On a rebar-studded slope in Pikes Peak’s shadow, it packs more pain per square foot than some hikers care to endure.

Many others grow hopelessly addicted.

It’s true: There’s nothing quite like the Manitou Incline, a heart-pounding, mile-long ascent up an old tourist railway that’s grown into one of the state’s better loved trails.

But it will be off-limits until Dec. 2 during the second phase of a multimillion-dollar improvement and stabilization project to restore and maintain the attraction.

So what’s a fiend to do?

Don’t worry. We’re in this together.

With the help of The Gazette’s trails database (OutThereColorado.com), we offer seven suggestions to keep you sharp and in hot pursuit of your outdoor fix.

1. Red Mountain Trail

Not far from the soon-to-be shuttered Incline, this strenuous 1-mile climb to the summit of 7,735-foot Red Mountain will feel familiar at once, easing you into your new workout routine.

Completed by volunteers in 2001 on Manitou’s first parcel of open space, the trail climbs 950 vertical feet over the course of a mile to a summit overlooking the city. You’ll find sweeping views and a glimpse of ruins from a nearly century-old tourist operation.

To get there: Follow U.S. Highway 24 to Manitou Springs. Continue west on Manitou Avenue to the roundabout and turn left onto Ruxton Avenue. The way begins at Iron Spring pavilion a half-mile down the road. Find the Red Mountain Trail by following the Intemann Trail, which starts up the road from the pavilion.

After a quarter-mile hike through a neighborhood and into the hills, you will encounter a sign for Red Mountain and veer to the right. The trail climbs high above the city to a narrow saddle, where it ends. A social trail takes hikers to the summit, from which they can see a concrete foundation and stairs from a restaurant and bar left over from the Red Mountain Cog Railroad, which ferried visitors up the mountain for dinner and music in the 1920s.

Catch your breath, admire the view and consider your humble place in the region’s rich history before hiking the mile back to your car.

To skip parking hassles, leave your car in eastern Manitou and take the free shuttle to the trailhead. Catch the 33 Incline/Cog shuttle, which runs from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Sept. 30. A free public parking lot is located behind the Tajine Alami Moroccan Restaurant at 10 Old Man’s Trail and can accommodate up to 100 vehicles.

2. Catamount Trail, 
Green Mountain Falls

This 3-mile climb begins at Catamount Creek and steeply ascends through pine forests to a lush valley known as the Garden of Eden.

Turning back at the Garden makes for a 4-mile round trip, on par with the Incline/Barr Trail loop, but without its extreme grades. Hikers and runners may also continue onto the reservoirs of the North Slope Recreation Area for the full 6-mile round trip and a total elevation gain of 1,400 feet.

The trail has at least two lookouts and can be used to reach the Ring the Peak Trail.

To get there: Take U.S. 24 west to Green Mountain Falls. Take the first exit. Park downtown by the lake. Walk up Ute Pass Avenue and turn left on Hondo Avenue. Follow Hondo for about a half-mile and walk through the gate to the Catamount waterfall. The trail is on your left past the bridge. Follow the yellow markers instead of crossing the creek.

After climbing the first, steepest stretch, you’ll reach a junction. Follow the newer portion of the trail, which veers right over safer terrain. Continue your climb to reach the Garden of Eden.

There, continue onto toward the North Slope reservoirs if you desire.

3. St. Mary’s Falls 

A gorgeous, 5.6-mile round trip to a tumbling falls that will test runners and hikers with 1,200 feet elevation of gain.

To get there: Drive up North Cheyenne Cañon Road for 3.2 miles from the start of the canyon to a gravel parking lot at the top.

Start by walking west up Gold Camp Road for 1.2 miles, around a long switchback to the south and over a burned railroad tunnel. A trail on the left side of the tunnel takes hikers up and over, then west up Buffalo Creek. From the entrance of the creek, it is about 1.6 miles to St. Mary’s Falls. The trail begins to climb steeply through the woods. Look for an old metal sign for the base of the falls on the left after a switchback. The top of the falls is another 0.2 miles up the trail.

