Aug 19, 2026

Driving Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak With a Dog: 9 Rules, Including the One About Air Conditioning

Pikes Peak tells drivers to skip the air conditioning on the way up so the engine does not overheat. With a dog in the car that advice needs handling, and eight other published rules matter too.

Luis ZamoraCo-founder of PetCompass; Dog Dad to Banzo and Tuck

Colorado Springs, Colorado11 min readThings to DoGetting There

Pikes Peak publishes driving instructions for its own highway, and one of them creates a genuine problem if you have a dog in the car. The mountain advises against using air conditioning on the way up, because it can overheat the engine. It recommends opening the windows instead.

That is sound mechanical advice. It is also the opposite of what you would normally do with a dog in a warm car on a long climb. Reconciling those two is the whole point of this guide, and nobody else seems to mention the conflict.

The nine rules, at a glance

Every rule below is published by Pikes Peak on its mountain driving and vehicle restrictions pages.

#	Rule	Why it matters with a dog
1	No air conditioning uphill, open windows instead	Changes how you manage a warm dog
2	38-mile round trip, at least two hours	Longer confinement than people expect
3	Speed limit 30 mph unless posted	Slow, winding, motion-sickness territory
4	Start with at least half a tank	No fuel stops on the mountain
5	Drive to the summit first	Weather changes fast, do the top early
6	Uphill traffic has right of way	Frequent stopping and pulling over
7	Low gear for the first two miles	Engine strain, cabin heat
8	No trailers or pull-behind RVs	Leave them before the Gateway
9	Automatic needs a "1" or "L" gear	Some vehicles cannot legally descend

1. The air conditioning rule, and how to handle it with a dog

Here is the instruction, verbatim: "Avoid using the air conditioner while driving uphill, as it may cause your engine to overheat. Open the windows for ventilation instead."

And here is the tension. A dog in a car on a climb generates heat, the high-altitude sun comes through glass hard, and your usual tool for managing that has just been discouraged.

The practical resolution has four parts.

Go early. Uphill gates open at 7:30 a.m. from May 22 to September 30. A 7:30 start means climbing in the coolest air of the day, which is when you need cabin cooling least. This is the single biggest thing you can do.

Use the windows properly. Open windows on both sides create cross-flow. A single cracked window does very little. On a 30 mph road you get real airflow without the wind blast a highway would give.

Use the stops. The mountain publishes labelled stops at 8,540, 9,160, 9,229, 9,354, 11,800 and 12,780 feet. Every one is a chance to get the dog out of the car into moving air and offer water.

Watch the dog, not the thermometer. Panting that does not settle is your signal, and the air temperature outside will not tell you what the sun through the rear window is doing.

If your dog struggles in cars at the best of times, this is a trip to reconsider rather than optimise. Our summer heat safety for pets guide covers the vehicle problem in general.

2. Two hours minimum, and probably more

The mountain is explicit: "The 38-mile round trip to the summit and back takes at least two hours, but we recommend you allow extra time for scenic stops."

Two hours is the floor, not the plan. With a dog, stops are not optional, so budget three. That is three hours of a dog in a car on a winding road, which is a different proposition from a two-hour motorway run.

Plan a real walk before you start. A dog that has already exercised settles. A dog going straight from a hotel room into a three-hour mountain drive does not.

3. Thirty miles an hour, and what that does to a dog

The speed limit is 30 mph unless otherwise posted. That sounds gentle, and mechanically it is. For a dog it means sustained slow cornering for an hour each way.

That is motion sickness territory. Feed lightly and well before you set off rather than immediately beforehand, and give the dog a view forward if you can, because facing sideways in a crate makes cornering worse.

4. Half a tank, minimum

Start with at least half a tank of gas, per the mountain. There is nowhere to refuel once you are on the highway.

With a dog this matters more than it does otherwise, because running low turns into a stressful descent with an animal in the car rather than a mild inconvenience. Fill up in the city.

5. Summit first, sightseeing on the way down

This is the mountain's own recommendation: "Because weather on Pikes Peak can change quickly, we recommend driving directly to the summit first. Explore scenic overlooks, photo stops, and other attractions as you travel back down."

That sequencing suits a dog well. You get the highest, coldest, thinnest part of the trip done while the dog is freshest, and the stops on the way down are at progressively friendlier elevations. Descending through 12,780, then 11,800, then the reservoirs at around 9,200 feet gives the dog steadily better air at every stop.

6. Uphill traffic has right of way, always

"Uphill traffic has the right of way at all times." On a narrow mountain road that means you will be pulling over, stopping, and starting repeatedly on the way down.

Two dog-specific consequences. First, a dog loose on a back seat gets thrown around by repeated braking, so a harness or crate earns its keep here. Second, you will also be watching for bicycles, which the mountain flags separately, so this is not a drive where you can give much attention to a dog in the back. Sort the restraint before you set off.

7. Low gear, and the heat it puts in the cabin

"Use a low gear for the first two miles beyond the Gateway." The mountain adds that you should continue in lower or intermediate gears on steep grades and shift down whenever the vehicle begins to lose power.

