Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak rises to 4302 meters (14115 feet) as part of the Rocky Mountains, with granite formations and an alpine tundra ecosystem at higher elevations. The landscape shifts from conifer forests at lower levels to bare rock terrain at the summit, where temperatures remain cool even in summer.

Lieutenant Zebulon Pike first documented the mountain in 1806 during an expedition, which later led to its naming. The site received designation as the first American mountain National Historic Landmark in 1916.

Visitors today drive, hike and view the summit as a symbol of western American expansion, since the landscape inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write the song America the Beautiful in 1893. Many travelers treat reaching the top as a personal milestone, pausing at the overlook to take in the plains stretching eastward below.

Visitors can reach the summit through the Pikes Peak Highway or hike the trail system, while taking time to adjust to the altitude. Weather changes quickly here, so carrying warm clothing even on sunny days proves helpful.

The site hosts the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, where vehicles race on winding roads through extreme elevation changes. The cog railway that carries passengers to the summit since 1891 ranks among the highest of its kind worldwide.