Mountain Towns:
The nearby mountain communities can provide a unique lifestyle advantage. These communities are close enough to Denver to be considered bedroom communities, but remote enough to give you a sense or taste of real mountain life. Generally speaking, to be considered as a “nearby mountain community”, it should be within about a 45 minute commute (under optimal conditions) to a significant employment center.
Homesites can range anywhere from 1 acre to 35 acres, but 2 to 5 acres is the norm. Most properties do not rely on public water or sewer, gas for heating and cooking is usually supplied by propane tank, and electrical service could be subject to interruption. Cellphone service could be spotty, and cable/Internet may need to be provided by satellite dish. Vehicles with four wheel drive are highly recommended.
Some towns such as Boulder, Golden, and Morrison are partially in the mountains and partially on the flatlands, so don’t be too surprised if you see a mixture of environments in this list.