Where to buy land for horses in CO (Denver, Grand Junction: agriculture, gated)

[I_LUVNM]

Originally Posted by Catherine D

Do you like Cortez? Maybe we should spend some time looking around the western slope. Do you know anything about health care over there, traveling to and from, access to shopping, etc? There is just so much to consider. My husband has lived all over the country and LOVES CO. So do I, but I've only lived in Chicago and a little town in southwest MI. Colorado seems like a dream. It's just hard to know the right place to move to when you haven't spent much time in a particular town?

Thanks for your input!

Cortez is a more western town with lots of ranchers and cowboys. If you like the more rural, laid back, easy going type of town, that would be the one. It has a good hospital and nearby Farmington and Durango have excellent hospitals too. Shopping is basic, Super Walmart, dollar store, mom and pop stores, some grocery stores and such. Farmington and hour away has all you need from Best Buy to Super Target. I like more urban, so Durango is my favorite. It is more fast paced, lively and artsy. Cortez is great though for a rancher or farmer type of person or family. The southwest has more water than up in the high desert around Grand Junction. Lot of ranches and farms around Cortez and even Durango.

[alhdvm]

I highly recommend the Fort Collins area. I went to veterinary school at CSU and the area is phenomenal. Old Town Fort Collins is a great "downtown" area with original shops and restaurants. Also, if you have horses, having the vet school nearby is a plus. I am an equine veterinarian and CSU is touted as the best veterinary school for equine studies.

Currently I am in Monument which is about 1 hour south of Denver. There are quite a few horse properties in my area but most are developed I think. The Larkspur area is amazing if you get a chance to see it and the horses properties are as equally amazing! I ditto one other persons suggestion to look in Cortez. I have heard it is beautiful and I have seen pictures of some of the properties.

[sunsprit]

While all of the suggestions have merit, the problem I see you're going to have is which of the criteria you're willing to compromise on.

If you want 30-40 acres with a milder climate, reasonable access to shopping & medical ... it's available. But the price range will be closer to $1mil++++.

If you'll settle for more a more remote location, an hour (or more) drive to limited shopping, limited medical facilities ... and a possible harsher climate ... Your budget is very good. You can get 40 raw acres for $2,000/acre, and then drill a well (maybe $12-80K), build a septic, and put a modest house on the place within your budget. Depending upon your requirements for fencing, shelter, arena, indoor arena for your horses, you can spend as much as you desire.

The point is that all of the highly desirable locations in Colorado fitting your description have already been "discovered" years ago and developed, and are now bringing a lot of money. Even the less desirable places in the economically challenged counties are bringing a lot of attention today and will go through your budget without having the amenities you seek.

I've got friends who recently bought just west of Trinidad; 40 acres about 45 minutes west of town. They've got to drill a deep well (estimted cost: $82,000) for domestic water. They'll have to truck in hay for their horses because the mountains around them are not grazing land. Local labor concerns force them to place a factory built home in their site, they cannot "stick build" due to an almost non-existent work force. They put a camper- 5th wheel trailer on the place last fall, thinking they'd be able to access the property in the winter and maybe snowbird south as needed. The closest they've been able to drive into the property since last fall is about 2 miles after having hired a snowblower/truck to clear the first few miles into the subdivision. We've flown over the site and you can see the snow is still up to the windows on the trailer. They've snowshoed into the place to check out the trailer and can't see any more than we could flying over it ... it's buried until spring thaws it out. But, it's all in your price range ....

[Catherine D]

Originally Posted by Nadine

I don't know if you are wanting an area that has irrigation for pasture or if you want prairie type without any good grazing. Colorado is semi-arrid, most places you will not grow much without irrigation. Many places advertised as good horse property don't think horses need to graze. Just buy hay, which of coarse is possible but expensive way to go. Irrigated acreage is more expensive. I also do not know what is your lifestyle as to the horses. Do you plan on good riding? Or showing or just backyard pets. I do not know as much about Northern Co. as I do southern area along the Arkansas River and it drainage, but I do know their winters are harder. Along the Rockies eastern side at 6000 ft or less, South of Colorado Springs. There are areas with good riding, good growing seasons and dry land or irrigated. If irrigated you need less land for horses. How many horses are you thinking of? I do not know a great deal about the western slope but I love the summers there along the Rockies. Colorado is getting chopped up and growing as I understand other states. Ranches are breaking up into small acreage. Some with irrigation, some of coarse without, and some with both. ---Health Care, is good, what the small don't have, Colorado Springs, Pueblo or even Denver. My grandson was flight to life to Colorado Spring to a burn center, that is only 45 miles away, then medevac(sp?) to Fort Sam Huston to military burn center. So we have available health care, one way or another.

