Driving Pikes Peak costs $18 per adult, $8 per child, or $65 per carload in summer, plus a $2 timed-entry permit.
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The price is simple until group size changes it. For travelers asking how much it costs to drive up Pikes Peak, the number to budget is $20 for one adult during timed-entry season, $38 for two adults, or $67 for a carload of up to five, before fuel, snacks, or souvenirs.
The Pikes Peak Highway is a 19-mile paved toll road from Cascade, Colorado, to the 14,115-foot summit. Most visitors should plan 3 to 4 hours for the round trip, because the drive, summit stop, brake check, and photo pullouts take more time than the mileage suggests.
Cost To Drive Up Pikes Peak: What The Fee Covers
The Pikes Peak Highway fee covers access to the road, summit area, visitor center, pullouts, and the return drive back down. The charge is not a parking fee, and it does not cover food, gift shop purchases, the Cog Railway, or any separate shuttle ticket.
Private-vehicle visitors usually pay either per person or by the carload. The carload rate is the cleanest value when three to five paying adults are in one vehicle, while solo travelers and couples usually pay less with individual admission.
Current summit access can sell out on busy summer dates, so compare the live ticket options before you build the rest of the day around the drive:
Pikes Peak Highway Costs By Traveler Type
Pikes Peak Highway costs depend on whether you drive your own vehicle, ride the seasonal shuttle, or only need a timed-entry permit added to admission. The table below shows the main cost cases a traveler is likely to face.
| Ticket Or Cost Case | What It Includes | Rough Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult admission, ages 16+ | Highway access for one adult in a private vehicle | $18 |
| Child admission, ages 6-15 | Highway access for one child in a private vehicle | $8 |
| Carload rate | One private vehicle with up to 5 passengers | $65 |
| Timed-entry permit | Two-hour arrival window for vehicles going past Mile 7 in the reservation season | $2 per vehicle |
| Solo adult, timed-entry season | One adult admission plus one vehicle permit | About $20 |
| Two adults, timed-entry season | Two adult admissions plus one vehicle permit | About $38 |
| Carload, timed-entry season | Carload rate plus one vehicle permit | About $67 |
| Seasonal shuttle adult | Shuttle ride with highway admission included | $40 |
| Seasonal shuttle child, ages 6-15 | Shuttle ride with highway admission included | $12 |
The carload math changes fast. Three adults paying separately would be $54 before the permit, so the $65 carload rate usually starts making sense with four adults or a mixed family group near the five-passenger cap.
Do You Need A Timed-Entry Permit?
Pikes Peak timed-entry permits are required for private vehicles traveling past Mile 7 from May 22 through September 30, 2026. The permit costs $2 per vehicle and assigns a two-hour arrival window at the Gateway.
Current timed-entry dates, permit pricing, shuttle pricing, and admission rates were listed in the City of Colorado Springs 2026 Pikes Peak notice. Outside the reservation window, visitors may still owe admission, but the extra timed-entry permit is not part of the standard drive.
Buy the permit for the time you can actually reach Cascade. A 9 a.m. permit is not useful if you are leaving Denver at 8 a.m., because summer traffic and the climb west of Colorado Springs can eat up the cushion.
Extra Costs To Budget Around Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak has a few small add-ons, but the tollgate is the main cost for most drivers. Fuel, food, warm layers, and souvenir spending are the pieces that turn a bare admission total into a real trip budget.
- Fuel: The drive is 38 miles round trip from the Gateway, and there are no gas stations on the highway. Start with at least half a tank.
- Food: The Summit Visitor Center, Glen Cove Inn, and Crystal Reservoir Visitor Center usually sell snacks or meals, so bring money if you do not pack your own.
- Warm clothing: The summit can run roughly 30 degrees colder than Colorado Springs, so a jacket may matter even in July.
- Altitude time: A slow stop at 14,115 feet is part of the cost in time, not dollars. Leave room in the day so you can descend if anyone feels dizzy or sick.
The cheapest clean plan is to pack water, snacks, and layers, fill the tank before reaching Cascade, and skip the gift shop unless the summit doughnuts are part of your plan.
Can You Drive Your Own Car To The Summit?
Pikes Peak Highway can be driven in a regular private vehicle when the road is open and your vehicle meets the posted rules. The road is paved, but drivers need to be comfortable with steep grades, switchbacks, weather changes, and a mandatory brake check on the descent.
Pull-behind trailers, campers, ATVs, OHVs, some scooters, skateboards, and longboards are not allowed on the highway. If your group is nervous about mountain driving, the seasonal shuttle or the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway may be the better paid option.
Driver tip: Use lower gears on the way down and let the engine help control speed. Riding the brakes can overheat them before the Glen Cove brake check.
Where To Stay Before Driving Pikes Peak
Colorado Springs is the easiest overnight base for the Pikes Peak Highway because the Gateway is about 15 minutes west of the city by way of U.S. 24. Manitou Springs and Cascade put you closer to the tollgate, while downtown Colorado Springs gives you more restaurants and evening choices.
Staying nearby helps if you want an early timed-entry window, cooler summit weather, and less pressure on the downhill drive. Compare Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs hotels on the map before choosing a base:
The Cost Plan That Fits Your Trip
Pikes Peak is cheapest for a solo adult at about $20 in timed-entry season, easiest for a group at about $67 per carload, and simplest for non-drivers on the $40 adult shuttle. Choose the ticket by group size first, then decide whether driving the road is part of the fun or part of the stress.
- Solo traveler: Buy one adult admission and the $2 timed-entry permit when the reservation rule is active.
- Couple: Pay two adult admissions plus the permit; the carload rate is usually not the better deal.
- Four or five adults: Pick the carload rate, then add the timed-entry permit if your date falls from May 22 through September 30.
- Family with kids: Compare individual adult and child admission against the carload rate before checkout.
- Nervous driver: Pay for the shuttle or Cog Railway rather than forcing a mountain drive you will not enjoy.
The smartest budget is not just the lowest toll. The right Pikes Peak plan is the one that gets your group to the summit, back down safely, and out of the mountains with enough time left for Colorado Springs or Manitou Springs afterward.
References & Sources
- City of Colorado Springs.“Timed-entry permits and shuttle tickets for Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain on sale April 1.”States the 2026 timed-entry permit window, vehicle permit cost, admission prices, and shuttle fares.