A lot is happening on Pikes Peak to get ready for the busy season that starts in May.
“We increased our visitation by about 30,000 people last year And we're anticipating that it's only going to increase, you know, with the growth in the area with the interest in Pikes Peak Americans Mountain,” Pike Peak America’s Mountain Manager Skler Rorabaugh said.
The total number of people going through the gates of the Pikes Peak Highway was nearly 463,000 in 2023.
A new travel option for the 2024 summer season could bring the yearly total to more than half a million people.
“We get so many people coming in and out of the office or at the gateway saying I am too scared to drive through those switchbacks above timberline, like that's not for me, do you have a shuttle?” Rorabaugh said.
This summer there is a new option for a $30 package deals that includes the entrance fee and a shuttle service up the mountain.
“We're able to tell them that yeah, drive up to mile seven, which is a pretty easy, pretty comfortable drive for most people, you can get out, hop on the shuttle, and then take that shot all the way to the summit,” Rorabaugh said.
On May 1, the North Slope Recreation Area at the base of Pikes Peak opens for the season.
In addition to the $5 daily permit, this year there is an additional $1 parking pass because there's limited parking with ongoing construction work in the area.
Click here to learn more about hours, prices, and reservations for visiting Pikes Peak.