Manitou Incline

The Manitou Incline is a hiking trail on the eastern face of Rocky Mountain in Colorado, rising more than 2,700 wooden steps across less than a mile. The route follows the old railbed of a former funicular and climbs through pine forest to an open summit area overlooking Manitou Springs.

The site opened in 1907 as a cable railway carrying materials to water tanks on the mountain and operated until 1990. After a rockslide closed the line, it remained unused for years before reopening as a public hiking route in 2013.

The name Incline comes from the steep slope that once carried a funicular and now draws athletes from across the country. On weekends you see groups of runners timing their ascent and cheering each other on, while others climb slowly step by step.

A reservation system limits daily visitor numbers, and booking should be made several days ahead. The descent follows the Barr Trail, a longer but gentler path that ends east of the starting point.

The steepest sections reach a grade of sixty-eight percent, making this one of the most demanding ascents in North America. Some steps are so high and narrow that hikers use their hands for balance.