Pikes Peak and Garden of Gods in winter

Getty Images

Pikes Peak

Top choice


Pikes Peak (14,110ft) may not be the tallest of Colorado's 54 fourteeners, but it's certainly the most famous. The Ute originally called it the Mountain of the Sun, an apt description for this majestic peak, which crowns the southern Front Range. Rising 7400ft straight up from the plains, more than half a million visitors climb it every year.

Its location as the easternmost 14er has contributed heavily to its place in American myth. Zebulon Pike first made note of it in 1806 (he called it 'Grand Peak,' but never made it to the top) when exploring the Louisiana Purchase, and Katherine Bates, a guest lecturer at Colorado College in 1893, wrote the original draft of America the Beautiful after reaching the summit.

Today there are three ways to ascend the peak: the Pikes Peak Hwy (about a five-hour round-trip), which was built in 1915 by Spencer Penrose and winds 19 miles to the top from Hwy 24 west of town; the cog railway, which is slated to reopen in 2021; and on foot via the Barr Trail.

The hike to the top is nothing to scoff at. It's 13.5 miles straight up. In fact they run a marathon here. To take it on, you should have proper clothing, food and water, and expect to get up before the sunrise to make the summit by noon.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Mineral Springs

6.86 MILES

Manitou got its name from the numerous mineral springs that bubble up from limestone aquifers along Manitou Ave. In some cases, it's believed that the…

2. Cave of the Winds

7.02 MILES

Set on the rim of a craggy canyon is this developed cavern concessionaire. You’ll forgive the cheesy entry and elevator music because here are the…

3. Manitou Cliff Dwellings

7.24 MILES

This set of Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings was carved into the red-rock hills just east of Manitou Springs off Hwy 24. You’ll see the adobe facades…

4. Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine

8.89 MILES

If you're not insanely claustrophobic you might want to descend the 1000ft into the vertical shaft of this disused gold mine. That's about as deep as the…

5. Cripple Creek Heritage Center

8.89 MILES

This splashy 11,600-sq-ft facility is set on a ridge overlooking town and has massive mountain views. It offers a variety of interactive and…

6. Red Rock Canyon Open Space

9.22 MILES

A former quarry and part of the sandstone vein that runs through the Garden of the Gods, this 787-acre park was nearly developed into a golf course and…

7. Cripple Creek District Museum

9.49 MILES

Set in an old midland train station terminal is the city's official museum. Between 1896 and 1949 the train came up from the divide four times daily. The…

8. Rock Ledge Ranch

9.61 MILES

This living history museum near the Garden of the Gods park entrance is worth a visit for those interested in the lives of Native Americans and 19th…