The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway — Attraction in Manitou Springs

My robot wife and I made a last minute decision to take the cog railway up to the top of Pikes Peak. Fortunately, there were still a couple of tickets available for the time slot that we wanted. I recommend not waiting until the last minute. Summer time is a popular time to go up there, and the trains were full all day long. The ride up on the Cog Railway was pleasant, scenic and stress free.

It's a bit close quarters on the train and you will be sitting knee to knee with the person in front of you, so be ready to get sociable. And if you pick a seat that faces backwards on the way up, you will be constantly fighting gravity to stay in your seat, especially when the grade increases. It will be the same coming back down, unless you can convince someone to switch with you. Choose your seats wisely.

You can purchase tickets online or in advance. When you get there, the parking for the Cog Railway will be on your right, across the street from the train station above Manitou Springs. Parking lot attendants will direct you where to park. After parking, pay at the small electronic kiosk just outside of the train station. You do not need to put the parking stub in your car. Just keep it with you. It's good for four hours and (I think) you can add an extra hour for a few dollars more when you get back down from the peak.

There are bathrooms and a gift shop at the train station at the bottom of the mountain. I would suggest using the bathroom before getting on the train, as there are no bathrooms on board.

It takes about an hour to get up to the peak and during that time you will enjoy some interesting bits of trivia from the conductors as well as some humorous, groan worthy dad jokes. It's an enjoyable hour of taking in the sights through the large windows on both sides of the train car. If you spend a little bit more on the ticket, you can pick which seat you sit in. I would recommend getting a window seat if you can, as the views are incredible and it can be a little frustrating when you're trying to enjoy the view, but all you can see are several hands with smart phones blocking the window.

Once you have reached the top, you will have about 45 minutes to enjoy the view. Unless the crowds are thin or non existent, I would not recommend going to the cafe at the top of the mountain. If you do, you will end up spending most of your time waiting in line. Also, don't spend time in the gift shop - they sell all of the same stuff at the bottom of the mountain. Your time is limited, so go enjoy the views! The only thing I would suggest waiting in line for is to get you photo in front of the Pikes Peak sign. The line moves quick and you can usually get the person behind you or in front of you to take your photo, especially if you offer to do the same for them. (*If you want to have as much time up there as possible, it would be better to either drive yourself, or hire one of the many tour companies that will drive you up there).

It can be very cold at the peak, so pack a warm jacket or sweatshirt. It was 36 degrees and very windy when we were up there.

**Please be aware that altitude sickness is real and it can really make you feel terrible. It affects different people differently. If you are a native Coloradan, it will probably not be that big of a deal for you; however, if you're a flatlander living closer to sea level, like me, then it could be a bit of shock to your system. My wife and I both felt lightheaded, dizzy, headachy and a little bit nauseous when we first arrived at the peak. Breathing was a bit of a chore. Just remember to drink plenty of water, take slow deep breaths and be careful on the stairs. **Don't miss your train back down the mountain! If you miss the train back down, there's a very good chance that you will be stuck at the top for a very long time. **You might want to use the bathroom before heading back down the mountain. It takes a little over an hour to get down, and there are no toilets on...

A rushed, overpriced, and underwhelming experience in July 2025

We booked the 2:00 PM Cog Railway ride ($67.99 per person) expecting a relaxing, scenic experience up Pikes Peak. While the train itself was fine, the overall logistics, lack of communication, and stress made it a major disappointment — especially for families.

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🚗 Parking Confusion

You’re directed to an off-site parking lot in a sketchy part of town with no mention that paid parking is available right near the train station. The lot feels unsafe, and you’re given strict instructions: • Arrive between 12:00 PM and 1:10 PM • Last shuttle leaves at 1:10 PM • You must leave the parking lot before 6:00 PM or your car is locked in overnight.

Imagine having kids with you and missing the return shuttle or train. You’d be stranded with your car locked up and no backup plan. That anxiety killed the mood before we even boarded.

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🚌 Shuttle + Station

The free shuttle was actually enjoyable — kind of like a mini guided tour to the station. But once you arrive: • You’re told there are no restrooms on the train • You only have 20 minutes before departure • There’s no real food at the station — just a small gift shop with jerky, chips, chocolate, and nuts

So either eat before or bring your own food and drinks, especially if you’re with kids.

