Manitou Incline Hiking Guide
The Incline is the stairway everyone in Colorado Springs has an opinion about: 2,768 steps straight up the mountainside above Manitou Springs, gaining about 2,000 feet in roughly a mile. It began around 1907 as a cable car track hauling materials for pipeline construction, and today it is a free, reservation-only workout that fills its time slots with regulars and first-timers alike.
Permit: Every hiker needs a free reservation from the City of Colorado Springs, with a new waiver signed each time. Slots are 30-minute arrival windows, bookable up to 8 weeks ahead (the next month opens on the 1st), with a maximum party of 8. Parking near the base is paid; the Barr Trail lot is off-limits to Incline hikers.
What the Climb Is Like
The City of Colorado Springs lists the Incline at about 1 mile with 2,000 feet of gain, and Manitou Springs says grades approach 68 percent. There is no switchback and no flat spot to recover, just ties, rock and the occasional handhold. A false summit fools a lot of first-timers into sprinting for a top that is still well above them. AllTrails maps the full outing, up the steps and back down Barr Trail, as a 4.1-mile loop with about 1,960 feet of gain. Going down the steps themselves is prohibited.
Bailing Out Early
If your legs or lungs give out, the city marks two exits onto the Ute Pass Trail. The first, at railroad tie 396, leaves you about a third of a mile from the base. The second, near tie 1300 at roughly the halfway point, means about a 1.5-mile walk down. Past that, the only way off is to finish and descend Barr Trail, so make the call at the second bailout rather than above it.
Reservations and Hours
A free reservation is required seven days a week during operating hours, and every booking needs a freshly signed waiver. The city releases 45 spots per 30-minute arrival window; that window is your start time, with no limit on how long you take to finish. You can book up to 8 weeks ahead, and the next month opens on the 1st. Groups top out at 8. From May 1 to October 31 the Incline is open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; from November 1 to April 30 it closes at 3 p.m. Climbing outside those hours is not allowed.
Parking and the Shuttle
Do not park in the Barr Trail lot on Hydro Street off Ruxton Avenue; it is reserved for Barr Trail hikers, and the residential blocks of Ruxton and Winter Street need a permit. The city's preferred option is the Dillon Mobility Hub at 134 Manitou Avenue, 91 spaces opening at 5 a.m., connected by shuttle. Hiawatha Gardens downtown charges by the hour, and Iron Springs Chateau at 444 Ruxton takes $15 cash for four hours. A shuttle runs between the Duck Stop and the Incline from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Race Days, Rules and Dogs
The Incline shuts for part or all of a day several times a year to make room for events: the Pikes Peak Ascent and Pikes Peak Marathon weekend, a 9/11 memorial climb, the Barr Trail Mountain Race in summer, and Manitou's Coffin Races in October. The city posts these on its CoSpringsParks Facebook page, so check before you book. Pets are banned outright, including dogs carried in packs. There is no water and no trash can on the route; carry what you need and pack it all back out.
Hiking tips for Manitou Incline
- Book your slot as soon as the month opens if you want a weekend morning.
- Use the bailout at tie 1300 if you doubt you can finish; there is no easy exit above it.
- Carry your own water; there is none anywhere on the steps.
- Park at the Dillon Mobility Hub and ride the shuttle instead of hunting near Ruxton Avenue.
- Plan your descent on Barr Trail into the total time, not just the climb.
Nearby trails to explore
- Barr Trail to Barr Camp
- Palmer Red Rock Loop (Section 16)
- Red Rock Canyon Mesa Trail Loop (Colorado Springs)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
The Incline is easier to start when someone is waiting at tie 1300 to talk you past the false summit. Use TrailMates to find Colorado Springs hikers heading to the Manitou Incline. Download the TrailMates app to connect.