While many of Colorado’s mountains are accessible via well-maintained trails, no mountain is more accessible than Pikes Peak – its 14,115-foot summit is reachable via road, train, or two trails.

Given how accessible the peak is, it’s often the highest summit many people will ever reach – and the experience of reaching the top can come with some surprises.

While the Pikes Peak experience is highly rated across review platforms, here are a few reviews left by visitors who encountered the unexpected on their trip above treeline:

The Altitude Sickness

“Got to the to top and I felt so sick. Couldn’t walk more than ten steps without my heart pounding, dizziness and feeling faint. Saw a bit of the view but it was so not worth it. Went down and my ears were so clogged, my brain was so foggy and I felt like death. If you are sensitive to heights and altitudes, do NOT do this. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made. Never again.” – One star, Annie L, TripAdvisor.

“Sucks they were unable to help us with altitude sickness or sell us medicine. Guy at cashier said he would not sell me medicine because it won’t make a difference. I nearly died.” – One star; Vanessa J., Google Reviews.

Altitude sickness is an unfortunate side effect that comes with reaching the summit of Pikes Peak. Nausea, trouble breathing, and exhaustion can be common, especially among out-of-state tourists who aren’t acclimated to Colorado’s higher elevation at all. While some medicines may help in muting symptoms a little bit, it’s true that the only real solution is to descend to a lower elevation. Once a lower elevation is reached, symptoms tend to subside pretty quickly. While the phrase “I nearly died” might seem like a bit of an exaggeration, altitude sickness can indeed be deadly.

The Nature of the Road

“Absolutely terrifying, beautiful but you might wet yourself. […] The drive up was one of the scariest experiences of my life and everyone else’s in our Toyota Corolla. There are no guard rails and you are literally driving on a two lane road up and down the side of a very steep mountain. I mean you are right on the edge!!! I simply can’t believe they let people drive up at all. My husband is an excellent driver and even he was freaked out.” – Two stars, madamdadonde, TripAdvisor.

“The drive up is not for the faint of heart. The first 12 miles are pretty tame, but once you cross into miles 13-16 there is no turning back and you are setting yourself up for white knuckle driving. You are driving along the outer edge of the road on the way up with one false move and you are tumbling down the side of the mountain because there are NO GUARD RAILS.” – One star, Paula S., TripAdvisor.

“We had rented a new Jeep Wrangler which was overall an excellent and safe choice for our Colorado trip. Despite that, this drive was absolutely terrifying. I agree with another post here that drivers should be warned about the lack of guardrails, the likelihood of altitude sickness/painful ear pressure, and the overall dread this ride can evoke. We were so terrified, we did not enjoy what we could see of the view.” – Two stars, marieny524, TripAdvisor

“Horrible experience. Very few guard rails and drop offs that went straight down hundreds of feet. With what they charge to go up, you would think they could buy some freaking guard rails. Way too dangerous. Thank goodness my son was driving. He was fine until we got the last couple miles which were the worst then even he was freaking out. I kept feeling we were going to fall off. My anxiety was through the roof.” – One star, Annie L, TripAdvisor.

One aspect of traveling Colorado’s high-elevation roads that often shocks visitors is the lack of guardrails. This is due to a number of factors, one being that there often isn’t room. Because of this, other safety options tend to be used. The lack of guardrails can make drivers uncomfortable on roads like the Pikes Peak Highway – for the sake of safety, drive slow and pay attention… don’t get distracted by the good views.

The Weather

“So, you cannot control the weather, still had good views though. We took the Cog railway, and at the base it was 68 degrees and at the Peak it was 22 degrees with a -2 wind chill and a lot of blowing snow!” – Two stars, dtw1969; TripAdvisor.

“Know that if it is cloudy/raining, the views along the ride and at the top are really obscured and take away from the beauty of the summit. It is not worth the time and extreme effort the drive takes in these conditions.” – Two stars, marieny524, TripAdvisor

“When we arrived back at our car after being at the top of the Peak, there were lightning strikes in the area. I started the drive down behind three cars and we had a lightning strike about 45 feet ahead of us. The loudest crack — shaking in our boots. Immediately it started to hail which turned into some serious icy slush which made the drive down more difficult. Ironically, the ride down was less stressful than the ride up because we were hugging the mountain side most of the ride down.” – One star, Paula S., TripAdvisor.

Weather at high-elevation can be another surprising aspect for some – it tends to change quickly and be intense. For this reason, it’s important to be prepared with layers and by checking the forecast prior to start the trip up the mountain.

The Landscape

“A long drive up, followed by a long drive down. The views are most assuredly a Colorado high, but the vista are not especially spectacular. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado are . . . well, very rocky, meaning rather junky looking—scrubby, brownish vegetation, with boulders randomly strewn everywhere.” – Two stars, JA M, TripAdvisor.

“The drive up was the best part, kind of scary at places without guard rails, we saw beautiful lake, big foot crossing (lol), snow, peaks, trees…but on top all was dirt and rocks.” – One star, tnbluegrassfan, TripAdvisor

While some might head to Pikes Peak expecting something other than a rocky view from the summit, the summit is just that – lots of really big rocks. Meanwhile, the surrounding landscape is filled with green and considered to be more scenic by most. Don’t worry though – if rocks aren’t your thing, the drive up the mountain is stunning in itself. Wear comfortable shoes with some ankle support if you plan on exploring the summit due to uneven terrain found in some places.

The Donuts

“We went to get some more water and try the “famous” donuts, MISTAKE – they had little flavor and were dried out – we were the first Cog up in the morning! So much for fresh.” – Two stars, dtw1969; TripAdvisor.

Are the famous Pikes Peak summit donuts the best around? Most would say “no.” That said, they’re donuts being made at over 14,000 feet – give them a break before complaining and don’t leave the summit without giving them a try.

As was previously noted, the trip to the summit of Pikes Peak tends to be highly-rated, but being prepared and setting expectations is also important. Yes, the drive can be a little scary for some. Yes, altitude sickness is a thing. Yes, weather gets intense on the mountain and the summit is indeed full of rocks. That said, it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in Colorado for good reason and it’s totally worth checking out.