There are plenty of exceptional rail journeys to experience in the US, from a train that takes you on the tracks that Abraham Lincoln rode to deliver the Gettysburg Address, to a luxury vintage train that runs through the most celebrated wine region in the country. But few can beat the views provided by the Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the train that goes all the way to the summit of Pikes Peak, a location so stunning that it inspired Katherine Lee Bates’ 1893 poem America the Beautiful.
The view of the sunrise from the summit of Pikes Peak is magnificent. Photo: Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway
The Pikes Peak Train Will Take You to See the Sunrise on the Mountain That Inspired ‘America the Beautiful’
The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway is the highest railroad in America and the highest cog railway in the world. It takes people on a nine-mile, 3.5-hour journey from the Manitou Depot to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak, a National Historic Landmark since 1961.
While you can travel on board the Pikes Peak Cog Railway year-around and be blown away by the views no matter the day and the season, in 2024 there are four days when the ride will be even more breathtaking. This year, on July 21, August 1, September 11, and October 14, you can travel on board the Pikes Peak Cog Railway in the very early morning to see the sunrise from the summit of America’s Mountain.
The view of the sunrise from the summit of Pikes Peak is magnificent. Photo: Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway
On July 21 the Sunrise Train will depart at 4:30 AM, on August 1 it will depart at 4:45 AM, on September 11 it will depart at 5:20 AM, and on October 14 it will depart at 5:45 AM. Early risers will get an eyeful of the Eastern Plains of Colorado bathed in brand new sunlight.
You can book your ride on board the Sunrise Train directly from the Pikes Peak Cog Railway’s website for $99.
Photo: Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway
The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway reopened in 2021 after being closed for three year for extensive renovations that included the Manitou Depot, the rail tracks, the visitor center at the top, and new trains.
The Manitou Depot, the departure station of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, is just 15 minutes outside of Colorado Springs, and 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Denver. 