Moving to RURAL Colorado (Grand Junction, Durango: new home, neighborhoods, live in)

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by hikernut

"Jet airport" could use some clarification. To me this means Denver, Colorado Springs, or Grand Junction. Others might interpret this a bit differently.

Montrose, Aspen and Eagle have jet service too.

I think Steamboat and Durango does as well.

[NW Crow]

Yeah, it could mean big jet service, non turbo prop. I couldn't tell what it meant for sure. So we've asked and suggested clarification.

If lively music scene can partly or largely be finding people to hang out & play with privately and non-commercially, then rural areas / small towns probably have some of that if you look / dig for it.

Durango has the Animas Theatre; but that is mainly modern dance music for the college students. Most of the other smaller live music venues entertain 10-50 people at a time, most of the time, usually without cover charge. 100 plus occasionally. Strater Theatre books a few touring acts willing to play to a few hundred willing to pay enough for it. The Community Concert Hall is a 600 seat venue. Farmington NM gets some bigger shows. There is a winery and a few ranches that host some outdoor shows. A couple music schools mostly for kids. At least one recording studio. One or two instrument / gear shops. No record store anymore. A house you can book your own small shows in. Occasional live music in the streets for downtown festivals (at least previously). Maybe an act or two at the annual county fair. So about what you should probably expect. Talk of trying to build an additional events center or two (one in town, one outside) but. it is early talk. Concerts at fairgrounds or local high schools might be possible if a promoter could arrange it, thought they could make money.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by otowi

Since you didn't say you need to be in the mountains, a few places in the Eastern part of the state I would suggest considering are Sterling in NE Colorado, La Junta in SE Colorado.

If he wants whitewater, he needs some hills.

Salida and Buena Vista come to mind for me. They are quite populated with other whitewater folks I. The summer months though.

[brightdoglover]

Telluride and surrounding areas are very musical and beautiful and arty, have to go to Montrose for the airport. I know Telluride is wild expensive but if you get out of the town a bit, towards Montrose for convenience, it's a lot more doable. All other outdoor stuff right at hand. Hospital in Montrose, too.

[NW Crow]

8 counties on western slope with more than 25k population. A couple of those a bit over 50k. Then Mesa County (GJ metro) at about 150k.

Only one city much over 20k. (GJ)

[KSinmyrearviewmirror]

The https://utetheater.com in Rifle website had Sam Bush on the marquee. Seems like when we were in Fruita (june/july 2019) I heard Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives would be performing at Ute Theater in Rifle, CO . . .

Not sure about outdoor activities, town is ~ 9K.

The total driving distance from Grand Junction, CO to Rifle, CO is 61 miles.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by KSinmyrearviewmirror

The https://utetheater.com in Rifle website had Sam Bush on the marquee. Seems like when we were in Fruita (june/july 2019) I heard Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives would be performing at Ute Theater in Rifle, CO . . .

Not sure about outdoor activities, town is ~ 9K.

The total driving distance from Grand Junction, CO to Rifle, CO is 61 miles.

That would be quite the concert! I've been pleased how many well known musicians work the summer tourist circuit in some more remote areas.

[otowi]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

If he wants whitewater, he needs some hills.

Salida and Buena Vista come to mind for me. They are quite populated with other whitewater folks I. The summer months though.

A great place for whitewater is Canon City, but it is a little bit closer to some larger cities than he may prefer.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by Tom Judy

My wife and I are about to retire, both of us are Geologist, both very active in outdoor recreation, cycling, equestrian, fly fishing, lake and WW kayaking. We currently live on 20 acres in Rural El Dorado County California. Both of us are tired of the politics, Fire danger, (and insurance now at $7k/year) taxes, and mostly of the encroachment of urban (Sacramento) into our country lifestyle.

I am a Sales Manager for an equipment company and service Ca, Nv, UT, CO, and WY, so, I know from business trips how nice some of those areas are. We plan to,have a Winter Home down in Baja, so, the winters in the Rockies won’t be a problem.

I am hoping to relocate, out of California, into Rural somewhere. I am looking for a small, (under 30k) population, and over 50miles from any major city, but, want a place with reasonable access to jet airport, hospital, and lively outdoor recreation access, and lively music scene,, I am a singer song writer

I have visited Durango area, like that a lot, want to avoid the Front Range (Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder) As that is just another California.

Looking for suggestions

If fire hazard matters enough that you listed it first, Durango won’t be on the list. In fact, much of the western slope, as well as the Front Range foothills, should be crossed off. Look at the drought status of parts of CO for the last few years and use that as a hint of one reason WHY fire is such a high risk.

The entire spring has been bone dry and unusually warm in SW CO. Since at least a month ago, frequent high-speed, desiccating wind has added to the tinder effect.

And I am understating the fire risk.

[COcheesehead]

If you are going to let fire danger stop you, then anywhere in the west is off limits. The are big fires right now in AZ.
Some of the largest fires in Colorado have been on the Front Range and most were started by man.