Simmons quickly set about doing just that, founding the Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway Company in 1889. According to local legend, he was soaking in one of the mineral baths in Manitou Springs when the owner of his hotel mentioned the idea of building a railway to the top. He was in awe of the breathtaking views but worn out from the two-day trip. In the late 1880s, Zalman Simmons, inventor and owner of the Simmons Beautyrest Mattress Company, rode a mule to the top of Pikes Peak.

The mountain also inspired the song “America the Beautiful,” which was written in 1893 by English professor and poet Katharine Lee Bates after she visited Pikes Peak during a trip across the country. They called the mountain Tava, meaning “Sun.” In 1806, explorer Zebulon Pike wrote about the mountain in his journals, and although a blizzard kept him from reaching the 14,115-foot summit, his descriptions of “The Great Peak” ultimately led to it being named in his honor. Pikes Peak was home to the Tabeguache Ute long before European explorers arrived. To welcome back one of Colorado’s most unique experiences, here's a little history on the railway, a rundown of the recent renovations and what to expect during your next visit. “The Cog,” as locals call it, is recognized as the world’s highest and longest cog railroad, and it has carried passengers to the summit of Pikes Peak since 1891. After more than three years of renovation, the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway is ready to leave the station again!

Cog train colorado