Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail

Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail is 37.2 km with 2,269 m of climbing, so it is a very long and demanding outing. The U.S. Forest Service notes that an average hiker may take about 16 hours round trip on Barr Trail, and many hikers split it into two days with an overnight at Barr Camp, which sits about 6.5 miles up from Manitou Springs.

Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail starts off Ruxton Avenue in Manitou Springs, above the Pikes Peak Cog Railway depot. Paid parking is available at the Barr Trail trailhead, and the Forest Service also notes that the free Manitou Shuttle Route 33 stops for Barr Trail access, which can be useful when the trailhead lot is busy.

Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail can be done in one day, but the 37.2 km distance and 2,269 m ascent make it a serious effort. The Forest Service warns that hikers who are not used to the altitude should not attempt the full round trip in a day, and Barr Camp, roughly halfway up the route, is a common overnight stop.

Barr Camp is about 6.5 miles, or roughly 10.5 km, up the Barr Trail from the Manitou Springs trailhead. That places it near the halfway point for many overnight itineraries on Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail, and the Forest Service also describes an open shelter about 9 miles up the trail just below timberline.

Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail gains 2,269 m over 37.2 km, which is why it is rated Extra Difficult. Barr Trail climbs steadily from Manitou Springs to the 14,110-foot summit of Pikes Peak, crossing montane, spruce-fir, and alpine zones on the way to the top.

Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail is generally open year-round. The Forest Service lists Barr Trail as a year-round route, and Barr Camp also states that the trail and camp operate year-round, but snow, ice, storms, and high-altitude weather can make conditions much more serious outside stable summer windows.