Searching for Rural Areas to Rent (Denver: real estate, rentals, brokers)

[BayouBurnout]

My wife and I are currently on a 2yr plan to move from Louisiana to Colorado, preferrably in the Denver area. My wife is a Health Care professional and where we live will be determined by her job. Since we don't know where that job will be most of this is hypothetical but she will choose a job in an area we like, if she has that option.
We have both lived in rural areas and commuted to work and are okay with that. (Absolutely NO RAIL commuting in La. and we would love that option) We have pets and understand that it limits our possibilities the closer to populated areas we get.
I am at the very beginning of my fact finding mission but would like to start by identifying the more rural areas (1 to 2 acres) with a home. Even a ranch or farm is not out of the question. I understand the issues that come with living a little further out. (We survived hurricane Katrina and no power for 3 weeks)
Of course, as with everything, cost is important. To find a place that is suitable for our outside pets we understand that the quality of the house may suffer.
So, with that mouthful of information, I would like ask for a little help to point me in the right direction or community to begin my search. If there are helpful links with rural property searches that would be cool.
Thanks for any and all assistance!!!

[2bindenver]

Not much for rent in a rural area and be commutable to Denver. Think suburban.

[Freelee]

Contact a real estate agent from the area who can help you.

[BayouBurnout]

I emailed three agents. Only heard from one and when they learned I had pets I might as well had said I was a heroin dealer.

[2bindenver]

Most real estate brokers do not handle rentals. Look for a property manager.

[Freelee]

It's unlikely you'll find a a ranch of farm for rent first of all and most rentals do not accept pets, so I doubt they treated you like a heroin dealer but it's very difficult to find a rental within your perimeters. You're in a tough situation since neither of you have a job here or know the area. I think you'll be surprised how little you get here vs what you have in Louisiana. You may have to spend a couple weeks out here before deciding to move, it just may not be the what you really want.

[BayouBurnout]

First, one way or another we are headed westerly. Denver was a good choice because we can be back here in about 13hrs. We both have elderly parents.
Second, we have hashed and re-hashed the "Grass is always greener" theory and it really wasn't that hard of a decision. Louisiana is going nowhere fast and there is more to life than removing wildlife from it's natural habitat and great food. And that's not even bringing up the dismal political issues erupting here. We aren't looking for a Liberal Paradise but would like a social fast forward. I have traveled with the military but my wife has never been out of the state. She deserves to see that the entire world is not as close minded as Louisiana. Maybe central Colorado is not the end all answer but it is a tremendous leap in the right direction.

[Freelee]

again, you should probably stay a couple weeks here and get to know the area. Colorado is big, it's not just about Denver.

I know people from the east and the west coast and they consider Colorado to be behind, backwards and redneck compared to their standards of where they came from. They come to Colorado for the mountains, activities such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, camping etc... You don't seem to have an interest in any of that except you want rural and maybe a farm.

Have you considered Kansas? You can find homes there cheaper with a lot of land and approx same distance as Colorado.

[BayouBurnout]

We are very interested in the outdoors and really dont care if we end up an hour or more away from metro Denver.
We have no interest whatsoever in a ranch or a farm, just a rural area without living right on top of our neighbors. We also have 3 dogs and the land is to give them room to live.
We are used to a long commute so we thought we would try looking at rural properties first.

[BayouBurnout]

We have no interest whatsoever in a ranch or a farm,*for the sake of "Farming or Ranching" is what I meant.