The planner on this site also works inside ChatGPT, Claude and other assistants that support MCP (Model Context Protocol). Ask "Do I need a reservation to drive Pikes Peak on July 4?" and the assistant answers from the same rules, timelines and calculators as the pages here.
How to connect
ChatGPT: once the Pikes Peak Trip Planner is listed in the ChatGPT plugin directory, add it from there and pick it in a chat. Until then, with developer mode on, add a custom MCP server with the address https://pikespeak.info/mcp and no authentication.
Claude: in Settings → Connectors choose "Add custom connector" and enter https://pikespeak.info/mcp?src=claude. No sign-in is needed.
Other MCP clients: remote server https://pikespeak.info/mcp?src=mcp (Streamable HTTP, JSON-RPC over POST, no authentication).
What the assistant can do
| Tool | Returns |
|---|---|
Plan a Pikes Peak dayplan_pikes_peak_day | A day plan for your date and way up (drive, shuttle, Cog Railway, Barr Trail): timed-entry permit or not, gate hours, a timeline with the noon storm cutoff, snow turnaround points, sunrise and sunset, and what to book first. |
Is Pikes Peak open today?pikes_peak_conditions | How far up the Highway is open right now (the city's "Open to" line, read every 15 minutes), today's gate hours and the National Weather Service forecast. |
Pikes Peak cost: drive, shuttle or Cogcompare_pikes_peak_costs | What your group pays to drive (per person or carload), ride the Highway shuttle or take the Cog Railway on a date, cheapest first. |
Barr Trail or Manitou Incline hike timehike_time | Barr Trail hours up and down by pace, and the start time for a noon summit; Manitou Incline time, hours and when a date opens for reservations. |
Pikes Peak factspikes_peak_facts | Elevation, distances, fees, hours, rules and dates for the Highway, Cog Railway, Barr Trail, Incline, Garden of the Gods, Summit Visitor Center, Hill Climb and history, each with its source. |
Every tool only reads. None of them books, changes or stores anything, and none needs an account.
Same answers as the site
The server runs the same code as the planner and calculators on these pages. For example:
- Two adults and two children (6 to 12) on July 10, 2027: driving costs $54 per person or $67 with a carload pass, the Cog Railway $248 (driving figures include the timed-entry permit).
- Barr Trail at an average pace: about 8 h 02 min up and 4 h 20 min down; leave the trailhead by about 3:58 AM to summit by noon.
- Manitou Incline: 2,768 steps, about 1 h 18 min up by the rule, 1 to 2 hours by the published typical time.
- Summit elevation (NAPGD2022 geodesy): 14,107 ft.
Things to ask
- "Help me plan a Pikes Peak trip next Saturday from Denver. We want to drive up."
- "Is Pikes Peak open today? How far up can I drive?"
- "Is the Cog Railway or driving cheaper for 2 adults and 3 kids in August?"
- "What time should I start the Barr Trail to be on the summit by noon?"
- "Do I need a reservation for the Manitou Incline in January?"
Privacy and limits
The assistant sends the server only trip details: a date, the way up, a start time, how many people, a pace or a search phrase. It never needs names or contact details, and the server does not store or log what it receives. Your conversation is handled by the assistant's provider under its own privacy policy. Details: privacy, terms of use.
Times are a planning model, not a timetable. Gates, trains and weather decide on the day, so check the road status and the forecast before you go. Answers may include partner links to tours and hotels, marked as such and without prices.
Questions or a wrong answer: [email protected]
Last checked Nov 8, 2026 by Rainer Lang. Rules and prices change; confirm with the operator before you travel.