In the summer of 1982, I rode the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the top of Pikes Peak with my mom, dad and my brother Barry. I was a spry 17 years old at the time. Oh, to be young again.
I have fond memories of that experience. So, when my wife and I planned on spending some of our vacation in Colorado this summer, I knew that we had to ride the cog railway. It’s like a circle of life thing.
In this post, I want to share some tips that will make your trip on the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway a better experience. You will learn the best places to sit, how to purchase tickets, where to park and much more. All aboard! (I had to do it.)
A Little About the Railway
The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway was started in June of 1891. It is the longest and highest cog railway in the world. The route from the depot at 6,750 feet to the top of the mountain at 14,115 feet is a little over 9 miles long.
A typical train can’t make the climb to the top of Pikes Peak. The average grade going up the mountain is 12% with the steepest part being a 25% grade. The cog system has a toothed double rail in the center of the track that creates a cog and gear system. This allows for the train to climb steeper grades and helps it from going to fast coming down the mountain.
In 2018, the railway was shut down for 3 years and was reopened in 2021. In the three year shut down, they got new trains, new track, a new depot, and a new state of the art Pikes Peak Visitor Center.
Tips for Riding the Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Parking
It costs $20 to park in the depot parking lot and on the street. If you are parking in their lot, they only allow you into the parking lot 30 minutes before your trip. We found out the hard way while trying to get into the parking lot 45 minutes before our trip. You can park down in town and take a free shuttle up to the depot.
Tickets
You can buy tickets for the cog railway at the depot or you can book tickets online. This is a popular activity and I would advise booking your tickets in advance online. This is especially true when going during the busy summer season.
When purchasing tickets, you can choose your seat or you can save some money and have them select your seat. If you have two or more people in your party, you’re not guaranteed to have seats beside one another if you let them select the seats. If you decide to buy tickets at the depot, they are a few bucks more than when you buy tickets online.
Tickets can be rescheduled or refunded if canceled more than 7 days prior to your departure. Within 7 days of departure, you can reschedule or get a store credit that is good for a year.
Seating
The seats are bench style with three seats on the left side of the train and two seats on the right side. Passengers face one another with two seats facing forward and two seats facing backwards and the three seats side is set up the same way.
The most expensive seats are right beside the engineer which gives you a great view out the front window. If you don’t go with the seats right up front, I think the side that has three seats is the best side to buy tickets. That side of the train has the best views as you go up and down the mountain.
I think window seats are the best. You have unobstructed views out the window that way. If you are traveling with someone, it is better to sit across from one another versus beside one another. You can see one another and you both get views out the window. My wife and I switched seats after we were at the top. She was facing forward which enabled her to see out the front window.
Rail Cars
There are three cars on the train and I think the best one to sit in is the first car. If you can sit towards the front and by a window that will be the best setup. You will be able to see out the front and side window which I liked.
The third car going up is the first car going down the hill since the train doesn’t turn around. The only issue with that is that the third car doesn’t have a windshield like the front car.
Time of Trip
The total time of the trip is around 3 hours in length. It takes around an hour and ten minutes to go up and down the mountain. You have 40 minutes to explore once you are on top of the mountain.
Top of the Mountain
Make sure that you dress appropriately for the top of the mountain. We were there in August and we needed a light jacket and sweatshirt because of the cooler temperatures.
You also want to make sure that you are getting plenty of water since you can get altitude sickness and even lightheaded on top of the mountain.
The Pikes Peak Visitor Center is just a few years old and is very nice. The visitors center has restrooms, engaging interpretive exhibits about the history of the mountain, a gift shop, a cafe that serves a world famous donut, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and fantastic views.
There are nice paved paths that you can follow that give you access all around the top of Pikes Peak. As long as it isn’t too cloudy, you will have ample opportunities to take some great pics.
The 40 minutes goes by quickly. I would advise you to decide what are the most important things to do and then do those first. You may or may not get to the less important things.
They will remind you many times just before you get to the top that you need to be back on the train in 40 minutes. You don’t want to be late since they won’t open the doors for someone once they are closed. You will have to see if there are open seats on another train going down the mountain or bum a ride from someone.
Alternative Trips
Besides taking the cog railway up the mountain, you can hike up the mountain and ride the train down. The hike is 13 miles in length.
You can also ride the train up and ride a bike down the mountain. The guided ride down the mountain is 19.5 miles in length. You can book this adventure with Broadmoor Outfitters or Pikes Peak Bike Tours.
Other Tips
- You may want to bring some snacks with you on the train. This is especially true if you have young kids. The price of the food at the visitor center is a little pricey.
- There isn’t a restroom on the train so, you want to make sure that you have done so before getting on.
- The train is wheelchair accessible.
- Pets aren’t allowed on the train but service pets are allowed.
- Strollers aren’t allowed on the train.
Final Thoughts
The trip on the cog railway up to the top of Pikes Peak is totally worth it. It did bring back some great memories for me and it was awesome making new memories with my wife. I would totally recommend doing this adventure if you are ever in the Colorado Springs area.
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