Scenic Pikes Peak Highway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Pikes Peak Highway climbs toward a 14,000-foot summit, and this self-guided tour gives the drive a steady stream of stories instead of leaving you to guess what each overlook or trail means. The audio begins automatically as you reach each location, so you can keep your eyes on the road and the mountains. The route covers more than 18 miles and includes over 29 stories.

I like two things right away: one purchase covers up to four people, and the tour remains available for life with no expiry date. I also like the freedom to stop for pictures, pause the narration, skip sections, or return on another trip. The main drawback is clear and important: the $16.99 price pays for the audio tour only, not admission to Pikes Peak Highway.

Key points to know before you go

• The audio follows an 18-plus-mile mountain road: More than 29 stories cover reservoirs, railways, trails, storms, and local history.
• The price is per car, not per person: Up to four people can share one purchase, making it far cheaper than four individual tickets.
• Park admission is separate: You still need to pay the required entrance fee at Pikes Peak.
• The app works offline: Download the tour over strong Wi-Fi or cellular service before reaching the mountain.
• You control the pace: Stop for photos, take breaks, skip stories, or use the tour across multiple days.
• Someone else should drive: The road and views deserve attention, while a passenger handles the phone and audio.

What this Pikes Peak audio tour actually does

This is not a ride to the summit, a park pass, or a guided van trip. It is a GPS-based audio companion for your own drive up Pikes Peak Highway. You bring the car, pay the mountain entrance fee separately, and let the Action app add narration as you reach the marked locations.

The route begins at 5050 Pikes Peak Highway in Cascade and ends near the Pikes Peak Cog Railway Station and Barr Trail area. The stated driving time is about one to two hours, but that is best treated as audio and road time, not your total visit. Add time for admission, stops, photos, food, short walks, and possible pauses.

The narrator is not listed by name, but the product is provided by Guide With Action. The app plays stories automatically when you reach their GPS points. That hands-free setup is useful on a mountain road, though I would still have a passenger manage the phone if you need to pause, skip, or troubleshoot.

The experience is offered in English only. You get offline maps, extra stories, and lifetime access with no expiry. You can use it on any trip and across multiple days, which gives the $16.99 price more value than a one-time recording.

Admission confusion to avoid at the entrance

The most important planning detail is also the easiest to miss: this purchase does not include admission to Pikes Peak Highway. You will arrive at the entrance and still need to pay for access to the mountain road.

Two people misunderstood the price as a carload admission ticket and had to pay again at the booth. One reported paying $34 to enter. That exact amount may not be the current charge, so check the official entrance details before you go, but the basic rule is firm: budget for park admission in addition to the audio tour.

Think of the audio as a low-cost guide layered onto your road trip. At $16.99 for up to four people, it can be good value if you want context without paying for a full guided outing. It is poor value if you only need entry, since the audio will not get you through the gate.

The entrance and tour hours are listed as 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily for the stated operating period. Your actual mountain visit still depends on road and weather conditions, so confirm current access before setting out.

Cascade begins the climb with old railway history

Cascade is the first major stop after the start. People have been pausing here since 1890, when this area served as a stop on the cog railway.

The audio connects the viewpoint to the old railway experience. Early visitors used the train ride not only to see the mountain but also to adjust to the high altitude. That small detail helps explain why Cascade mattered before modern cars carried people higher up the slope.

Give this stop about ten minutes if you want to listen and look around. It is a useful opening because the road is not just a scenic drive. It follows a long tradition of people seeking the mountain by rail, road, and foot.

Crystal Creek Reservoir shows how Colorado Springs gets water

Crystal Creek Reservoir is more than a pretty body of water beside the road. It supplies drinking water to Colorado Springs, making it one of the places where the mountain connects directly to daily city life.

The narration also points to the role of human engineering. Water does not reach a growing city by nature alone. Reservoirs, collection systems, and other public works help turn mountain runoff into a dependable supply.

Plan roughly ten minutes here. The stop works well for a short pause and a change of subject from railway history to modern water needs. It also gives you a practical reason to look beyond the mountain views.

North Catamount Reservoir adds the wider water story

The next reservoir stop is North Catamount. Along with South Catamount and Crystal Creek, it forms part of the water system serving the region.

The value here is the connection between several places. Instead of treating each reservoir as an isolated photo stop, the audio explains that they work together as part of a larger supply network.

You may not need a long stay, but the ten-minute estimate gives you time to listen and take pictures. If you are driving with children, these reservoir stops also break the climb into manageable sections. The limitation is that the tour does not turn them into long walking visits. They are primarily short roadside stops within a bigger drive.

The cog railway stop explains another way up

The Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway stop has a slightly misleading name because you are not yet halfway to the summit. There is a small parking area where you can pause.

This stop brings the railway story back into the drive. The cog railway helped make Pikes Peak accessible to sightseers long before today’s road trip became the standard way to reach the upper mountain.

Use the parking area for a quick break rather than expecting a long attraction visit. The audio tour gives you useful background, but it does not include a railway ticket or a ride. If riding the cog railway is part of your plan, that is a separate experience.

Glen Cove marks the halfway point

Glen Cove Visitor Center is the rough halfway marker on the climb. For decades, it has been a key stopping place for people heading toward the summit.

This is one of the most practical points on the route. You can use it to judge how much road remains and decide if you need a longer pause before the higher sections. The tour allows you to stop for snacks, photos, or a rest without losing your place.

The road becomes more exposed and more dramatic as you climb. The audio gives you reasons to notice that change rather than treating Glen Cove as just another pullout. Set aside around ten minutes for the story, then take the time you need for the view.

