COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center, which has been under construction since 2018, is set to open by the end of June.
The official opening date is pending due to uncertain weather conditions at the summit, but the City of Colorado Springs said the summit will reopen on June 15 and the new visitors center will likely open between then and June 30.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for June 30.
The entire site meets the latest Americans with Disabilities Act standards. It feature a new elevated pathway and overlook that allows visitors to experience the breathtaking views while protecting the fragile tundra, and was designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.
This new building has been under construction since June 2018, and will replace the 1964 Summit House. The City of Colorado said crews are working to complete the new building and demolish the old one.
Exterior work will continue through September.
The nine-mile Cog Railway, which brings visitors from the renovated depot in Manitou Springs to the summit, reopens to the public on May 20 after a three-and-a-half-year closure. Tickets are on sale here.
The Pikes Peak summit has remained closed to both traffic and pedestrians since March 24 for the construction.
Travelers — on foot and in the car — can still explore much of the mountain, and entrance fees are 20% off while the summit is closed. Visitors can park at Devils Playground around 13,500 feet and hike the nearby trails.
Once the summit reopens, parking is limited so a shuttle service will bring visitors from the Devils Playground to the summit beginning June 15. Details on this shuttle are being finalized.
The center is expected to cost about $65 million and is funded in part by reserves from Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain (an enterprise of the City of Colorado Springs that generates funds through toll fees and concession sales) and revenue bonds taken by Pikes Peak. The fundraising goal of $15 million from public and private donations currently stands at about $12.7 million. No general fund tax dollars have been used.
Call 719-385-7325 for current highway conditions up Pikes Peak. Click here to learn more.
