepens, and the vegetation transitions to Bristlecone pines, some of the oldest trees on earth.
As you approach the timberline, the trees give way to stubby grasses and marmots, and the views open up before you. Once you reach the top you only have about 30-40 minutes before altitude sickness sets in, so start soaking up those sites now. Yes, the view is literally breathtaking. I know, I just couldn’t help myself.
Dramatic peaks and shocking drop-offs, including one called the Bottomless Pit, await you in every direction. Alpine lakes glisten in the distance. Prepare to be awed. It is no wonder that in 1893 these same views inspired Katharine Lee Bates to pen the song “America the Beautiful.” Beautiful, indeed. It is also cold and pretty windy, so you won’t to tempted to linger too long.
For heartier souls, there is a trail if you prefer to hike down the mountain. For everyone else, its back in the rail car for the remainder of your ride. At the bottom, the charming town of Manitou Springs awaits. Founded as a scenic health resort, the town has been welcoming tourists since the 1870s. It has a fun historic district you will definitely want to explore before you leave.
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