Manitou Springs Coffin Races
Every October, the mountain town of Manitou Springs holds a commemorative event in honor of Emma Crawford. The next Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival will occur October 25th, 2025. The well loved resident, Emma Crawford, came to Manitou Springs in 1889 in search of relief and a cure for her tuberculosis. The cold-water mineral springs didn’t cure her tuberculosis, but the mountain town won her heart and her dying wish was to be buried on top of Red Mountain. In 1891, the townspeople carried her coffin up a 7,200 foot slope. Nearly 40 years later, Emma’s coffin came back down the mountain, with only the casket handles, a nameplate, and a few bones remaining. The Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce started the annual coffin races in memory of Emma Crawford in 1995.
Hint: Click this link to start the video during the races. Otherwise it’s 3 hours…
For those interested in participating in the coffin races, the entry fee is $100 and entry deadline is October 17th. Each team needs a captain and a total of 4 runners. This race is a great practice run for those thinking of racing in the Coffin Cup during Frozen Dead Guy Days in March in Estes Park.