Small towns with big charm close enough to bigger city for major services (Denver: home, school)

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by family first

Folks, need some help looking at possible relocation. I'm hoping I can get some help at starting to focus on possible move in the next year. Can you give me some smaller cities or actually towns that would make it on a list to check out. We are used to living in small towns and want to stay out of bigger cities and the hustle and bustle except when we need them for medical or shopping etc... We would prefer more trees than dessert, and either side of the Rockies. Something with a quaint main street, more "mom and pop" businesses rather than "corporate" stores, and something not outrageously priced that the average family could afford. We have lived in snow country before, but dont want to be burried in it if possible.

If there is such a place that you know of or have visited in your travels, could you please share. Thank you for any ideas. Having a good high school in the area is a must for our kids.

Thank you.

Is Colorado a must?

If so... maybe Woodland Park or Morrison (If you prefer mtns). or... if rural... between Lyons and Estes Park.

For western slope, I would look to Salida or Mesa area.

If you can get beyond Colorado... Consider WA, OR, ID, MT

WA if you want less desert (less sun too), less snow, plenty of mtns (and coastline / water sports), high salaries w/ no income tax and FREE FT College instead of hanging around burning daylight at a HS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_Start

NM has nice quaint mtn towns that are not as expensive or crowded as CO.
SD... look into Spearfish area.

For HS aged kids the choice is quite simple. (And quite limited in rural CO)

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

Devil's advocate. The OP said they don't want a desert feel.[/url]

I believe the OP wrote: dessert.
I was thinking Palisade Peach Pie.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Did you see this thread? https://www.city-data.com/forum/color...co-thread.html

Not your exact same question, but interesting and informative.

[Melanzana92]

Generally, even the mountain towns in Colorado aren't really "in the trees." This is because most of them were settled in the valleys along creeks or rivers in areas covered mostly by grass and sagebrush. That being said, most towns in the mountains are still either adjacent to or very close to forested land, and I'd say most of them fall into that category. Aspen, for example, has forest on one end, sagebrush on the other, and has plenty of planted trees in town.

Wanting trees but not wanting to be buried in the snow will limit your options, but it depends on how much snow we're talking about. Pagosa Springs is in a naturally forested setting but is very far from big cities. Leadville is surrounded by natural forested land but gets quite a large amount of snow. Estes Park has the ponderosa-forest feel of Pagosa but the prices will hurt. Etc etc. Generally in Colorado, something on any given wish list will have to give.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

I agree. Just pointing out that it dries up quickly once you get away from the irrigation. The area between I-70 and the Bookcliffs is what Grand Junction and Palisade would look like naturally.

The towns on the Northeastern Plains (Brush, Fort Morgan, Sterling, and Julesburg) are much the same. Lots of irrigation canals and cottonwood trees everywhere in town, but drive a couple miles outside the city limits away from the river and it browns up in a hurry.

That is true for the entire state unless it is in the high mountains, which means harsh winters.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

I believe the OP wrote: dessert.
I was thinking Palisade Peach Pie.

Baked Alaska. Apropos for both AK and CO the way the climate has been heading. Baked or frozen—less and less in-between conditions.

[family first]

So to clarify some info on the OP. As far as scenery and trees, we would prefer looking out towards forests, or mountains close by with trees as apposed to agriculture fields or expanses of flat vistas. We have driven through Colorado multiple times heading to the East Coast and find the beauty appealing. We did not care for the look of Eastern Co which almost felt like "Plains" states and understand that at the top of the Rockies, winters would be extremely snowy and challenging. "Small Town" feel could mean anywhere from a few thousand residents up to 20 thousand people. On the outskirts of bigger cities could be ok if we had to drive 30,45 minutes or so to access than return home. Looking for a friendlier state that won't be taxing the heck out of people's incomes or eventually retirement incomes.

Thank you for the suggestions so far as it is giving us so places to research.

[Sunbiz1]

Originally Posted by family first

So to clarify some info on the OP. As far as scenery and trees, we would prefer looking out towards forests, or mountains close by with trees as apposed to agriculture fields or expanses of flat vistas. We have driven through Colorado multiple times heading to the East Coast and find the beauty appealing. We did not care for the look of Eastern Co which almost felt like "Plains" states and understand that at the top of the Rockies, winters would be extremely snowy and challenging. "Small Town" feel could mean anywhere from a few thousand residents up to 20 thousand people. On the outskirts of bigger cities could be ok if we had to drive 30,45 minutes or so to access than return home. Looking for a friendlier state that won't be taxing the heck out of people's incomes or eventually retirement incomes.

Thank you for the suggestions so far as it is giving us so places to research.

Have you been through Canon City?.
I think it suits your budget, and requirements; the very historical downtown area is fantastic.

[happygrrrl]

I have family in Colorado & I try to be a tourist and wander the state when I visit them. There were three "small" towns that I spent time in that seemed nice...Salida, Montrose & Durango. They all had a nice vibe, but I was just a tourist. Maybe locals could say more.

[vunderbar]

Evergreen? Genesee? Morrison?