Outdoor Recreation
Sitting at the foot of Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs is a launch point for some of the best-known hiking, climbing, and scenery in Colorado, all within minutes of downtown.
Top Destination
The Manitou Incline
Built on the bed of a former funicular railway, the Incline climbs 2,744 railroad-tie steps and roughly 2,000 feet in less than a mile. It is one of the most demanding day climbs in Colorado, free to do, but it requires a free timed reservation. Most climbers loop back down the Barr Trail.
Plan Your ClimbGet Outside
Outdoor Activities
The Manitou Incline
2,744 steps and about 2,000 feet of gain in under a mile. The most famous stair climb in Colorado. Free to climb, but a timed reservation is required.
Barr Trail
The classic trail from Manitou Springs toward the summit of Pikes Peak. Most Incline climbers descend it, and it offers miles of hiking at your own pace.
Garden of the Gods
Towering red sandstone formations against the backdrop of Pikes Peak, about 10 minutes from downtown. Free admission, easy paved trails, and world-class scenery.
Red Rock Canyon Open Space
A quieter alternative to Garden of the Gods just east of town, with hiking, trail running, and some of the best rock climbing in the Pikes Peak region.
Pikes Peak
The 14,115-foot summit that towers over Manitou Springs. Reach it by the Cog Railway from town, the Pikes Peak Highway, or the long climb up Barr Trail.
Cycling & Trail Running
Quiet canyon roads, the Midland Trail, and the Section 16 / Palmer loop give cyclists and trail runners easy access to the foothills right from town.