Anyone here been to PIke's Peak?

I do believe it is all dependent on the snow. April is really an iffy month for the whole state. We can get a ton of snow especially on top of Pikes Peak.

I have gone there the first weekend in June, and although several people in the group I was with were able to go up, it was snowing! Several were wearing sandals as I recall!

Yeah anywhere in the mountains in the summer is a crap shoot. We did a huge camping trip one year over the 4th of July. It got so cold and snowy we had to pack it up and head home. It was that bad.
I basically gave up camping after that, unless we have a cabin.

I have gone up 3 times (I think) and each time it was in July.
I recall the train does not go up after October 1st because it is time for snow...but I don't remember when they said it opened.

side story: In 1982, DH and his 2 sons (teenagers) decided they would hike up. Nothing I said convinced them that they should have had training etc. They were sure it could be done in a snap. I think they each had a candy bar when they set off early in the AM. Our son, age 6, and I stayed below and went to the amusement park for little kids (North pole?). At the end of the day, they were not back. The plan was to hike up and take the train down.
We were camping but I would go to the train station every arrival--and no family member. I asked around as I was very worried with each train that came and no DH or sons. Locals told me that the trip was a hike that would take a day and they would probably have to be helicoptered down (at our expense). I can't tell you how worried I was. Finally on the last train down, they arrived. They had made it to the top, barely in time to catch the train. Oldest son told me he thought his dad was going to die on the hike. DH was a smoker then and it was not an easy hike. FF to 1992 and we were back to Colorado Springs. We rode the train to the top and DH decided he and our son, who was now age 16, could walk/hike down, so off they went. SMH. It took them a very long time, but they did arrive before dark. DH thinks hiking down was more difficult that hiking up. DS told me, "Don't EVER let me do that again!"

Sounds about right, lol! I don't recall if DH was wearing shorts and sandals, but probably. As he always says, "I'm Canadian; we're tough!"

Snow comes and goes quickly. The altitude helps the snow melt faster, so that may help you. If you are lucky enough to be there when it isn't actually snowing, it's possible.

I just want to warn you about the drive, if you chose that option (vs taking the railway up). It's a real mountain. That means that the drive has a lot of switch backs all the way up/down, the road is steep, and the guardrails are few. When we went up, the road wasn't paved either.

If you have an issue with heights, I would encourage you to take the railway. My dad drove up there 22 years ago when my DD was an infant and DS was 2. Evidently DS kicked Dad's seat the entire way up and Dad was seriously freaking out. I was sitting next to DS and I can assure you that he wasn't really "kicking" the seat as much as bumping it every now and again to adjust himself as he would slip down going around turns and downhill sections. It's been 22 years and Dad still tells the story about the drive!

As others have said, it will depend on the weather, but it doesn't close foe the season like Trail Ridge

If it has been nice and the roads are clear and dry, it will be open. If there is snow or ice (or sometimes wind) it will be closed.

There is no way to know until closer to the day

I've been up many times- we live just east of Colorado Springs. Last year they were also doing construction on the building at the top, so that may have been a factor as well. There's no guarantee it would be open in April- DSIL and his family tried driving up one July but had to turn around b/c of snow.

I much prefer to drive than take the train to the top. The train only gives you 20-30 minutes at the top, which isn't much time to wait in line for the bathroom and look around. The views from the road are a lot prettier than the train's views also.

If you drive, it's better to drive straight up to the top, then stop for pictures on the way down. That way your brakes won't be as likely to overheat and make you wait a while in the cooling parking lot.

They also stop you and check brakes before you head all the way down.

My dd is still traumatized from the drive (in a convertible) 5 years ago. She’s 17 now lol.