Pikes Peak has been on my list since we last traveled to Colorado. We had some free days at the beginning of my son’s spring break, so I booked a trip to Colorado Springs with the sole purpose of seeing it. It ended up being my favorite thing that we did during our visit.
There are several ways to reach the top of this 14,115-foot summit: hiking, driving, or taking a train ride. We chose the simplest option: the Pikes Peak Cog Railway train!
Let’s dive into the details of what you need to know about booking, parking, picking seats, the ride, and more. Pssst, this includes details I wish I had known when booking (especially when it comes to picking seats)!
Booking Tips
Buy Tickets Early
I booked our tickets three weeks ahead of time, and there were still plenty of seats left. I was hoping to get the engineer’s row seats, which offer the best view, but those were already sold out. When I checked a couple of days before our trip, there were only a few seats left, and most of them were singles.
Pikes Peak Cog Railway strongly urges riders to purchase their tickets before they arrive. You can’t park onsite without a reservation, and if you try to purchase tickets at the depot, there might not be any seats available on the train.
Picking Seats
This one threw us for a loop. My husband and I looked at the seat map and chose row 9, A-C, because it looked like there was only one seat in front of us, and he could stretch his lengthy legs out. When we boarded the train, we saw that the seats faced each other, and we were facing our neighbors in row 10. At first, I was bummed that we were going backward on the way up, but I ended up liking it better! Honestly, I don’t think you could go wrong either way.
Each car on the train has a different seating arrangement—the picture of the seating chart below is for car 1. The best way to determine which way you’re facing is to look at the thick black lines, which represent the seat backs. In row 1, you’ll face forward because your back is against the black line.
➡️Odd Rows (1 through 7): face forward going up and backward going down.
➡️Odd Rows (9 through 17): face backward going up and forward going down.
➡️Even rows (2 through 6): face backward going up and forward going down.
➡️Even rows (8 through 18): face forward going up and backward going down.
➡️A, B, & C seats: The three-seat side has the best scenery going up and down since the train doesn’t turn around
➡️D & E seats: The two-seat side still has good views, but you’ll be looking across the three-seat side a lot of the ride.
➡️Engineer’s row: The best seat on the train! I really wanted to snag these seats, but they weren’t available on any of the days I looked. You’ll be in the first row with a huge window in front of you that allows you to see even more. These seats face forward on the way up and backward going down.
Picking a Time
I like to book the earlier times or even the first time available, and that’s what we did. For this attraction, I really do recommend booking an earlier slot if you can. It makes it easier to get a spot in the parking lot at the Pikes Peak Cog Railway Depot. When you’re on the first ride, the parking lot will typically not be full yet since it just opened. Once riders park, they can keep their car there for 4.5 hours. This could result in fewer spots for later times if cars don’t leave after their 3-hour trip.
Weather Issues
The weather can be unpredictable and drastically different at the summit. As you can see in my pictures, a storm was starting to come in when we arrived at the top. On the way back down, they announced that the summit had to be closed, so riders on the next train up couldn’t enjoy the summit and visitor center. It was still nice and sunny when we arrived back at the depot, so we definitely saw the difference in the weather.
If they detect a storm that will cause issues, they will attempt to notify customers and reschedule rides to a later date. Riders who are already on trains that can’t reach the summit will get a 25% refund; if the train can’t reach the mounting views, there’s a 50% refund. I don’t want to bore you with too much of the nitty gritty, but you can find all the details in their FAQs and purchase terms.
Cancelling
➡️More than 7 days before: Your ticket(s) can be rescheduled or fully refunded
➡️Less than 7 days before: You can reschedule or request a store credit for a $20 fee (applies to the entire reservation). The store credit expires after 1 year.
Parking Options
➡️Onsite parking is available 30 minutes before your departure: spots are not guaranteed, so make sure to allow time to find street parking if necessary. We paid $20 for 4.5 hours to park in the lot, which is a very short walk to the depot. To park onsite, you must have already purchased your tickets—the parking attendant will ask to see your reservation.
➡️Park in city lots and take the free Route 33 Shuttle: Hiawatha Gardens Lot, Wichita Lot, Canon Lot, and Smischny Lot. Shuttle 33 runs every 10-20 minutes, and the Smischny Lot is a five-minute walk from the shuttle pickup.
Getting ready for the ride
Check the weather
Even in June, the summit can be chilly, windy, or even snowy. Make sure to layer up, toss a jacket in your bag, and check the forecast. The trains are heated, so you’ll be cozy during the ride, but the summit can feel like a different planet.
When we rode the Pikes Peak Cog Railway in late March, it was in the 50s at the depot, but it was 14.5°F at the summit, which felt like 8.5°F with the wind chill! Even with our winter gear on, we didn’t spend too much time outside the visitor center.
What You Can Bring
✅Water
✅Backpacks: need to fit under your seat
✅Warm clothing: Jacket, beanie, gloves, warm shoes, scarf, and even hand warmers!
🚫Bikes, scooters, skateboards, strollers, or baby carriers: If you want to bike, they do offer a biking experience that needs to be done separately.
🚫Food and drinks other than water
🚫Pets
Hydrate
There’s a huge change in elevation since you go from 6,320 feet to 14,115 feet, and hydration helps. I noticed a little bit of difference while we were at the top, but nothing major. We drank some electrolyte drinks in the morning (salt, magnesium, and potassium with water) and brought water with us.
Use the Restroom
There are no restrooms on the train. You can use the restrooms at the depot before you leave and at the Summit Visitor Center.
The ride
How Long is the Ride?
The entire trip takes about 3 hours. It takes a little over an hour to go up, 40 minutes at the top, and an hour to come back down.
The Views
The views are unreal! On a clear day, you can see forever—rolling mountains and tiny towns below, and you might see Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and even Kansas. We also saw unique rock structures, waterfalls and streams, trees, and some houses.
If you’re lucky, you’ll see wildlife like moose, long-horned sheep, deer, and more. While I had my hopes up to see moose, I was still stoked we saw three long-horned sheep on the way down. It was awesome!
Aside from the views, the ride itself is very entertaining. The conductor is witty, providing lots of information and interesting facts in a captivating manner. I enjoyed his humor, and it kept our attention.
The Summit
When you reach the top, it’s a short walk from the train to the Summit Visitor Center.
Here, you can enjoy the views from the warm summit house while enjoying coffee and donuts and buying some memorable items from their gift shop!
We walked around outside for a few minutes and took some pictures. I raced back inside while my husband braved the cold to take a picture at the summit sign! It was so cold that I still don’t regret not making it! Ha!
Don’t Get Left Behind!
Before we departed the train at the summit, the conductor made it very clear what time we had to be back on the train to ride down. It’s not guaranteed that you can take a later train ride down. So your options could be a steep 14-mile hike or arranging your own ride—which could cost $500+ per person. (And no, that’s not covered by your ticket.) So do yourself a favor: plan ahead, get there early, and avoid turning your scenic ride into an unexpected backcountry adventure.
Windy Road Instead?
Even though you can drive up, it looks very windy, so if you’re prone to getting carsick like me, I’d avoid it! I didn’t have any issues on the train and didn’t take any Dramamine. Plus, you can’t beat sitting back and enjoying the views from the train while learning about the area.
All Aboard!
The Pikes Peak Cog Railway is such a fun way to experience Colorado’s beauty. Book early, come prepared, and enjoy the ride to the “top of the world”!