The Manitou Incline, a must-do for any Coloradan, is located in Manitou Springs, Colorado, about 15 minutes west of Colorado Springs. The incline consists of 2,768 steps straight up the mountainside in the Pikes Peak range.
I hiked the incline on my birthday one sunny Sunday morning in December. I had planned to do it the year before, but snow forced me to cancel. This year, however, it was a beautiful 50-degree day, so we headed down to Manitou Springs! We snagged one of the last paid parking spots near the trailhead and set out for the challenge ahead.
Full disclosure: it was tougher than we anticipated. We paced ourselves and took water breaks every 5 minutes, but it was 55 minutes of continuous intensity (and a high heart rate). The steps are marked every hundred, which is helpful. We enjoyed a short rest and a Picky Bar at the top and then headed down via the Barr Trail. I recommend taking this trail down opposed to down the incline for safety and to enjoy the surrounding mountain range!
PSA: You will need to reserve (free) a time slot, which allows them to manage the flow of people on the incline, as there is very little parking at the trailhead.
Good to Know
Distance: 1 mile up the incline and 3 miles down the Barr Trail for a total of 4 miles
Trails: Manitou Incline and Barr
Elevation Gain: 1,943 ft
Terrain: Wood-made steps up with a dirt trail down
Parking: There are limited paid ($15 cash) parking spots available near the start. There is also a shuttle from town.
Facilities: Available at the start of the Incline
Fun Fact: After a big adventure, brunch is an order! We highly recommend Homa at Kinship Landing for a local spot focused on fresh ingredients!
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