Ride the New Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Located in Manitou Springs, the Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway (www.cograilway.com) made its first trip to the summit back in 1891, when it carried a church choir from Denver to the top of “America’s Mountain”. It was later acquired by Spencer Penrose, the owner of the Broadmoor Hotel, and subsequently underwent numerous upgrades and additions over the years.
Sadly the railway closed its doors in 2017, after a detailed evaluation of the equipment and infrastructure. That’s not the end of the story though, as the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway reopened in 2021, with upgraded tracks, railcars and visitor facilities. Even better — access was a top priority during the renovation, and as a result this iconic rail journey is an excellent choice for wheelchair-users and slow walkers.
Major Access Upgrades
The access upgrades begin at the Manitou Springs Depot, which is just across the street from the parking lot. Previously wheelchair-users had to navigate a steep street from the parking lot, in order to board the train. Today there’s level access from the parking lot to the depot, and elevator access down to the track level.
Downstairs there’s level access to the waiting room, which includes an accessible restroom. There’s also ramp access up to the gift shop, and excellent pathway access on both sides of the tracks. There’s plenty of room to maneuver even the largest wheelchair or scooter around the depot, with benches for slow walkers to sit and wait for the train. Additionally there’s a large accessible restroom in the building at the end of the track.
The wheelchair-accessible cars are clearly marked, and include ramp access for boarding. The accessible seats are located near the doorway, and they can be configured in a variety of different ways. The two accessible seating sections each include four fold-down seats. Wheelchair-users can transfer to a fixed seat or stay in their own wheelchair and lock the breaks.
There are no tie downs on the cars, but it’s a slow climb to the top. And the new upholstered seats are much more comfortable than the wooden seats in the old cars. Best of all, the railway staff will work with you to make sure your seating arrangements work best for your abilities. That said, if you do need accessible seating, call the ticket office (719-685-5401) instead of booking online.
All Aboard
The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway is more than just transportation to the top of Pikes Peak — the journey up is an experience by itself. The track includes a toothed center rail that engages with a cogwheel under the locomotive and provides traction so the train to climb the steep slope. The 8.9 mile journey to the top takes about an hour, and there’s some spectacular scenery along the way.
The average grade on the way to the top is 16%, however the steepest grade — Son of a Gun Hill which is 25% — is near the bottom. Along the ride you’ll be treated to hidden waterfalls, spectacular rock formations and maybe even a bit of snow late in the season. Previously the trains had to stop on the way to manually change tracks so that other trains could pass, but the new system is automated and safer for everyone. As you near the top you’ll pass Windy Point, where winds of 100 mph are not unusual, before you pull into the mountain-top station at 14,115 feet.
Plan ahead though, as there are no restrooms on the train. Additionally it’s considerably cooler at 14,000 feet than it is at the Manitou Springs Depot, so bring along a wrap. And remember to take some extra water and hydrate frequently at the higher altitude.
Enjoy the View
There are lots of new improvements up at the summit too. The 1960s-era Summit House has been replaced with the new Pikes Peak Summit Complex, which contains the Visitor Center, a utilities facility and a High Altitude Research Laboratory.
There’s barrier-free access from the train to the main building, and all of the pathways are designed with gradual elevation changes and resting areas. This not only makes the area accessible to wheelchair-users and slow walkers, but it also helps folks that tire at higher altitudes.
There’s level access to the visitor center which includes a variety of interpretive exhibits, a gift shop, a cafeteria and accessible restrooms. The cafeteria serves up sandwiches, burgers and soup, but their homemade doughnuts are a must on any Pikes Peak adventure. These fluffy morsels are the only doughnuts in the world made above 14,000 feet; however they loose their fluff at lower altitudes so make sure and eat them before you reboard the train.
Save some time to browse through the interpretive exhibits which include information on the history, geology and climate of Pikes Peak, as well as an entertaining story about the first woman to summit the mountain — “the bloomer girl”. And don’t forget to take the elevator upstairs for more spectacular mountain views before you board the return train.
In the end the 40-minute stop on top flies by, but the trip back to Manitou Springs is just as scenic as the journey up the mountain. And every season brings a different kind of beauty. The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway operates year round, but it doesn’t go all the way to the top in the winter. So hop on board for a scenic and accessible trip up this famous peak.