Thanks for the info. Knowing health care is good is important. We would keep on avg. 3 horses and i'd like to have some grazing land and trails to ride. That's why we were thinking at least 10 acres but prefer 30 to 40. Depending on $$$$! What area do you live? It seems we are leaning more towards the Durango, 4 corners area or Grand Junction, now. But...we already have our plane tickets for March 1-4 into Denver, so we'll be taking a look around the front range. We won't be able to make it back until my daughter gets out of school in June. We'll then look south and West and take a week or so. We are hoping to buy land now and build in another 5 or 6 years. Again I appreciate all the Colorado knowledge i can get

Thanks!
Catherine

[Catherine D]

Originally Posted by I_LUVNM

Cortez is a more western town with lots of ranchers and cowboys. If you like the more rural, laid back, easy going type of town, that would be the one. It has a good hospital and nearby Farmington and Durango have excellent hospitals too. Shopping is basic, Super Walmart, dollar store, mom and pop stores, some grocery stores and such. Farmington and hour away has all you need from Best Buy to Super Target. I like more urban, so Durango is my favorite. It is more fast paced, lively and artsy. Cortez is great though for a rancher or farmer type of person or family. The southwest has more water than up in the high desert around Grand Junction. Lot of ranches and farms around Cortez and even Durango.

What is Cortez like to look at? Is it flat and dessert like or green like Durango? We saw some possible property a little north of there by Dolores. Do you know anything about it? How far to Durango?

We are also considering changing our plan. What's the best way to get from Denver airport to the four corners? If we drive in March would we have problems? We are very excited about the prospect of buying a part of our dream! Thank you again for your help!

[Catherine D]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

While all of the suggestions have merit, the problem I see you're going to have is which of the criteria you're willing to compromise on.

If you want 30-40 acres with a milder climate, reasonable access to shopping & medical ... it's available. But the price range will be closer to $1mil++++.

If you'll settle for more a more remote location, an hour (or more) drive to limited shopping, limited medical facilities ... and a possible harsher climate ... Your budget is very good. You can get 40 raw acres for $2,000/acre, and then drill a well (maybe $12-80K), build a septic, and put a modest house on the place within your budget. Depending upon your requirements for fencing, shelter, arena, indoor arena for your horses, you can spend as much as you desire.

The point is that all of the highly desirable locations in Colorado fitting your description have already been "discovered" years ago and developed, and are now bringing a lot of money. Even the less desirable places in the economically challenged counties are bringing a lot of attention today and will go through your budget without having the amenities you seek.

I've got friends who recently bought just west of Trinidad; 40 acres about 45 minutes west of town. They've got to drill a deep well (estimted cost: $82,000) for domestic water. They'll have to truck in hay for their horses because the mountains around them are not grazing land. Local labor concerns force them to place a factory built home in their site, they cannot "stick build" due to an almost non-existent work force. They put a camper- 5th wheel trailer on the place last fall, thinking they'd be able to access the property in the winter and maybe snowbird south as needed. The closest they've been able to drive into the property since last fall is about 2 miles after having hired a snowblower/truck to clear the first few miles into the subdivision. We've flown over the site and you can see the snow is still up to the windows on the trailer. They've snowshoed into the place to check out the trailer and can't see any more than we could flying over it ... it's buried until spring thaws it out. But, it's all in your price range ....

I'm confused....we have been talking with a realtor out there and have been looking at the MLS on line and there seems to be a lot of beautiful property anywere from 20 to 40 acres for around $300,000 give or take $50,000. these are all without bldgs. we expect to spend another $600,000 or 7 for our home. so...i guess it would end up being a million. are you saying that these properties are not good ones? Do you know anything about a developement called "Roosevelt Ridge" out by Rollinsville? It looks beautiful. I'm beginning to wonder?

I'm getting the same thing with Durango. when i look at the MLS listings there, it looks like plenty of affordable land, but all the conversations say it's all in the millions????? something is off somewhere. I guess I'm just trying to sort it all out.

[vfrpilot]

If you're flying into Denver anyway, check out the area south of Castle Rock. Sedalia, Larkspur, and Palmer Lake are nestled up against the mountains and there are many established horse ranches along SH-105. You might want to look at Black Forest also. All these areas are easily accessable and are within commuting distance to Denver or CO Springs. Good Luck.

[sunsprit]

CatherineD ... well, now it's my turn to be baffled.

If I understood you correctly, the weather/climate zone up in Aspen and around Carbondale was too much winter and too cold for you.

Why, then, would a realtor be showing you properties in an area (Rollinsville) that's over 1,200' higher in elevation than Aspen? It's going to be much colder with a longer winter season in Rollinsville.

Did you give the realtor the same parameters you've given us on the forum? If you did, I think the realtor isn't listening to your requirements or is hoping that you'll fall in love with the place up there and compromise your priorities.

You won't be raising much forage, if any, for your horses at that altitude. You'll be trucking in hay from the Front Range around Boulder/Longmont/FortCollins. This is very fragile forest land and will be easily overgrazed by a few horses on 40 acres, especially if you let them graze off the early cool season growth ... with permanent damage to the grasses likely if you let them graze before seed heads have matured (late summer).

