Driving the Pikes Peak Highway

A 19-mile toll road from the Gateway at Cascade to the 14,115 ft summit. The official site says the 38-mile round trip takes at least two hours of driving.

What it costs (2026 rates)

Admission is valid for a year from purchase but not for special events (sunrise openings, sunset viewings, the Hill Climb). Rates for 2027 have not been announced. Source: the city's rate sheet, revised September 2026.

Cheapest way up for your group

Per-person admission, the carload pass, the shuttle or the Cog Railway: which costs your group least depends on who comes, how many cars you bring and the date. Enter your group. The calculator uses the 2026 rates for every date, because 2027 rates are not out yet.

How the calculator counts

• Highway rate sheet by date: May 1 to November 30 (adult $18, child 6 to 15 $8, carload $65 for up to 5, each extra adult $13 and extra child $5) or December 1 to April 30 (adult $10, child $5, carload $35, extra adult $7, extra child $2).
• Timed-entry permit: $2 per vehicle on dates inside the season. For 2026 that is May 22 to September 30; for later years the calculator applies the city's rule, the Friday before Memorial Day to September 30.
• Each vehicle needs at least one adult driver. The calculator tries every way of seating your group in your vehicles and, per vehicle, picks the cheaper of per-person admission and the carload pass.
• Shuttle: $40 per adult with admission included, $12 per child 6 to 15, 5 and under free on a lap, no permit. Shown only on dates the 2026 shuttle ran: daily from the Friday before Memorial Day to August 9, then weekends and Labor Day to September 27.
• Cog Railway: the lowest online fares, from $67 adult and from $57 child, before taxes and fees. Every passenger needs a ticket, toddlers too. Depot parking is $20 per vehicle on top.

Assumptions we could not confirm

• Children 5 and under ride the Highway free and do not count toward the carload's five. The rate sheet lists no price for them; only the shuttle page says they are free.
• In a carload with more than five people, the five covered places go to adults first, so extra children pay the cheaper extra rate. The rate sheet does not say who counts as extra.
• The $12 shuttle child fare includes admission. The city states this only for the $40 adult fare.
• On the Cog, children are 12 and under, so teens pay the adult fare. The railway does not define the age range; this comes from the city visitor bureau.
• Shuttle dates and the permit season in 2027 follow the 2026 pattern. Neither has been published in full.

Timed entry past mile 7

In season every vehicle driving past mile 7 needs a $2 timed-entry permit on top of admission, because summit parking is limited. In 2026 the season ran May 22 to September 30; the official site now lists May 28 to September 30, which matches the Friday before Memorial Day 2027. You arrive at the Gateway within your window; up to 5 vehicles fit on one reservation; the permit is non-refundable but can be rescheduled. Bicycles and shuttle riders do not need one. Same-day permits are sold online or at the Gateway only while space remains. Full details: tickets and timed entry.

Gate hours

The road is open year-round, weather permitting, and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hill Climb race day. In winter, snow often stops the road part-way: on November 3, 2026 it was open to Crystal Reservoir (mile 6). Check today's status.

The drive, mile by mile

Mile numbers are the official "Explore the Peak" markers, which label the Gateway as mile 3.

Rules for your vehicle

• Speed limit 30 mph; uphill traffic has the right of way.
• No trailers or pull-behind RVs. Automatic cars need a "1" or "L" gear for the descent.
• Buses and RVs: at most 24 ft long and a 19 ft wheelbase.
• Summit parking is a courtesy 2 hours.
• The official site says Google Maps directions for "Pikes Peak" are wrong; navigate to the Gateway, 5089 Pikes Peak Highway, Cascade, CO 80809.

The shuttle instead

In summer a shuttle runs from the mile 7 lot to the summit, with stops at Glen Cove and Devils Playground. In 2026 it cost $40 for adults (16+), $12 for children 6 to 15, free for 5 and under on a lap, admission included, no permit needed. It ended for 2026 and returns in summer 2027; dates are not out yet. Hikers cannot buy a ride down.

Facts on this page last checked 2026-11-03 by the pikespeak.info editor. Rules and prices change; confirm with the operator before you travel. See every figure with its source.