Destination: Pikes Peak

I had heard about Pikes Peak growing up by playing The Orgeon Trail computer game and from learning about Mormon church history. Side note: Nick and were able to find The Oregon Trail computer game online and decided to play on our road trip one night. I got SO mad because we had all made it to our last river crossing unscathed and then Nick steered the ferry right into rocks. We all died and then he went on to Oregon. We immediately played again and I called the shots and I am pleased to announce that we ALL safely made it to Oregon...with a high score in the game.

Anyway...we were SO excited for this train ride up Pikes Peak. Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak are only about 10 minutes from each other...which we didn't realize until the day that we were up there. There are 3 ways to get up the 14,000 foot Pikes Peak: 1) drive it on the treacherous roads, 2) hike it (which, while we love hiking, we were not about to make such a treacherous hike) and 3) to take the Cog Railway.

 

This rail ride (about an hour and a half up and an hour down) takes you right up to the 14,115 foot peak. The slow trip up allows for a lot of photo opportunities and the opportunity to relax and enjoy the ride.

When you get to the top, they have a store and cafe, where you can get refreshments to eat on the way back down. You can also explore all sides of the peak--as long as you don't mind trekking through some snow :D That is one of the things that we loved most about the trip--seeing snow and feeling the brisk air in the middle of June.

The train ride down is faster (think gravity) and allows you to capture shots you may have otherwise missed.

We would highly recommend this and would definitely do it again! Again, it was the highlight of our WHOLE road trip!