Prepare like a pro and ascend one of Colorado’s most challenging hikes.
With just over 2,700 steps, visitors to Manitou Incline gain 2,000 feet in elevation in less than a mile.
Often referred to as simply "The Incline," this tourist cable car track turned heart-pounding workout is known for its rapid elevation gain, 2,768-step hiking trail, and sweeping views of Manitou Springs.
The Manitou Incline gains nearly 2,000 feet of elevation over less than 1 mile. It's not for the faint of heart, but people from all walks (or climbs) of life have successfully conquered it. It is, perhaps, the most unique and challenging trail in the country, attracting runners, members of the military, Olympic athletes, and hiking enthusiasts from around the world.
More than anything, the Manitou Incline is famous for dishing out a tough workout.
Manitou Incline By The Numbers
The Manitou Incline now utilizes a reservation system for all hikers. Incline users must make a free online reservation before hiking.
As part of a memorandum of understanding between the cities of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, all Incline users must make a free online reservation before hiking and show proof of their reservation to an onsite attendant. The reservation and check-in system will be managed and staffed by the Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services department.
Summer reservations are available between 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. from May 1 through October 31, 2024. During the summer season, reservations are available for:
Winter reservations are available between 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. from November 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024. During the winter season, reservations are available for:
Access to the Manitou Incline is not permitted outside of the above posted hours.
The Incline is just under one mile in length.
The trail is rated as difficult and recommended for physically active people and advanced hikers only. The Manitou Incline is not ADA accessible. Please be advised that it can take first responders up to 3-4 hours to reach you if you should have a medical issue on the trail.
Oh, just 2,768 steps - but who’s counting?
The Manitou Incline gains 2,000 feet in elevation from start to finish. The average grade for the trail is 45 percent and, in some places, it is as steep as 68 percent.
The average hiker completes the Manitou Incline hike in about 1-2 hours.
Hiking the Manitou Incline in the morning (the Incline opens at 6 a.m.) or later in the afternoon (the Incline closes at 6:30 p.m. in the summer, 3 p.m. in the winter) allows hikers to avoid hiking in the heat of the day, therefore reducing the risk of dehydration. For more tips for hiking the Incline, click here.
The Manitou Incline does have specific closure dates for special events and occasional maintenance. For a full list of closures, head to the city website here.
Redlined - that is the only word I can think of when describing the workout the Incline gives youJim Caple - ESPN
The Manitou Incline was originally built as a cable car to carry materials to build pipelines on Pikes Peak - America's Mountain. After the pipelines were finished, it was turned into a tourist attraction to bring guests to the top of the foothills for a spectacular view of Colorado Springs and the eastern plains.
A rock slide damaged a section of track in 1990, so the Manitou Springs Incline was closed down. The rails were removed, but the railroad ties remained in the form of a massive staircase. Locals started using it for a challenging workout. Until February 2013, a portion of it was private property and it was illegal to hike up the ties of the old cable car line. Now, due to cooperation among private and public entities, it is legal to climb the Incline. It is known as one of, if not the most, popular and challenging, hikes in the Colorado Springs area.
Yes, the incline is FREE and open to the public. However, be sure and bring your wallet because you will have to pay for parking.
Yes, all hikers must make a free reservation for the time you wish to start your climb. Click here to learn more about the Manitou Incline reservation system. Reservations are available 4 to 8 weeks in advance of your planned climb.
Please park at one of the two locations designated for Incline Parking: the Hiawatha Gardens Parking Lot, located at 10 Old Man's Trail or the Iron Springs Chateau, located at 444 Ruxton Ave. Both of these parking locations are paid.
There is a FREE shuttle that runs every 15 minutes from the Hiawatha Gardens Parking Lot to the Incline trailhead. You can plan ahead for parking and view how many open spaces are available on the City of Manitou Springs website.
Parking rates for the Hiawatha Gardens Lot change depending on the season. To view the current rates, please visit the City of Manitou Springs website.
Once you've made it to the top - or rather if you make it to the top - you can hike down the bottom four miles of the Barr Trail. Downhill use of the Incline is strongly discouraged.
Hikers who want a shorter loop or may have underestimated the difficulty of hiking the Incline can now hop off on the new Northern Incline Return Trail. This new trail will also be helpful for first responders in emergency situations and is the start of providing needed relief to the historic and heavily-trafficked Barr Trail. The Northern Incline Return Trail offers two new return options for hikers, both located in the bottom half of the Incline.
The first return is located at railroad tie #395 and the second is at #1300, the Inclines approximate midway point. From the new midway connection at tie #1300, located 500 stairs below the existing cut through to Barr Trail, hikers follow a new 1-mile, naturally-surfaced section to the existing Ute Pass Regional Trail. Once hikers reach Ute Pass, it’s roughly an additional half mile to the base of the Incline. From tie #395, there is 0.15 mile of new trail before connecting with Ute Pass for an additional 0.2-mile hike down to the trailhead.
Don't be fooled by the false summit about three-quarters of the way up. At this point, the Manitou Incline intersects with Barr Trail and if you can't make it to the top, then you can take that way back down if you'd like. After you crest the false summit, there are approximately 300 steps to go before you reach the top.
I can't think of any particular workout, route, or activity that forces you to push your boundaries quite like the Incline does.Cameron Chambers - National Mountain Biking Champion
No dogs are allowed on the Incline. This trail is not safe for even the most athletic dogs. The extreme exertion required is too hard on their little hearts, lungs and paws!
Record holders include Joseph Gray, who summited at 17:45 and Allie McLaughlin who finished at 20:07. Get the Incline App and track your time and rank against other Manitou Incline users and win rewards for completing this tough workout.
The trail is open from 6 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. during the regular season (March 13, 2023 through November 5, 2023). During the winter season (November 6, 2023 through March 12, 2024), the trail is open from 6 a.m. - 3 p.m. No access is permitted outside of the posted hours. For the latest updates on hours, click here.
For a successful experience, consult your physician, bring plenty of water and energy snacks and be sure you've adjusted to the high altitude of Colorado Springs (6,035 ft) before you attempt this trail. Pace yourself and rest when you need to.
Absolutely! Hikers of all skill levels travel to Colorado Springs to tackle the Incline. For beginner hikers, it's important to remember to take on the challenge at your own pace, pause for breaks when you need to, and stay to the right side of the trail to allow ample room for others to pass you along the way. Also, don't be fooled by the aforementioned false summit (which doubles as a perfect bailout point onto the Barr Trail for a quick return back to the bottom).
The base elevation is 6,530 feet, while the summit elevation is 8,500 feet — resulting in an elevation gain of just over 2,000 feet!
Early morning hikes are recommended for a number of reasons. You can avoid the crowds, get a head start on the warmer weather if hiking during the summer, and save plenty of time in the afternoon to refuel at one of our local restaurants. For more tips, click here.
For more volunteer opportunities, visit the Incline Friends website.
Prepare like a pro and ascend one of Colorado’s most challenging hikes.
With just over 2,700 steps, visitors to Manitou Incline gain 2,000 feet in elevation in less than a mile.
The Manitou Incline is home to numerous records, challenges, and is the site for World Records.
Learn how this funicular railway transformed into one of the most popular workout locations in Colorado Springs.
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