Colorado - Day 7: Pikes Peak Cog Railway and Denver
On Saturday, August 17, 2024, I checked out of The Cliff House at Pikes Peak and took The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the top of Pikes Peak. Since I was going to leave Manitou Springs immediately after the train to head to Denver, I parked in the parking lot across the street from the Cog Railway Depot. Parking is $20 and is only available 30 minutes before your departure. If the plan is to spend time in Manitou Springs before or after the train, parking in the city would be more ideal.
I had a reservation for the first train, which departed at 8:40am. I highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance, as they sold out on the day I went. I bought mine on August 5th. There are three ticket options: Reserved Admission, Standard Admission, and the Engineer’s View Uphill. I opted for the Reserved Admission Ticket, which allowed me to choose my seat. I had read that the left side had a better view, so I chose a window seat on that side. It takes 1 hour and 10 minutes to reach the summit, with 40 minutes on top and then 1 hour and 10 minutes back to the Depot. The round trip is approximately 3 hours.
It was such a perfect way to get up to the top of Pikes Peak!
Denver
After taking The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the summit of Pikes Peak, I left Manitou Springs to drive back to Denver. I stopped along the way at FedEx to return my hiking poles to LowerGear Outdoors, then drove straight to Enterprise Rent-A-Car at the airport. From there, I took the shuttle to the airport and hopped on the A train into the city to Union Station. Once there, I took the 0 bus to the 11th Avenue Hostel, where I was staying in Denver.
I chose to stay at the 11th Avenue Hostel for its affordability—just $307 for two nights—and its convenient location, just a 40-minute walk or 15-minute bus ride from Union Station. The hostel offers a range of room options, including shared dormitories, private rooms with shared bathrooms, and fully private rooms with a full bed, private bathroom, TV, desk, and chair. It felt like staying in a hotel but for hostel prices! The space was also clean and well-maintained.
I arrived at the hostel around 4:30pm, checked in, and took a quick nap since I was exhausted from everything I’d done so far on the trip! By 6pm, I was ready to explore again, so I grabbed an Uber and headed to Denver's River North Art District, which I’d heard was a fun neighborhood to check out. I started at Improper City, a spacious taproom with a massive outdoor area and food trucks, perfect for dinner. Afterward, I strolled along Blake Street toward The Ramble Hotel to check out Death & Co. Along the way, I stumbled upon 14er Brewing & Beer Garden. Having just completed my first 14er two days before, I couldn’t resist stopping in! With a great outdoor space and a relaxed vibe on a nice night, it was the perfect spot to enjoy a local hazy IPA, one of my favorite styles.
Finally, I made it to Death & Co at The Ramble Hotel, the Colorado outpost of the renowned New York cocktail bar. I was lucky to find a seat at the bar right away, where I chatted with a couple of other patrons. It was a wonderful way to spend the evening.
Around 9:30pm, I caught an Uber back to the hostel to get some rest before the long day ahead.
