Pikes Peak tickets, reservations and timed entry
What you need depends on how you go up. Here is what to book, where, and the fallback if it is sold out.
| Way up | What to book | Price (2026) | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive the Highway | Admission, plus a timed-entry permit past mile 7 in season | $18 adult, $8 child, $65 carload; permit $2 | drivepikespeak.com |
| Highway shuttle (summer) | Shuttle ticket; includes admission, no permit | $40 adult, $12 child | drivepikespeak.com |
| Cog Railway | Reserved seat | from $67 adult, $57 child online | cograilway.com |
| Barr Trail | Nothing to hike; Barr Camp beds book separately | No fee found | Barr Trail guide |
The timed-entry permit
- Who needs it: every vehicle, motorcycles included, driving past mile 7 in season. Not bicycles, not shuttle riders.
- When: May 22 to September 30 in 2026. The official site now shows May 28 to September 30, which matches the Friday before Memorial Day 2027. After September 30 no permit is needed.
- Cost: $2 per vehicle, non-refundable, on top of admission. Up to 5 vehicles per reservation; you can reschedule in your online account.
- When sales open: the city releases the season's permits no later than April 15. In 2026 they went on sale April 1.
- Same day: online or at the Gateway only while space remains.
- Passholders: some annual passes skip the permit if through the Gateway before 9 AM and not parking at the summit.
The official pages describe the slot both as a one-hour and a two-hour window, on the same page, so check the wording on your own reservation.
Sold out? Your options
- Try the other way up. Highway permits gone: check the Cog Railway. Cog sold out: book a Highway permit for another slot.
- Take the shuttle (summer): it needs no permit.
- Book a tour that includes the ride up. Some tours list the Highway toll and permit, or a Cog ticket, as included; check the inclusions on the listing before you pay. See Pikes Peak tours.
- Go after September 30, when no permit is needed, accepting that snow can close the upper road.
Plan the whole day
The Plan my day tool tells you which rules apply on your date and builds a timed plan around the noon storm cutoff.
Sources (10)· checked 2026-11-03
- City of Colorado Springs: 2026 permit and shuttle release
- Cog Railway: rates and change policy
- Colorado Springs Gazette, April 1, 2026
- Pikes Peak Highway rate sheet and hours (PDF, Sept 2026)
- Pikes Peak Highway: FAQ
- Pikes Peak Highway: hours and rates
- Pikes Peak Highway: shuttle
- Pikes Peak Highway: the summit
- Pikes Peak Highway: tickets and timed entry
- Visit Colorado Springs: Cog Railway
Every figure with its exact source: Pikes Peak Highway on the facts page.
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.