Going up the incline was a slog, and it was very crowded. The parking lot was full early, so I took the free shuttle and parked on the side of the street heading into Manitou for free. At the top of the incline, there are no signs pointing out the way to Rocky Mountain. I used my GPS to find the route (you just keep heading straight up–not to the left toward Barr Trail), but it was very easy to follow once I was on it. Checked the GPS a couple of times just to be sure I was headed in the right direction, but the trail is kind of hard to lose once you're on it.

The trail to Rocky Mountain is much more enjoyable than the incline. I didn't see a soul until I came back down to Barr Trail, and there was ample tree cover and that nice smell of the forest. Rocky Mountain itself is a bit underwhelming, but if you climb up on the rocks, you get a spectacular 360-degree view of Manitou and the surrounding mountains.

Heading down Barr Trail was likewise crowded, but the path is wide enough that getting around slow-moving hikers is relatively easy. As with the incline, this was definitely not a peaceful hike with people blasting music from portable speakers, yelling into their phones, FaceTiming, and otherwise not being mindful or considerate of those around them. The upside of the traffic is that you always know where to go, there are port-a-potties, and the shuttle service is excellent.