Aug 19, 2026

Pikes Peak With a Dog: Only 1 of the 3 Ways Up Allows Pets

Two of the three ways up Pikes Peak refuse pets in writing. That leaves driving yourself, which needs a timed-entry reservation you cannot buy at the gate on a summer morning.

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

Colorado Springs, Colorado10 min readThings to Do

There are three ways to reach the top of Pikes Peak. Two of them will not take your dog, and both say so in writing. That leaves exactly one, and it needs a reservation you cannot buy at the gate on a summer morning.

This is the single most useful thing to know before you plan a Pikes Peak day with a dog, and it is almost never stated plainly. The mountain is dog-accessible. The popular ways up are not.

The three ways up, and what each says about pets

Route	Pets allowed	What the operator says
Pikes Peak Cog Railway	No	"we cannot allow pets on board the train"
Pikes Peak shuttle	No	"Pets are unfortunately not permitted on the shuttle"
Drive the Pikes Peak Highway yourself	Yes	No pet prohibition published, but a timed-entry reservation applies

Service animals are a separate matter on both the train and the shuttle, and both operators say so. An emotional support animal is not a service animal for these purposes.

1. The Cog Railway will not take your dog

This is a flat no, in the railway's own words. From the Pikes Peak Cog Railway FAQ: "Pets, No, we cannot allow pets on board the train. Please refer to our Service Animal Policy for service animal questions."

That matters more than it sounds, because the Cog Railway is what most first-time visitors book. It runs from Manitou Springs, it is the famous way up, and it sells out. If your plan was the train, the dog is not coming, and you need a second plan rather than a conversation at the platform.

The same FAQ rules out a few other things people assume they can bring, including strollers and baby carriers, and limits outside drinks to water. It is a genuinely strict list, so read it before you pack.

2. The shuttle will not take your dog either

Also a published no. The Pikes Peak visitor FAQ puts it this way: "Are pets allowed on the shuttle? Pets are unfortunately not permitted on the shuttle. However, service animals are welcome aboard."

The shuttle exists partly because summit parking is limited, so it is the option a ranger may suggest when the summit lot is full. With a dog in the car, that suggestion does not work for you, which is another reason to have the reservation sorted in advance rather than improvising.

3. Driving yourself, the one route that works

Your own vehicle is the answer, and the mountain is a toll road with a booking system. Pikes Peak publishes no pet prohibition for driving the highway in your own car, which is what makes this the dog route by elimination.

What it does publish is a reservation requirement, and this is where dog owners get caught.

Timed-entry reservations apply from the Friday before Memorial Day through the end of the season. You arrive at the Gateway within your window and drive your own vehicle to the summit.
Above mile 7 you need a timed-entry permit and daily admission. So even if the summit is not your goal, going far up the highway still puts you inside the permit system.
Between May 28 and September 30 you need both a timed-entry permit reservation and an admission ticket to drive to the summit.
The reservation fee is $2 and non-refundable, described by the mountain as a nominal charge to support summit parking operations and cut no-shows. An existing reservation can be swapped to another available date at no extra cost.
Annual passholders on the Pikes Peak 14'er Pass, 5-Trip Pass or Premier Vehicle Pass do not need the $2 permit if they enter before 9 a.m. and do not park at the summit. After 9 a.m. they do. Rangers monitor summit parking and passholders who ignore this may lose the accommodation.

The practical version for a dog owner: book the timed entry, aim for an early window, and treat the summit parking spot as the scarce thing it is. You cannot fall back on the shuttle, and you cannot leave a dog in a car at 14,000 feet while you go up without it.

Why the "leave the dog in the car" plan is worse here than anywhere

Altitude changes the maths on a parked car. At the summit the air is thin and the sun is fierce even when the air is cold, so a car warms through glass while the outside temperature reads comfortable. A dog cannot pant efficiently in thin air, which is the exact mechanism it relies on to cool itself.

That combination, strong high-altitude sun and reduced cooling ability, is why the usual "it is only 50 degrees out" reasoning does not transfer to a mountain summit. Our summer heat safety for pets guide covers the vehicle problem at normal elevation, and the summit makes every part of it harder.

The honest advice is to treat the dog as coming with you or not coming at all.

What to expect of your dog at 14,000 feet

Be conservative, and know the signs. Colorado Springs itself sits high, and the summit is far higher. PetMD states that the effects of high elevation on pets begin above 8,000 feet, which the Pikes Peak Highway clears at its first labelled stop. The signals to watch for are heavy panting that does not settle with rest, unusual lethargy, stumbling or lack of coordination, drooling, vomiting, or pale gums.

The response is simple and it is the same for dogs as for people: go down. Elevation loss is the treatment. There is no waiting it out at the top.

