Pikes Peak is America’s Mountain.

Named for Lt. Zebulon Pike — who never actually reached the peak — and the inspiration for Katharine Lee Bates’ iconic American anthem, “America the Beautiful,” Pikes Peak is an American icon whose 14,115-foot summit challenges and inspires visitors from around the globe.

Visit historic landmarks in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region.

The Ute, Cheyenne, Arapaho and other tribes gathered at the base of Pikes Peak, near its abundant springs and in what is now called Garden of the Gods Park. During the 1700s both French and Spanish flags flew over the region. But with the Louisiana Purchase, more Anglo-American explorers and settlers began to venture west.