Summer (June–September) is peak season and the best time for hiking — the Barr Trail and the Incline are in ideal condition, the mineral springs are busy, and the town is lively. Expect afternoon thunderstorms in July and August, which are impressive but pass quickly. Crowds on the Incline can be heavy on summer weekends; go early.
Spring and autumn are quieter and often beautiful — the aspen groves turn gold in September and October, and the air is crisp and clear. Winter is cold but the town remains open; the cog railway to Pikes Peak runs less frequently but the mountain's winter scenery is spectacular. The Emma Crawford Coffin Races in late October — a genuinely peculiar local festival involving decorated coffins racing down a hill — are a reason in themselves to visit in autumn.