A Postcard from Winter Park, Colorado
The convenience of being able to walk out of our condo, skis on our shoulder and just get right to it, is unbeatable. It feels like the slopes are the backyard for us. We drop the kids in the morning, meet them at lunch and then we all enjoy the rest of the day together. This is the ideal family vacation for us.
 
  

About Winter Park, Colorado
With 7 square miles and only 662 full time residents, having a government called a Home Rule Municipality already tells you something about Winter Park. This is not your run-of-the-mill ski tourist town, but at own that cares seriously about treasuring its high and remarkable alpine land.  The fact that to reach it by car you need to cross a pass at 11,000 feet only adds to the sense of being somewhere special when you have a vacation home here.

Within an easy drive of Denver and Boulder, Winter Park is a town that knows who it is and what it has: easy access, great skiing, incredible beauty and a refined atmosphere. Ecology and sustainability are part of the equation that keeps the area beautiful.  The skiing takes place in Winter Park Resort, and the town is surround by the Arapaho National Forest Areas, with Rocky Mountain National Park not far.  With all that forest, there is also a great population of wildlife, from moose to bears. With such good access to wilderness, Winter Park is a popular four-season vacation spot.

Winter Park is mostly about the resort, with the nearby town of Fraser providing the amenities such as a grocery store, etc. Families are particularly welcomed here, with great ski instruction as well as so many fun snow activities. Childcare as well as a kids daily program is provided right at the base of the slopesâ?¦ a ski-parent dream! Winter Ski Passes offer good value for second homeowners who come back month after month.

Local History

Originally settled by the Ute and Arapaho Indians, later loggers, pioneers, ranchers and miners moved into the area, settling here as early as 1850.  A train over the mountains opened the area for logging and for skiing. Winter Park Ski Area opened in 1940, and there is still a historic train ride visitors enjoy taking.

An Average Lifestyle in Winter Park, Colorado

Intimate and unhurried, wide open spaces and lots to do. This is what you find in Winter Park. Many people enjoy the privacy solitude they get with their mountain homes.

Housing

Options: Slopeside condos, forest condos, two-four bedroom homes, and luxury townhouses are all available. There is still a fair amount of development going on, so new homes are possible. There are also golf communities, and larger, two-acre homes with great views.  A good rental market, as well as several excellent property management firms to handle your winter rentals for you. Long-term winter rentals can be up to $2000 for a luxury three bedroom house, and $1800 a week for the summer season. A cabin might rent for $800 a month during the ski season.

Costs: Median house value according to the 2000 census (and it's notoriously low) is $334,400. There are still some great deals in Winter Park, like a ski-in, ski-out 2 bedrooms for $424,000 and you can get a tiny condo for $97,000 on the river. Good prices are also found in nearby towns of Tabernash, Kremmling and Fraser.

Things to Do in Winter Park

Skiing

Snowboarding

Scenic chairlift rides in off-season

Snowmobiling

Sleigh Rides

Ice skating at Cooper Creek square

Tubing at Fraser Tubing Hill

Dog Sledding

Snowshoeing on trails

Hot Springs

Ski Train Excursion

Enjoy Apres Ski- Happy hour fun at the resort

Mountain Biking

Climbing

Hiking

Fishing

Rafting

Horseback Riding

Golf

Cultural Activities in Winter Park

Music at the resort after skiing 

Near-By Excursions

Hot Sulphur Springs

Denver, Boulder

Location
Foothills of the Rockies, in eastern Grand County

Elevation: 9,000 feet

Size: 7.5 sq miles

Distance to other major cities

Nederland, CO: 18.9 miles

Boulder, CO: 36 miles

Denver, CO: 67 miles

Getting To Winter Park, Colorado

Fly into Fort Collins (66 miles) or Denver International (78 miles)

By car from Denver or Boulder; by Ski Train from Denver (Winter only)

Weather
Despite the cool mountain climate, there is still an average of 250 sunny days a year here.

Annual Average Temperature: Average high: 54, Average low: 14

Annual Average Rainfall: 27 inches; Snowfall: 231 inches.

Economics and Demographics

Population: 662 permanent residents

Median Age, 2000: 36.2

Median Household Income: $44,000

Principle Industries
Tourism