Climbing the Manitou Incline

For my birthday this year, I took a day trip down to Colorado Springs to explore and take on the Manitou Incline. It’s located in Manitou Springs and gains 2,000 feet of elevation from start to finish. It’s a total of 2,768 steps and one tough workout. Most people want to go out for a nice dinner or spend time with their families. Not me, I wanted to challenge myself and climb some stairs. My day started at 4 am because my reservation for the Manitou Incline was at 6:30 am, and I wanted to see the Garden of the Gods before tackling the incline.

Garden of the Gods

Since I moved to Colorado everyone has been telling me that I have to visit the Garden of the Gods. Since the Manitou Incline is located near it. I decided to get up extra early and explore it before the Manitou Incline. It was totally worth waking up early for. Since it was early, it was cool out and there weren’t a lot of people on the trails. I only got to see part of the park since I only had a little bit of time before my Manitou Incline reservations. I plan on going back and seeing it in full sometime in the future.

Manitou Incline

I didn’t know what to expect with tackling the Manitou Incline. I found out about it from a coworker and wanted to take on the challenge. Reservations for the incline are free, the system was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce crowding on the incline. I reserved my spot a few days before my trip, and they had lots of availability for the day. When it comes to hiking the earlier the better. It’s a lot cooler, and you have a higher chance of seeing wildlife.

When I got to the base of the Manitou Incline, I did some quick stretching before checking in. From the base, it didn’t look bad, and I was excited to take on the challenge. I was out of breath real quick, and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. The steps got steeper and the climb got harder. It was hot out and there was no breeze, and I was sweating buckets. The climb kicked my butt, but I wasn’t going to give up. Whenever I thought about giving up, I looked back to see how far I had come. If I could make it that far, then I could make it to the top.

I kept pushing through the exhaustion and pain until I finally made it to the top. It wasn’t easy, and I was so proud of myself for not giving up and making it to the top. Years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to make it to the top. When I was overweight standing was a challenge. I’ve come a long way from that overweight, and out-of-shape version of myself.

I wasn’t looking forward to the 4-mile hike back down. You’re allowed to take the incline back down, but it’s not encouraged. The hike back down wasn’t as bad as I expected. I took it slow and enjoyed the view. Once I got to the bottom, I went to the gift to get some souvenirs. My original plan was to go for another hike, but the incline wore me out.

Manitou Cliff Dwellings

After conquering the Manitou Incline, I went to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. I wanted to take it easy after finishing the incline. It was a short drive away, and I thought it would be interesting. I started with the museum part and looked at all the different artifacts. Then I went over to the cliff dwellings to see the ancient architecture of the Anasazi. The cliff dwellings were cool, which was a nice break from the Colorado heat. Since it was later in the day, it was crowded. I didn’t get to see all of it. There are parts where they only allow a couple of people at a time. The line was long, and I didn’t feel like waiting. I was worn out from the incline so I called it a day and headed back home to Denver.

I enjoyed my time in Colorado Springs, and it was a fun yet tiring outing before my birthday. The Manitou Incline was a one-time thing. I don’t plan on doing it again. It took a lot out of me, but I’m glad I was able to do it. My advice to anyone planning on tackling is to stay hydrated, take breaks as needed, go early, and take it slow.

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