An engine working hard in low gear puts heat into the engine bay and, in many cars, into the cabin. Combined with the air conditioning advice, that is the moment when the dog's comfort is most at risk. It is also the first two miles, so it is early enough to turn around if the dog is not coping.

8. Trailers and pull-behind RVs are not allowed

Straightforward and absolute: "Trailers and pull-behind RVs are not permitted and should be left in a designated parking area before entering the Gateway."

If you are travelling with a trailer, plan where the dog will be while you detach. Leaving a dog in a parked trailer at the Gateway is not a plan.

9. Your transmission may disqualify your car

This is the rule most people have never considered. From the vehicle restrictions page: "Automatic transmissions must include a '1' or 'L' gear so the vehicle can remain in first gear while descending. Hybrid vehicles may use a 'B' setting. Vehicles with an 'S' or 'M' setting must be able to demonstrate that the transmission can be locked into first gear."

Check your gear selector before you drive across the state. If you are in a rental, check it in the rental car park rather than at the Gateway.

Buses and RVs face published limits too: no more than a 19-foot wheelbase, a 228-inch wheelbase, or 24 feet in total length. Buses carrying fewer than 21 passengers may use standard hydraulic brakes, while those carrying more than 21 need air brakes and an adequate retarder or engine-braking system, and drivers need the appropriate commercial licence.

Getting to Colorado Springs in the first place

Colorado's road rules are a genuine variable in winter, and the state publishes them. The Colorado Department of Transportation maintains a winter driving page covering passenger vehicle traction and chain laws, vehicle and tire safety, and winter driving preparedness.

For live conditions, CDOT gives two routes: call 511, or use COtrip.org. That is the official source rather than a weather app, and it covers seasonal closures.

Do that check with a dog specifically in mind. A traction law closure or a long delay changes a car journey from inconvenient to a welfare question, because you have an animal that needs walking, water and a comfortable temperature while you sit still.

Our road trips with your dog guide covers the general approach, and the road trip checklist is the pre-departure version.

What to have in the car

Water and a bowl. Offer it at every labelled stop, not just the summit.

A harness or crate. The repeated stopping on the descent makes this more than a nicety.

A towel. For a wet dog after a reservoir stop, because the mountain warns about hypothermia as well as altitude and a wet dog in wind at elevation loses heat fast.

The two emergency numbers. North Springs on (719) 920-4430, and Southern Rockies on (719) 473-0482. Both are 24/7 walk-in.

The mountain's conditions line. (719) 385-7325, option 1 twice.

Where to break the journey

Cheyenne Mountain State Park permits leashed dogs on a limited set of trails, per Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It is approximately 2 miles across four designated trails, Acorn Alley, Bobcat Way, Raccoon Ridge and a portion of Soaring Kestrel, and the park states that dogs are not allowed on any other trails or in the backcountry. Leashes must be 6 feet or shorter and hand held. Hours are 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and a daily vehicle pass is $10 to $15. Waste bag dispensers are provided on the dog trails.

Or go free. El Paso County's Bear Creek Dog Park gives you 25 fenced off-leash acres, dawn to dusk, at no charge, which is the best possible way to unload a dog that has been in a car for hours. It is signposted from I-25 exit 141.

For where to sleep, our pet-friendly hotels in Colorado Springs page lists what each property charges and allows, and the wider PetCompass hotel directory covers the region. The official Visit Colorado Springs site is worth a look for road-affecting events.

Conclusion

Nine published rules, and the one that matters most for a dog is the advice to skip the air conditioning on the way up. The answer is an early start, windows open on both sides, and using every labelled stop rather than driving straight through.

Check your gear selector has a "1" or "L" before you commit to the drive, start with half a tank, and call 511 or COtrip before you set off in winter. Then do the summit first and enjoy the way down.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use air conditioning driving up Pikes Peak?

Pikes Peak advises against it. Its mountain driving guidance says to avoid using the air conditioner while driving uphill because it may cause the engine to overheat, and to open the windows for ventilation instead. With a dog, the practical answer is to climb early in the day, open windows on both sides, and use the labelled stops.

How long does it take to drive Pikes Peak?

The mountain states that the 38-mile round trip to the summit and back takes at least two hours, and recommends allowing extra time for scenic stops. With a dog, budget three.

What is the speed limit on the Pikes Peak Highway?

30 mph unless otherwise posted.

Do I need a special vehicle to drive Pikes Peak?

You need the right transmission. Automatic transmissions must include a "1" or "L" gear so the vehicle can remain in first gear while descending. Hybrid vehicles may use a "B" setting, and vehicles with an "S" or "M" setting must be able to demonstrate the transmission can be locked into first gear.

Can I tow a trailer up Pikes Peak?

No. Trailers and pull-behind RVs are not permitted and should be left in a designated parking area before entering the Gateway.

Are there size limits for RVs on Pikes Peak?

Yes. Buses and RVs may not exceed a 19-foot wheelbase, a 228-inch wheelbase, or 24 feet in total length.

Sources

Vehicle restrictions, hours and fees are as published and change between seasons. Confirm with the mountain before you travel.