Pike’s Peak is one of Colorado’s best scenic drives. It sits just outside of Colorado Springs and is one of the most popular activities in the area. In my opinion, if you’re stopping in Colorado Springs, the drive to Pike’s Peak is a must do.
The drive to the summit is straight forward. Once you pass through the ticket entrance, it is impossible to get lost. So instead of directions, this article is going to focus on tips and general information that you should know before you visit Pike’s Peak.
Options to Get to Pike’s Peak
Option 1 is simple. You can drive to Pike’s Peak by yourself. This was how I visited the Pike’s Peak, so it’s the option I have experience with. If possible, I recommend driving yourself because it will allow you to travel at your own pace. If you want to stop for a photo, you can stop for a photo. Plus you can spend as much time at the top as you feel you need. The downside is that you have to drive the route. If you’re not used to mountain driving, it can be a little nerve racking, but it’s perfectly doable.
Option 2 is a cog wheel train that allows you to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding area as you climb to the top, without the stress of driving yourself.
Option 3 is a tour. There are companies in the area that offer both jeep tours and shuttle tours for people who want to experience the mountain, but are hesitant about driving it themselves.
Make a Timed Reservation In Advance
In 2022, a new reservation system was created. Tickets are released a month before the actual date and it’s highly suggested that you make a reservation for the date and time you plan to visit. When you make your reservation, you can choose a two hour window and as long as you enter Pike’s Peak during that time, you’ll have no problems.
I made a reservation a few days after reservations became available and had no issues getting the time I wanted. I would imagine that as you get closer to the day of your visit, time slots will be booked up.
Reservations cost $2 per vehicle. Learn more and book your reservation.
You Don’t Have to Buy A Ticket to Make a Reservation
On top of your timed reservation, you will also pay an entrance fee of $15 per person. You can pay this fee in advance. Tickets do not have a specific date, but must be used one year from your purchase date. If you are like me and are concerned about weather (do you really want to visit Pike’s Peak when visibility in Colorado Springs is poor?), you can make your timed entry reservation, but wait to buy your ticket until that day.
You’ll drive up, give your name for the reservation, and the worker will look it up in the system. If you haven’t paid for your ticket yet, you will pay right there.
Turn Off Your Air Conditioning
When you get to the ticket entrance, you will be instructed to turn off your air conditioning. This helps to prevent your engine from overheating since it takes a lot of power to drive to Pike’s Peak. Open your windows to get a breeze if you need it, but by the time you reach the top, the lack of air conditioning likely won’t matter.
During my visit, it was 87 degrees Fahrenheit (31 degrees Celsius) when I got to the Pike’s Peak Entrance. By the time I drove all the way up the mountain (about one hour later), it was 49 degrees (10 degrees Celsius). That’s pretty substantial temperature drop.
Bring Layers
The weather will change drastically as you drive up the mountain. I spent the day in Colorado Springs, starting at Garden of the Gods and finishing with a drive to Pike’s Peak. At Garden of the Gods, I was sweating as I hiked through the park, but at Pike’s Peak, I was digging my sweatshirt out of the car. Be prepared for the temperature to change drastically.
Bring Some Money
At the top of Pike’s Peak, there are some great scenic views. So, absolutely take in the views. But do you know what goes great with amazing mountain views? Donuts that are baked at 14,000 feet.
There’s a cafeteria selling lots of different foods at the top, including donuts. So make sure to bring some money (either cash or a credit card), to get yourself a treat.
Plan for a Minimum of Three Hours
Your visit may be longer or shorter than three hours, but three hours is a good estimate. It will take you about an hour to go up the mountain and you will want to give yourself plenty of time to get back down (particularly if you need to stop and let your brakes cool down).
Plus, it took you an hour to drive to Pike’s Peak. Stop and enjoy the view.
You Need to Use Your Low Gear
Driving down the mountain, you need to use your car’s low gear. If you’ve never used it before (like me!), be honest when the ticketing agent at the front asks you about it. They will show you how to use it (if you don’t already know), so you can safely get back down the mountain.