The difficult trail offers views without a full-day hike

One section of the route highlights a difficult trail of just over ten miles. Completing it can take several hours, so it is not a casual add-on to a one-to-two-hour road tour.

The useful advice is that you do not have to hike the entire route to enjoy views of the north face of Pikes Peak. A shorter walk can still give you a taste of the trail and mountain scenery, provided conditions and your ability allow it.

I like this kind of information because it keeps the choice practical. You can admire the trail without feeling that you must commit to a long hike. Still, the tour does not provide a detailed hiking plan, trail conditions, or gear guidance. Treat the route as an optional stop, not as part of the included driving time.

Devil’s Playground is a rough place for lightning

Devil’s Playground sounds playful, but this is a stark, exposed area where lightning can move across the terrain during thunderstorms. The audio makes the name memorable while pointing to a real mountain hazard.

This is a good place to take weather seriously. The high road is not only about clear-day photographs. Storms can change the character of the upper mountain quickly, and an exposed area is no place to linger during lightning.

The tour allows you to pause and take pictures when conditions are suitable. Do not let the narration turn a storm warning into a spectacle. If thunder or lightning is present, follow current safety instructions and do not make this stop a priority.

Bottomless Pit turns a local story into a quick stop

At Bottomless Pit, local claims suggest that rocks dropped over the edge never make a sound. The scientific explanation is simpler: there is a bottom.

It is a short, memorable stop, and the ten-minute estimate is enough for the story and a look. The appeal is less about a major viewpoint than about how mountain places collect legends.

Stay behind any barriers and use caution near edges. The app can tell you the story, but it cannot watch your footing or replace site safety signs. This is a stop for listening and looking, not for testing the drop.

Barr Trail connects the drive to the hikers

Barr Trail is one of the best-known walking routes on Pikes Peak. Its roots reach back to the gold rush era, though the path was not always as maintained as it is now.

The stop adds a human-powered version of the mountain experience. You have been climbing by car, while hikers take the long route toward the summit. That contrast gives the road trip more meaning.

The tour allows about 15 minutes here, but you can stay longer if you want to walk. The audio does not include a guided hike, and the full trail is not presented as a short stroll. Use the stop to understand the route and take a brief walk only if it fits your ability and schedule.

How to set up the Action app

After booking, you receive setup instructions and a password by email and text. Search for audio tour if the message is hard to find. You must download the separate Action app and load the tour while you have strong Wi-Fi or cellular service.

That download step matters. Cell service may not be dependable on the mountain, but the tour works offline after setup. Use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with version 9 or later, or an iPad or tablet with GPS and cellular connection for the best navigation support.

Connect your phone to the car stereo by Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. Audio playback works with Apple CarPlay. Android Auto support is still described as forthcoming, so do not assume it will work through that system.

Once onsite, open the app and launch the tour that matches your starting point and direction. Go to the first story point. The narration should begin automatically, then guide you to the next point.

If you have more than one tour in the app, choose the version that matches the planned start and direction. For audio problems, contact support. Staying close to the route and following the speed limit gives the automatic triggers the best chance of working properly.

Who gets the best value from this tour

This tour suits you if you want to drive yourself, learn the story behind the stops, and avoid paying for a person to sit in the car as a guide. It is also a good fit for couples, families, or a small group of up to four sharing one vehicle.

It works especially well for flexible schedules. You can pause for a meal, stop for photographs, take a short walk, or spread the route across more than one day. Lifetime access also means you can reuse it on a later Colorado trip.

It is less suitable if you want a fully guided experience, personal questions answered on the spot, or transportation included. It also may not suit the driver who wants to operate the phone while handling a steep scenic road. Have a passenger manage the app, or set it up before you begin.

The tour has a rating of 4 from 10 recorded ratings, so I would treat it as a useful audio tool rather than a polished substitute for every kind of guide. The strongest practical benefit is its low group price and freedom. The biggest risk is misunderstanding what you bought.

Should you book the Pikes Peak audio tour?

Book it if you already plan to pay for Pikes Peak Highway admission and want more meaning from the drive. At $16.99 per carload, the price is sensible for four people, especially with offline access, automatic narration, bonus stories, and no expiry date.

Skip it if you only need a park entrance ticket, since the audio does not provide admission. Also skip it if you prefer a live guide or do not want to manage an app.

My advice is simple: budget for the entrance fee first, download the audio at home, let someone else handle the driving, and use the tour as a flexible layer of history and local detail. That is where this experience earns its keep.

FAQ

Does the $16.99 price include admission to Pikes Peak Highway?

No. The price covers the self-guided audio tour only. You must pay the required entrance fee separately at Pikes Peak.

How many people can use one purchase?

One purchase covers a group of up to four people in the car.

How long does the driving tour take?

The audio route is more than 18 miles long and takes about one to two hours to complete. Extra time is needed for parking, photos, walks, and breaks.

Is the tour available in languages other than English?

No. The tour is offered in English.

Do I need cellular service while driving?

You need strong Wi-Fi or cellular service to download the tour before starting. After download, the app works offline.

Does anyone meet me at the starting point?

No. This is a private, self-guided activity. You go to the start point and launch the tour yourself.

Where does the tour begin and end?

It begins at 5050 Pikes Peak Highway in Cascade, Colorado. The stated end is near the Pikes Peak Cog Railway Station and Barr Trail.

Can I pause the tour for photos or food?

Yes. You can pause anywhere, take breaks, explore side trips, and resume at your own pace.

Can I use the tour again later?

Yes. The tour provides lifetime access with no expiry and can be used on any trip, as many times as you want.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded.