Yes, but you'll skip the summit.

You can do both in a morning if you treat the tower (Pikes Peak) as a drive-through and hit Cave of the Winds right when it opens. But “efficient” means sacrificing the hour you’d normally spend at the top taking photos and breathing thin air.

The key: start at 7 AM, drive up Pikes Peak Highway (about 1.5 hours up, 45 min down if you don’t stop much), then head straight to Cave of the Winds for the 10 AM tour. That tour runs about 75 minutes. You’ll be done by 11:30. Tight, but doable.

Cave of the Winds reservations are a must. They sell out. And if you want the Haunted Lantern Tour or any add‑ons, forget it — that’s an afternoon thing. Stick to the basic Discovery Tour.

The real question is whether you want to rush. The summit is the whole point of Pikes Peak. If you’re fine with a quick parking lot lap and a gas station photo, go for it. Otherwise, pick one or give yourself the afternoon.