Your low gear makes it so you don’t have to ride your brakes the entire way down the mountain. If you ride the brakes the entire way, you’ll end up at the bottom of the mountain with no brakes left.
Be Prepared to Stop for a Brake Check
At Pike’s Peak, they care about your safety and one of the biggest things is making sure that visitors can properly brake on their way back down the mountain. On the way up, you just drive to Pike’s Peak without any mandatory stops. However, on the way back down, you will be forced to stop for a brake check approximately half way down the mountain. There is no getting around this brake check.
When I went through, I passed the check and was told that I could carry on. I still stopped because there was another gift shop nearby and I was still looking for a post card. As soon as I got out of the car, I was hit by the overwhelming smell of burning rubber.
Be careful with your brakes. When they say use low gear, they mean it! If you choose to ignore this, you will be forced to stop and wait for your brakes to cool down.
Is It Safe To Drive to Pike’s Peak If You Don’t Have Mountain Driving Experience?
Yes. My first experience with mountain driving was my drive to Pike’s Peak. The year before I drove through the national parks in Utah, but this was my first experience driving at high elevations and needing to use the low gear.
Personally, I think that Pike’s Peak is a good first mountain to tackle. Yes, you’ll have lots of other tourists driving, but you’ll find the most support. If you have questions, you can ask. And if you are burning through your brakes as you drive down the mountain, you’ll get stopped before something can really go wrong. My experience at Pike’s Peak helped me to feel more confident with all of the other mountain driving I did throughout my trip.
Just remember, you can go slow. There are plenty of places for you to pull over and let other people pass. So if you notice a whole line of cars behind you, just pull over and let them pass. Trust me, it’s a lot less stressful when there’s no one behind you.
When Should I Visit Pike’s Peak?
The highway to Pike’s Peak is open all year round, but is dependent on weather. Personally, I would recommend going in summer when you’ll have the nicest weather. Even if it’s hot in Colorado Springs, it will be cool at the top of Pike’s Peak. When I visited, there was a 40 degree difference between the entrance and the top of Pike’s Peak.
Do I Have to be Concerned About Altitude Sickness?
Pike’s Peak sits at over 14,000 feet, so altitude sickness is a possibility. I experienced a slight headache later in the day, but your experience may be different. There’s a few things you can do to help minimize the possibility of altitude effects.
Give yourself time to acclimatize in Colorado Springs. Pike’s Peak will still be significantly higher than Colorado Springs, but Colorado Springs sits at 6000 feet, which can be a big jump for some people (it was for me!).
Make sure to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. I did my best with this, but I’m willing to bet I didn’t drink as much water as I should have that day, especially since it was my first full day in Colorado.
At the summit, walk slowly with smaller steps. This was a tip I got when I visited the Jungfraujoch in Switzerland and I did find it helped. Basically, if you’re not used to being at 14,000 feet, it’s going to be hard to move. Even walking short distances can leave you out of breath. Go slow and realize it’s not a race. I’ve found that walking slower and taking smaller steps can make it easier to breathe as well.
Ultimately, if you’re concerned about altitude sickness on your visit to Colorado, you should speak to your doctor.
Final Thoughts
If you’re visiting Colorado Springs, the drive to Pike’s Peak is a must do. The surrounding mountains are just beautiful. Plus, it’s a great introduction to mountain driving for those people (like me!) who live somewhere pretty flat.
Continue Your Adventure
Colorado Springs: If you’re visiting Pike’s Peak, you’ll already be in Colorado Springs, so make sure to check out Garden of the Gods.
Colorado National Parks: Colorado has four national parks and all are worth a visit. Ride a sandboard at Great Sand Dunes, tour cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, see the deepest canyon in the U.S. at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and do some epic hiking at Rocky Mountain.
Colorado Scenic Drives: One of my favorite things about Colorado is all of the scenic drives. Here’s some of my favorites.
Colorado Itineraries: For an epic road trip through Colorado, check out this 10 day itinerary. Or if you don’t have ten days, try one of these 5 day Colorado itineraries.