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🚂 On the Train • The best seats are on the 3-seat side — you get all the views. • The 2-seat side offers basically nothing but trees and a plastic flamingo. • Even on the 3-seat side, there’s not much to see for the first 40-45 minutes. Only the last 25–30 minutes offer decent mountain and lake views. • The summit is the only real highlight.

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🏔️ At the Summit (14,115 ft) • You’re given only 45 minutes at the summit for everything: photos, gift shop, restrooms, and eating. • If you’re not back by the 45th minute, they will leave without you. • It’s freezing up there (40–42°F) — one group even saw snowfall. Bring hoodies or jackets!

The cafeteria food was surprisingly good — we loved the fried donuts, cheese pizza, and broccoli cheddar soup — but you’ll need to rush like crazy to enjoy any of it.

We were literally the last to board despite rushing through everything. It’s a stressful and chaotic experience.

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😩 Back Down = More Rushing

When you return: • You’re told to rush to the return shuttle because the last two buses around 5:00 PM fill quickly. • If you miss those, the next one is 40 minutes later, and again — the parking lot locks at 6:00 PM.

So once again, you’re panicking instead of relaxing.

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❌ Final Verdict: Skip It

Despite the scenic views at the summit, this trip felt more like a checklist of warnings than an enjoyable ride. At nearly $70 per person, it’s simply not worth the stress.

We love scenic trains — and Georgetown Loop Railroad is still our favorite in Colorado. The Cog Rail was a letdown for both adults and our kids (ages 11 and 15). Overhyped, overpriced, and poorly managed.

We do NOT recommend...

This was such a fun time, peaceful, relaxing, beautiful, and informative. Such a fun experience with your S/O, family, or even by yourself. If you are NOT a hiker, do this. If you ARE a hiker, still do this! It was such a cool time. Our conductor was full of information that we loved hearing. There were windows you could open and close. There are no bathrooms on board, no animals on board, we did take our water and backpack, though, and no one said anything. BRING A JACKET, don't be that person yelling to close windows that are not by your seat because you're cold. You WILL be cold. Even if you are perpetually hot or burning up at the station, take your jacket. Once to Pikes Peak, it was breathtaking. We were alloted 45 minutes to walk around and explore, I definitely felt like it was NOT enough time, but l won't take a star for that because the whole experience was five stars, 100%.

FOOD/SOUVENIRS/BATHROOM: The snack bar was nice, we got a pretzel, and omg, the cheese was delicious with it. There was a little walk through museum at the top that was really cool. The souvenir shop on the peak was nice; the station souvenir shop at the base was very nice, and it was mostly the same exact items being sold. Look in the station shop before getting on your train, and when you get to the top, you'll see what's different and can decide where or what you'd like to buy. Bathrooms were at the station and at the peak, not on board. Do your business before!

PARKING: DO NOT GO TO PARK AN HOUR EARLY TO GET A SPOT, THEY WILL MAKE YOU TURN AROUND AND COME BACK WHEN CLOSER TO YOUR BOARD TIME. Do NOT clog the road by trying to arrive super early. Very narrow and winding roads, very hard to turn around. If you are boarding at 1:20PM/1320, do not get to the pay to park parking lot until 12:45PM. Don't worry about traffic or rushing to get there, go park in the town, explore, get some ice cream, shop, when it's 10 minutes to the 35min before boarding, head back to your vehicle from shopping and drive to the paid parking, which is $20 for 4 or 4.5 hours and $5 per additional hour, which you won't need for this specific thing. And yes, for sanity, if parking makes you anxious, pay the $20 for your time. We did the board time of 1:20/1320, I would recommend an earlier morning ride and then shoping if you are someone who gets anxious about parking, time, and shopping and trying to maximize your time of the day. Or do town stuff and then later afternoon ride. Mid day just seemed very busy, and I felt like I couldn't explore the town; but we were so lucky with how clear and beautiful the ride and peak were! We will most likely do this again someday, I don't think we will ever do the drive to the peak, it is...