MANITOU SPRINGS — A historic Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent will take over Pikes Peak and the Manitou Incline this weekend, forcing the popular attraction to limit public access.
The 66th Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent will take place on Sunday, Aug. 22. Runners will begin in Manitou Springs, run over 14,000 feet into the air to the summit of Pikes Peak, and then back down the mountain for a total of 26.2 mountain miles.
The event is the oldest continually held marathon in the United States. It is accompanied by a weekend of festivities that begin on Thursday and include mountaineering events, a pre-race expo, and conversations with long-time Pikes Peak runners who helped make the race a national event. Also, the marathon's sister race, The Pikes Peak Ascent, will take place on Aug. 21. This half marathon is a race to the mountain's summit with a vertical climb of 7,800 feet up the historic Barr Trail.
Because of this weekend's festivities, the popular Manitou Incline will be closed from Aug. 19-22. Also, the summit will be closed to highway visitors on Aug. 21 but guests will still be able to go to Devil's Playground and the North Slope Recreation Area will open at 7:30 a.m. to visitors. However, you should anticipate congestion on the highway and parking areas due to the race. Also, parking at Glen Cove will be reserved for race personnel only.
