Where to buy land for horses in CO

[March0]

If you like to ski which road do you take to crested butte or snowmass from Hotchkiss? How often is it "closed" in the winter, if at all?

[March0]

Colonmeter:I read your post to the Michigan couple trying to buy land for horses. (Montrose south/SW to Delores and east to Durango and toward the north again). You sounded like you had alot of knowledge. I have friends that are scattered from Rifle to Denver. They are skiiers and I am too. I want to visit them on occaision, be close to some nearby skiing and be within 45 minutes of a college that teaches nursing or a hospital. I must confess, I like to visit wineries every once in awhile. I saw alot of the I70 area from Grand Junction to Denver this June. I don't mind going south of I70 within reason. Which roads, north, south and east of MONTROSE are the most limiting to drive on in the winter?

[coville]

Originally Posted by Sage Sam

OKay, I'm hearing all about folks talking about irrigating and things are changing rapidly on that front. Water rights will be increasing in cost roughly 100% a year (the water rights auction in GJ increased 300% in 2 years), it won't be worth the trouble trying to find a area where you are in close location to a ditch or canal (besides that is only along the Colorado anyway).

Decent hay and alfalfa can still be had for $4-6 a bale and I expect that round bales will be back down to $125-150 next year. You won't be wanting to ride your horses on your own land, you'll be wanting to either get up in the high country or down in the canyons, so you don't need to buy a 40, you can easily get by on 2 acres and keep em' corraled and trailer them to whereever you want to go.

If you buy 40 acres, you better get the mineral rights if you can. So expect to pay anywhere from $20-$1000/acre for them depending on location. Most likely some company already owns them or the BLM does. So you better check out that situation fast if you are planning on living outside of an incorporated town anywhere on the west slope.

That all said, if you want to live on the west slope of Colorado, I would recommend Palisade. It's a nice town, short trip to the Bookcliffs and Grand Mesa and 15 minutes from downtown Grand Junction. Otherwise I think the Front Range would work best for you.

How about watering horses? From reading so far I thought 35 acres or more WITH A WELL would be best to water live stock. I'm currently on 3.5 acres with 4 horses in NY were water isn't a problem except for the mud.

[coville]

Originally Posted by Catherine D

my husband and i are looking to purchase some land in CO (around 30 to 40 acres). we have been looking at the greater Fort Collins, Loveland area or Colorado Springs, even Grand Junction. Weather is important to us. We live in MI now and want more sun and milder temps. My father in-law lives in Aspen. it's beautiful, but the winters are too long. We bought a lot in Carbondale and then sold it 2 years later with a nice profit. We are thinking of building and moving in 6 years when our youngest goes to college. We will be heading out the first week in March to look at some ranches in Fort Collins. We also want to know that good health care is near by and some access to shopping etc. any opinions?

Almost 2 years later, where are you now and what did this discussion do for your search? I'm starting the same process now.

[sdshadowfax]

Does anyone know about the same for California? Expensive most places but there is land for horses and farming here and there...(small subsistance to large) I would love to know more. Thank you Cheers! Susan