For a longer day, consider climbing an additional 3 miles from the falls to the summit of Mt. Rosa.

4. Section 16/Palmer-Red Rock Loop 

Combine sections of three trails for a popular 5.6-mile loop. Hike counterclockwise, up Section 16, to maximize the burn.

To get there: Turn left (south) onto 26th Street from U.S. 24. Drive the winding hill to a four-way stop at Lower Gold Camp Road. Turn right (west) and continue for less than a mile as the road contours along the mountain. The clearly marked Section 16 trailhead is on the right. If the lot is full, drive a bit farther for more parking.

The trail climbs stairs a third of a mile, past interesting rock formations to the upper rim of Red Rock Canyon Open Space.

Stay left at a signed junction with the Intemann Trail and start climbing through a shady canyon. This might be marked on maps as the Palmer Trail or the Redrock Loop Trail.

Reach a clear saddle at 1.5 miles. Follow the trail right as it traces a long horseshoe through a wide valley.

Keep left at a turnoff – right goes to the Crystal Park community – and wind down to a bridge over a babbling brook called Hunter’s Run. Continue on the gentle downhill and turn left where the trail ends at the dirt road High Drive. Descend down the final stretch to the paved road and return to your car.

5. Columbine Trail

Hike or run along the spine of North Cheyenne Canon Park on this taxing route. It’s 4 miles one way, so you can fashion it into an 8-mile out-and-back or turn back at any point to shorten the trip.

Either way, the trail features views of the canyon and city and looks onto small, rough peaks along the way.

To get there: Start behind Starsmore Discovery Center, 2120 S. Cheyenne Cañon Road. The trail begins by following the creek along the canyon floor on a relatively flat section known as Lower Columbine.

After crossing the canyon road, the climbing begins with switchbacks that take hikers above the canyon floor before the trail settles on a more level path for the next 2 miles.

The trail ends on a paved switchback off the canyon road. Here, hikers who arranged a shuttle can walk a few hundred feet down to the visitor center at Helen Hunt Falls.

6. Crags 

An excellent venue for high-altitude training on Pikes Peak’s western slope, this 3-mile round-trip hike leads to the Crags, a rocky outcropping that overlooks the North Slope watershed.

Hikers may elect to continue on toward the Pikes Peak summit for a 10-mile round trip.

To get there: Take U.S. 24 west to Divide; turn left (south) on Colorado Highway 67. Drive 4.5 miles to the road to the Crags (FR 383), just past the entrance to Mueller State Park. Turn left on 383 and drive to the Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp. Turn right and follow the road toward the entrance to Crags Campground. Trailhead parking is on the left.

7. Eagle Peak 

This stunner high in the hills overlooking the Air Force Academy doesn’t quite pack the Incline’s punch, but it’ll do in a pinch.

The trail rises 2,100 feet up a rough-hewn staircase of boulders, surrounded by lush forests bearing wildflowers and boasting a waterfall along the way.

For sheer beauty, it’s got the Incline beat, and its peak offers an unforgettable, 360-degree view of northern Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak in the distance. Caution is advised on the summit, which sports dramatic exposure to go along with the view.

The peak is located on the grounds of the Air Force Academy, which is open to visitors between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. A valid ID is required, and vehicles are sometimes stopped at visitor gates and might be searched.

Also worth remembering: If you get pulled over while talking on your cellphone at the Air Force Academy, you’re likely to get a ticket.

Sadly, another fine Incline alternative at the Air Force Academy, the 4.4-mile round-trip Stanley Canyon Trail, lies within a restricted area of the academy and is open only to those with military ID.

To get there: Take Interstate 25 to exit 156B. Go west to the academy’s north gate. Have your ID ready. After the gate, go straight on North Gate Drive, which becomes Academy Drive. It eventually winds south into the main campus. Just after the Cadet Chapel, follow signs to the visitors center parking lot on the left. Park at the visitors center.

From the visitors center, walk west across Academy Drive to a dirt road. Walk up the road for about a quarter-mile, veering right at a power transformer, then left at the next fork to begin the climb to an inspiring peak.