Pikes Peak Ascent
The Barr Trail ascent of Pikes Peak — 21 km of relentless climbing from Manitou Springs at 1,897 m to the 4,302 m summit. +2,400 m of elevation gain, no descent. GPX with USGS terrain data.
Route map
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom · pitched 50° to show terrain
Elevation profile
Per-kilometre breakdown
| Km | Elev start | Elev end | Δ Elevation | Grade | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1897 m | 2027 m | +130 m | 13.0% | |
| 2 | 2027 m | 2190 m | +164 m | 16.4% | |
| 3 | 2190 m | 2393 m | +202 m | 20.2% | |
| 4 | 2393 m | 2658 m | +266 m | 26.6% | |
| 5 | 2658 m | 2920 m | +262 m | 26.2% | |
| 6 | 2920 m | 3215 m | +295 m | 29.5% | |
| 7 | 3215 m | 3531 m | +316 m | 31.6% | |
| 8 | 3531 m | 3758 m | +227 m | 22.7% | |
| 9 | 3758 m | 3920 m | +162 m | 16.2% | |
| 10 | 3920 m | 4075 m | +155 m | 15.5% | |
| 11 | 4075 m | 4203 m | +128 m | 12.8% | |
| 12 | 4203 m | 4302 m | +99 m | 12.8% |
A short history
The Pikes Peak Ascent is one of the oldest and steepest mountain races in North America. The Barr Trail climbs 2,400 vertical metres in 21 kilometres from the town of Manitou Springs to the 14,115 ft (4,302 m) summit of Pikes Peak — the same peak Katharine Lee Bates was looking out from in 1893 when she wrote "America the Beautiful."
The annual Pikes Peak Marathon (run on this route in both directions, ascent + descent) has happened every August since 1956. The Ascent-only race is the half-marathon variant — same climb, finish at the summit, ride down in a vehicle.
It's not a fast race for anybody. Even elite mountain runners take 2:00-2:30 for the Ascent because you simply cannot push above ~3,500 m of altitude the way you would at sea level. Most finishers walk the last 3 km above treeline.
About this GPX
Pikes Peak is a sparse-waypoint route by design — 12 carefully placed waypoints along the official Barr Trail course, each with elevation from USGS NED 10-metre terrain data via OpenTopoData.
We chose sparse over dense for this one because:
- The Barr Trail is a single well-defined trail; you can't take a wrong turn in a treadmill simulation.
- The elevation curve is what matters here — not the squiggle of the trail. A dense GPS track would add noise without changing what the treadmill does.
- Sparse waypoints with accurate elevation = smooth incline simulation. Dense waypoints with noisy elevation = janky incline that flickers up and down.
- 12 waypoints from Manitou Springs (1,897 m) to summit (4,302 m)
- Elevation accuracy: ±2 m (USGS NED is the gold standard for US terrain)
- Total distance: 21.0 km
- Net climb: +2,405 m, zero descent
Treadmill simulation notes
This is a different kind of treadmill workout. You're climbing for the entire run — there's no flat, no descent, no recovery section. The auto-incline simulation will push your treadmill between 5% and 12% for most of the climb, peaking at the steep section above treeline (km 15-18).
Pacing reality:
- Forget your normal pace. A 6 min/km runner on flat ground will be a 9-12 min/km runner on Pikes Peak. That's not weakness; that's gravity and altitude (which the treadmill can't simulate but the gradient can).
- Walking is part of the race. Even Olympic mountain runners walk parts of the upper trail. If your treadmill has high enough incline, you'll be walking too.
- Hydration matters more than pace. The real race finishes at 4,300 m where the air is half as dense. Indoor running burns more fluid than people expect — drink early.
If your treadmill maxes out at 15% incline (most do), the simulation caps the steep sections at 15% and you'll be slightly under-loaded vs the actual climb. To compensate, hold a strong walking pace through km 15-18 instead of jogging — the time-on-feet stays honest.
Want to run Pikes Peak Ascent on your treadmill?
SummitRoom turns this exact GPX into a live 3D map run, with auto-incline matching every climb.
▶ Try the demo