Mount Evans or Pikes Peak?
 

I will be driving through Colorado in August and would like to drive up Pikes Peak or Mount Evans. How do they compare? What are approximate drive times?

Hard to compare. Pikes Peak is famous, Mt Evans is not. Mt. Evans has a hard surface road to the top but no development. It burned down ten to fifteen years ago. PP is gravel with a snack bar on top. Has far more tourist because the cog railroad goes to the top. I think PP still has a toll and Mt. Evans is free. I am guessing that PP is the longer drive but you start lower. I think it depends on where your are driving. I would not go out of my way to visit either. I would catch the one that was most convenient.

I'm in agreement with fmpden. Catch whichever one is most convenient to your route.

Mt Evans:

-not as famous as Pikes Peak
-close to Denver
-fee to travel on road from Echo Lake to the top
-only restrooms at the summit parking lot
-the parking lot is about 300 feet below the actual summit. You have to hike a short switchback trail from the parking lot to the summit.
Great views of Denver & the Great Plains to the east. Good view of the "bowl" of South Park. Great views of the mountains to the north, south & west including Long's Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, Pike's Peak, Mt. Bierstadt (right next door to Mt. Evans), Gray's and Torrey's Peaks (the 2 highest points on the continental divide in the U.S.), and on a clear day I've even been able to see Mount of the Holy Cross way off in the distance to the west.


Pike's Peak:

- much more famous landmark
- close to Colorado Springs
- toll road to get to the top
- can also reach the summit via Pike's Peak Cog Railway out of Manitou Springs.
- restrooms, snack bar, and gift shop at the top.
- parking lot is at the actual summit (which is a large and relatively flat or slightly rounded knob).
-Great views of the plains east of Colorado Springs. Great views of the mountains to the north and west, although not quite as dramatic as the views from Mt. Evans IMHO.

Count on at least a one and a half to two hour drive from Denver to the summit of Mt. Evans. Even more if you stop along the way.