Dogs most likely to struggle are the ones already working harder to breathe at sea level: flat-faced breeds, senior dogs, puppies, overweight dogs, and any dog with a known heart or airway condition. If that describes your dog, the summit is a poor goal and the lower slopes are a better day out.

Our guide to traveling with a senior dog is worth reading before you commit an older dog to a 14,000 foot drive.

The lower slopes are the better dog day anyway

The North Slope and South Slope Recreation Areas are where the walking is. Pikes Peak publishes both as separate destinations from the summit, alongside hiking, fishing and paddling, biking and birding.

For most dogs this is the better trip. You get pine forest instead of alpine rock, ground that is not a car park, and air your dog can actually work in. The summit is a view from a window and a short walk on thin air. The slopes are a hike.

If you want the classic Colorado Springs dog day instead, the seven city off-leash areas and the county's 25-acre Bear Creek park are covered in our Colorado Springs off-leash areas guide, and the red rock scenery at Garden of the Gods is fifteen minutes from downtown.

Nearby, and a hard no worth knowing

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument bans pets on every trail. It is an easy add-on drive from the Pikes Peak region, so it catches people out.

The National Park Service page is unambiguous: "Pets are prohibited on ALL trails at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Pets are also prohibited in the visitor center."

Leashed pets are allowed in exactly two places there: the visitor center parking lot, and a pet exercise area inside the picnic area near the visitor center. Service dogs may go anywhere visitors go. Emotional support, therapy and companion animals, and service animals in training, are not service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act and must follow the pet rules.

So Florissant is a stop where one person walks the fossil trails while the other stays with the dog, or it is a stop you skip.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park is friendlier, and much closer, but read the small print. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife park page lists "Animals Permitted: Leashed Dogs, Service Animals, Horses", and the park has 21 trails and 29 miles of hiking in total. Dogs get approximately 2 miles of that. Leashed dogs are welcomed on four designated trails, Acorn Alley, Bobcat Way, Raccoon Ridge and a portion of Soaring Kestrel, on a 6 foot or shorter hand held leash, and the park states that "Dogs are not allowed on any other trails or in the backcountry." It is open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., a daily vehicle pass runs $10 to $15, an individual daily pass is $4, and the park office is on 719-576-2016 at 410 JL Ranch Heights.

Building the day

A workable Pikes Peak day with a dog looks like this. Book an early timed-entry window. Drive up with the dog in the car, stop at the pullouts, keep the summit visit short and keep the dog with you. Come down and spend the afternoon somewhere the dog can actually stretch out, either Cheyenne Mountain State Park on a leash or Bear Creek Dog Park off it.

A day that does not work: turning up without a reservation in July, planning to take the train, or planning to leave the dog anywhere.

For where to sleep afterwards, our pet-friendly hotels in Colorado Springs page lists what each property charges and allows, and the PetCompass hotel directory covers the wider region. If you are driving in from out of state, the road trip checklist covers the stops.

Conclusion

Pikes Peak is reachable with a dog, but only in your own vehicle, and only with a timed-entry reservation through the summer season. The train and the shuttle both refuse pets in writing, and neither has a workaround.

Book the window early, keep the summit stop short, and put the real walking on the lower slopes or back in town. The mountain is worth the drive. It is not worth improvising with a dog in the car.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take my dog on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway?

No. The railway's own FAQ says it cannot allow pets on board the train, and directs service animal questions to its separate service animal policy.

Are dogs allowed on the Pikes Peak shuttle?

No. The official Pikes Peak visitor FAQ states that pets are not permitted on the shuttle, while service animals are welcome aboard.

Can I drive up Pikes Peak with my dog?

Yes. Driving your own vehicle is the only one of the three routes that takes a pet, and Pikes Peak publishes no pet prohibition for the highway. You will need a timed-entry permit reservation, and between May 28 and September 30 an admission ticket as well.

Do I need a reservation to drive Pikes Peak?

Yes, in season. Timed-entry reservations apply from the Friday before Memorial Day through the end of the season, and travelling above mile 7 requires a timed-entry permit and daily admission. The reservation fee is $2 and non-refundable, though a booking can be swapped to another available date at no extra charge.

Is Pikes Peak safe for dogs at the summit?

Treat it cautiously. Dogs can develop altitude sickness, and the signs are heavy panting that does not settle, lethargy, stumbling, drooling, vomiting or pale gums. Descending is the treatment. Flat-faced breeds, senior dogs, puppies, overweight dogs and any dog with a heart or airway condition are poor candidates for the summit.

Can I leave my dog in the car while I go to the summit?

No, and the summit is a worse place for it than most. High-altitude sun heats a car through glass while the outside air reads cool, and thin air reduces a dog's ability to cool itself by panting. Plan for the dog to come with you or to stay in town.

Sources

Fees, reservation windows and pet policies change between seasons. Confirm with the operator before you travel.