There are some concerns with heavy metal pollution (from the old mines & tailings leaching out) in the water sources up there if you're on a well .... assuming that you can find water on your property if you need to drill a well. It's spotty up there .... some folks will have no problem finding a water source at a reasonable depth, and some will never find water on their property.

Does the subdivision have power and telephone to your site? You may have a real surprise in store if they don't. It's very rocky soil up there, too. You may have difficulty installing a septic system, so should get a site analysis done just to be sure before making any commitments. Who will plow the access roads? For that matter, who will plow your driveway?

There's beautiful trail riding up in that area during the summer months.

Spring is mud season, and fall can be very nice ... but it's very short up in that area.

Your medical and shopping will be down in Boulder. Access, however, in the winter months may be problematic due to road conditions.

The cost dilemma you're seeing is due to the factors I previously mentioned. The most desirable places have been "discovered" and developed a long time ago, and are now very pricey. The less desirable places ... those with a more brutal climate, poor water, poor accessibility, remoteness from shopping/medical ... are the ones you're seeing for sale for much less money.

Please also recognize that the mountains form local "micro-climates", which affect the immediate and surrounding areas. What happens is that prevailing wind directions and upslope/downslope conditions will develop radically different localized moisture (snowfall) patterns in very close proxamity to each other. So, for example, your site may get "dumped" on in an average storm while you neighbor ... just a 1/2 mile away, perhaps around a different ridgeline ... may get almost nothing. Overall, the weather report is "x number of inches of snowfall" for the area ... but you may be snowed in at your specific location. It's absolutely essential that you get local information, if possible, or visit your proposed buy site in the winter months to see what actually goes on in typical weather patterns.

This weather pattern extends to the Front Range areas, too, quite some distance from the mountains. Our area in Erie was in a "banana belt", where snowfall was minimal while Boulder was reporting a lot of snow. Nice in the winter months for access, but the downside was a similar "banana belt" drought in the summer months when we needed the moisture for the yard; we simply didn't get much natural moisture even when Boulder, Lyons, and Longmont were getting dumped on.

Even here at our ranch in SE Wyoming, a similar weather pattern emerges. We're in a "banana belt" created by a wind shadow from the Laramie Ridge. But, a half-mile away on a ridge, the snowfall can be brutal. That area used to be part of this bigger ranch (homesteaded in the 1880's), and is now being subdivided. All the folks who've built up on that ridge all have left ... sold their "dream homes" with a mountain view from the prairie down here ... within two years. And the second buyers have done the same.

I have the same experience with my house in Vail, CO. The city tries to keep the streets plowed, and they do a very good job of it. But, where my place is located at the East end of town has a micro-climate that develops strong snowfall that cannot be kept cleared, even with hourly snowplowing. I've driven to the place and the police have the road closed up to that end of town .... we've had to park at friend's places down the hill and walk a 1/2 mile to get home in pretty brutal conditions.

My advice is to be very picky about where you spend your money here ... many realtors do not know the specifics of a place they may be trying to sell to you.

[I_LUVNM]

Originally Posted by Catherine D

What is Cortez like to look at? Is it flat and dessert like or green like Durango? We saw some possible property a little north of there by Dolores. Do you know anything about it? How far to Durango?

We are also considering changing our plan. What's the best way to get from Denver airport to the four corners? If we drive in March would we have problems? We are very excited about the prospect of buying a part of our dream! Thank you again for your help!

Cortez has mountains around it, and like I have heard others say, it will look like the John Wayne Westerns you see of old with sagebrush and pinons but go toward Hesperus and it gets real green with forests and mountains. You see cattle and horses and cowboys around. There are feeding stores and farm equipment stores and such. Louis LAmour didnt live far from there. The city itself looks western to me. Dolores starts getting more forests and hills and is a nice little town but colder than Durango or Cortez, more like Pagosa. Dolores is about 10 miles north of Cortez. Cortez is about 45 miles to Durango. You can also go on another route from Dolores to Mancos which is about 20 miles or so but I cant remember the Highway. Back again, I looked it up on a map it is, Highway 184.
I forgot Dolores is close to Lake McPhee which is nice and fairly large. Dolores is real small but a nice town to raise a family in and not far from Cortez.

I'm getting the same thing with Durango. when i look at the MLS listings there, it looks like plenty of affordable land, but all the conversations say it's all in the millions????? something is off somewhere. I guess I'm just trying to sort it all out.

Catherine, around Durango is much more affordable. The city itself, (inside the city limits) housing is costly.

[sunsprit]

With limited trip time in March, I'd fly over to Cortez or Farmington from DIA and rent a car to see the area. Driving from Denver can be problematic to the Four Corners Region with snowstorms making the drive very difficult.

While at altitude (about 6,000'), Cortez is out of the mountains and a fairly dry sagebrush area. Water availability and quality will be a concern. Rather warm in the summer months.