DENVER — Zebulon Pike wasn't the first person to see the towering peak that would bear his name. He never reached the 14,110-foot summit. And after a miserable time in the Rocky Mountains, he was captured by the Spanish and carted off to Mexico.

All of these details are simply part of the lore surrounding Pikes Peak, discovered 200 years ago by the Army captain's expedition.

"Pikes Peak is an American icon," said Carol Keenness, public programs coordinator at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. "Everybody has heard of Pikes Peak."

For the people who haven't heard enough, the museum and organizations throughout southern Colorado have scheduled lectures, exhibits, re-enactments and hikes over the next year, showcasing everything from Pike's 1806 journey to images of the mountain in art and advertising.

Pikes Peak climbs swiftly from the Colorado plains just west of Colorado Springs and dominates the landscape along the eastern slopes of the central Colorado Rockies. On clear days, it is visible for 100 miles, far out into the plains toward Kansas.

The peak isn't Colorado's tallest mountain, or its hardest to climb. But beginning with Pike, explorers, thrill-seekers and miners have flocked there looking for views, breathtaking risks and easy money. The views at the summit inspired Katherine Lee Bates in 1893 to write the lyrics to "America the Beautiful."

"It's like a beacon on the plains," said Barb French-Pfeifer, an interpretive park ranger on Pikes Peak. "It still has ... that allure to attract people."

Pike's mission in 1806 was to explore the headwaters of the Arkansas River. He traveled from Kansas and was in southern Colorado in November of that year when he first caught sight of Pikes Peak from near present-day Las Animas.

Later, Pike set out from what is now Pueblo — 40 miles south of Colorado Springs — with three men, little gear and linen army uniforms, believing they could reach the summit and return to camp in two days.

About 15,000 people try to hike to the top each year, but the far more popular routes involve car or rail. The weaving, 19-mile Pikes Peak Highway is paved part of the way and open year round, weather permitting. The road has several places to stop for the view, which can include black bears, mountain lions, bald eagles and elk.

The Pikes Peak Cog Railway offers several trips daily in the summer from nearby Manitou Springs. The three-hour round trip includes 30 to 40 minutes on the summit to walk around and visit the Summit House, with its famous doughnuts and welcome snacks.

To truly understand Pike's place in Colorado history, though, leave the mountain and follow his footsteps across southern Colorado, where events also are scheduled.

In downtown Pueblo, part of the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk is where historians believe Pike's men camped while he tried to reach the peak. The nearby El Pueblo Museum has an exhibit exploring Pike's legacy.

In Canon City, Pike visited another of Colorado's natural wonders: the Royal Gorge. The world's highest suspension bridge also is planning bicentennial events in July.