Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak is a mountain summit in Colorado Springs reaching 14,115 feet in elevation with a distinctive pink hue from potassium feldspar in the rock. The peak rises dramatically above the surrounding landscape and offers expansive views from its top.

Spanish explorers first encountered the peak in the 1700s, and Zebulon Pike explored the region in 1806, with the first recorded ascent occurring in 1820. These early encounters helped establish it as a significant geographic landmark.

The mountain inspired Katharine Lee Bates to compose America the Beautiful after visiting its summit. The poem became deeply connected to the mountain and remains a defining part of American cultural identity.

Visitors can reach the summit via cog railway, scenic highway, or hiking trail, each offering different levels of physical exertion. Weather conditions change quickly at this elevation, so checking forecasts before visiting is important.

The summit's thin air requires specialized baking techniques that cannot be replicated at lower elevations. This atmospheric condition creates a genuinely unusual aspect of life at the peak.

Address: Pikes Peak, Colorado 80809, USA

GPS coordinates: 38.84087,-105.04226

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:03