Colorado STR intelligence, from the field.

Pikes Peak Area Airbnb Income Guide 2026

The Pikes Peak region doesn't get the same headlines as Breckenridge or Estes Park, but that's exactly why it's worth paying attention to. Colorado's most iconic summit draws over 4 million visitors annually — more than Rocky Mountain National Park in most years — and the communities surrounding it offer STR investors a lower acquisition cost, a year-round visitor base, and a regulatory environment that rewards doing your homework.

This guide covers the Pikes Peak area STR market with real revenue data, bedroom-by-bedroom breakdowns, seasonal patterns, and the regulatory landscape you need to understand before you buy.

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The Pikes Peak Market at a Glance

The Pikes Peak region encompasses several distinct STR sub-markets: unincorporated Teller County, Cripple Creek, Woodland Park (with important regulatory caveats), and El Paso County properties near the mountain. For investors, the most investor-friendly jurisdictions are unincorporated Teller County and Cripple Creek — areas where non-owner-occupied STRs are permitted without the owner-occupancy restrictions that apply within Woodland Park city limits.

Using Woodland Park as the proxy market for the broader area, here's what the data shows:

*Source: Rabbu proprietary analytics, March 2026.*[1]

The $210 ADR sits well below Colorado's $519 state average — which reflects the market's positioning as an accessible mountain getaway rather than a premium ski destination. That's not a weakness; it's a different value proposition. Guests who can't afford Breckenridge rates come here, and they come consistently.

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Revenue by Bedroom Count

The bedroom-count spread in the Pikes Peak area is dramatic. Smaller units generate supplemental income; larger properties generate investment-grade returns.

*Source: Rabbu, March 2026.*[1]

The jump from 4-bedroom ($64,288/year) to 5-bedroom ($82,954/year) is the most striking in the dataset — a 29% revenue increase driven by a $283 ADR premium. That gap exists because 5-bedroom properties serve the group travel segment (family reunions, corporate retreats, large friend groups) that has very limited supply in this market. Only 9 five-bedroom listings exist across the entire Woodland Park area — which means if you own one, you're competing against almost nobody.

Four-bedroom properties also stand out for a different reason: they lead the market in occupancy at 41%, compared to 30–32% for smaller units. Higher occupancy + higher ADR = the strongest RevPAN in the market at $108/night.

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Seasonal Revenue Patterns

The Pikes Peak area is a summer-dominant market with a meaningful winter shoulder season — a different pattern from Summit County's ski-driven peaks.

*Source: Rabbu, March 2026.*[1]

The peak-to-trough spread is 3.2x (July at $5,298 vs. February at $1,649). That's significant — but it's also more moderate than markets like Estes Park, where the spread can exceed 4x. The Pikes Peak area benefits from year-round demand drivers that smooth out the seasonal curve: Cripple Creek's casino district draws visitors in every month, and the Pikes Peak Highway (open May through November) anchors the summer season.

The hidden opportunity: October is consistently underpriced by hosts who see the summer season ending. But October in the Pikes Peak area offers the Pikes Peak Highway's final weeks, fall foliage at elevation, and dramatically reduced competition. Properties that price October aggressively — and market it correctly — routinely outperform their summer months on a per-night basis.

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What Amenities Actually Move the Needle

The Pikes Peak market's amenity landscape tells you what guests expect versus what creates a competitive advantage:

*Source: Rabbu, March 2026.*[1]

Hot tubs appear in 52% of listings — which means they're becoming expected in the upper half of the market but still differentiate in the lower half. If you're acquiring a 3–5 bedroom property, a hot tub is essentially required to compete at the ADR levels that justify the investment.

Pet-friendly is the underrated play. Only 41% of listings accept pets, but pet-owning households represent a disproportionate share of mountain vacation demand. Properties that accept pets and market it prominently routinely see 15–20% ADR premiums and higher occupancy in shoulder months when non-pet-friendly properties sit empty.

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The Regulatory Landscape: What You Need to Know

This is where the Pikes Peak area requires careful attention. The regulatory environment varies significantly by jurisdiction:

Woodland Park (City Limits): A 2023 voter-approved ordinance restricts STRs in residentially zoned areas to owner-occupied properties only. Non-owner-occupied STRs within Woodland Park city limits face significant legal uncertainty as of 2026. Investors should avoid purchasing non-owner-occupied STR properties within city limits until the regulatory situation stabilizes.[2]

Unincorporated Teller County: The county has been studying STR regulations but has not enacted the same owner-occupancy restrictions as Woodland Park city. Non-owner-occupied STRs in unincorporated Teller County are currently permitted with proper licensing. Always verify current requirements with Teller County before purchasing.[3]

Cripple Creek: The city has its own STR licensing process. Cripple Creek's casino-driven economy creates year-round demand that makes it one of the more stable sub-markets in the region.

El Paso County (Unincorporated): Properties in unincorporated El Paso County near Pikes Peak operate under county-level regulations, which are generally more permissive than Woodland Park's city ordinance.

For all jurisdictions: Colorado state sales tax (2.9%) and applicable local lodging taxes apply. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit some taxes on behalf of hosts, but operators should confirm their full obligations with the Colorado Department of Revenue.

The bottom line: do your regulatory due diligence before purchasing in this market. The Woodland Park situation has created uncertainty that doesn't exist in most other Colorado STR markets. Properties in unincorporated Teller County or Cripple Creek are the safer bets for non-owner-occupied investment.

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Is the Pikes Peak Area Right for Your Investment?

The Pikes Peak area makes the most sense for investors who:

- Want lower acquisition costs than Summit County or Estes Park (median home values around $714k vs. $900k+ in Breckenridge) - Are targeting 4–5 bedroom properties where the revenue math works best - Are comfortable with summer-dominant seasonality and can plan cash flow accordingly - Are purchasing in unincorporated Teller County or Cripple Creek rather than within Woodland Park city limits - Want a market with less competition from institutional operators and large management companies

It's a harder market to underwrite than Breckenridge — the lower ADR means the revenue-to-price ratio requires careful property selection. But for the right property in the right jurisdiction, the Pikes Peak area offers a viable path to returns that the premium markets can no longer provide at current acquisition costs.

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Get a Custom Revenue Projection

Generic market averages only tell you so much. Your actual revenue depends on your specific property — its location within the market, bedroom count, amenities, and how it's priced and managed.

We model every property individually before we take it on. If you're evaluating a Pikes Peak area property, we'll run the numbers for your specific address and give you a realistic revenue range — not a marketing estimate.

[Get Your Free Revenue Projection →](/contact)

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*Want to compare markets before deciding? Read our [Summit County vs. Estes Park comparison](/insights/summit-county-vs-estes-park-str-comparison) or see all [Colorado STR Income Guides](/insights/colorado-str-income-guides).*

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[1] Rabbu. "Woodland Park, CO Airbnb Market Data, Statistics, and Occupancy Rates [2026]." *Rabbu*, March 15, 2026. https://rabbu.com/airbnb-data/woodland-park-co [2] Mountain Jackpot. "Woodland Park Short-Term Rental Saga Continues with More Legal Drama." April 11, 2025. https://www.mountainjackpot.com/2025/04/11/woodland-park-short-term-rental-saga-continues-with-more-legal-drama/ [3] Teller County. "Short-Term Rental Information." *Teller County, CO Official Website*. https://tellercounty.gov/Short-Term-Rental-Information

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