Pikes Peak summit closed to visitors until May 23

PIKES PEAK, Colo. (KRDO) -- Starting Monday, you won't be able to get yourself to the very top of Pikes Peak for the next two months as construction crews put the finishing touches on the new Summit House.

The restriction includes hikers in addition to anyone planning on taking Pikes Peak Highway to the summit. The closure starts Monday and goes until May 23, according to the City of Colorado Springs.

Hikers will be required to turn around on the Barr or Crags trails, and drivers on the Pikes Peak Highway will have to stop at the Devil's Playground area. Hikers on the Barr Trail will be able to get very near the summit before turning around.

However, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway is expected to open in early May after a several-year hiatus. The cog railway has seen improvements on its tracks, and updated cars will be ferrying visitors to the summit from Manitou Springs.

You can see a preview of what to expect from the new Summit House here. The old summit house is set to be demolished within the next two weeks, but an official date hasn't been set yet.