Hillside Ranchette Close To Mountain Home Reservoir

The subject property is a 5 acre lot located in Sangre De Cristo Ranches, a sprawling rural subdivision found just outside Fort Garland where the high plains desert of the San Luis Valley meets the foothills of the surrounding mountain territory.

When we speak of property we typically use an address -- 123 Main Street for instance. 

As most vacant land does not have a physical address, however, county governments will identify it in other ways, such as a "legal description", a parcel number or a tax code. The information provided in the table to the right are the ways in which the various state and county agencies will identify this specific parcel of land. These signifiers are important to have when speaking with these agencies - whether they be the assessor, the zoning office, or even the local utilities - and may prove invaluable when initiating conversations about whatever research a buyer intends to do.

Whenever one exists or has been assigned to the land, the physical address will be included in this table.

Roads & Access: The subject property is located along Heritage Road. Like all the roads in the Sangre De Cristo Ranches, this one is composed of dirt and gravel but is County-maintained and thus, should be easy to navigate in any vehicle type. Despite this fact, anyone scouting the property is advised to remember that this subdivision is located in a higher elevation where snowfall is not uncommon. In short, if visiting the property for the first time, weather should dictate vehicle selection.

Power & Utilities: While there are a number of developed home sites being serviced by residential power lines as close as half a mile east along Heritage Road, there are no utilities at the subject property. Additionally, the nearest home site - roughly 800 feet to the west - seems to rely entirely on solar power. While it may be possible to get power extended to the subject property, buyers are encouraged to research both options. Anyone looking to investigate the costs associated with connecting power on the subject property is encouraged to contact the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, the utility company which services this region.

Zoning: Properties in the Sangre De Cristo Ranches are zoned E-R or Estate Residential, a designation which allows for residential areas developed at a higher density and where agricultural use is of incidental value. To learn more about the ER Zoning Designation, please see the attached PDF.

No HOA: While the Sangre De Cristo Ranches has an Owner's Association, it serves less as a governing body to enforce rules and more as a group tasked with arranging events which foster community pride. In short, it's an organization which has no say over how you use your land, inclusion in their ranks is voluntary and there are no mandatory dues associated with land ownership here. To learn more about this organization you can visit their website or their Facebook page.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions: When the Sangre De Cristo Ranches subdivision was created in the early 1970's, the developer drew up a set of covenants and restrictions to run with the land. While most of these are what we like to refer to as "reasonable, good neighbor restrictions" dealing primarily with the disposal of trash and prohibitions on excess noise, there are a few covenants that deal with acceptable structures for the region as well as minimum square footage requirements of those structures. Because of this, anyone considering purchasing the land is encouraged to review the Sangre De Cristo Ranches Covenants and Restrictions document found here.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions, Cont'd: Notable restrictions enumerated in the above linked document include: Minimum square footage requirements are 600 sqft for a one-story dwelling and 800 sqft for a two-story dwelling. All construction must be completed within one year from the time of ground-breaking.

Short-Term RV Use:  It should be noted that short-term camping, meaning up to fourteen days per three consecutive months, is allowed within this region. Anything longer than that will require a "long-term camping permit" which can be obtained from the Costilla County Planning & Zoning Department.

Long-Term RV Occupancy: Long-term RV Occupancy, typically done during construction of a permanent dwelling, generally requires both a hookup to an approved On-Site Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) as well as a well permit or cistern installed. The cost for the Long-Term permit is $350, is valid for 90 days and may be renewed for up to 18 months. It should also be noted that RV inspection is required before this permit will be issued.

Mountain Home Reservoir: Located within the Sangre De Cristo Ranches is Mountain Home State Wildlife Area. This region, which includes a 130-acre lake stocked with rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout is an ideal spot for fishing in the spring and summer months and ice fishing during the winter. It should be noted, however, that while there are four boat ramps here, the lake is only a fishing lake and not a place where one might take a speed boat or jet ski.

Blanca Peak and Mt. Lindsey: Situated due north of the Sangre De Cristo Ranches are Blanca Peak and Mt. Lindsey, both of which overlook most every parcel in this region and will provide a stunning backdrop to your new home or seasonal campsite.

Elevation: The elevation within Sangre De Cristo Ranches tends to graduate from 8,000 feet in the western regions of the subdivision to 8,300 in the east.

Topography: The subject property features a diverse and compelling topography. The northern end of the property which sits closest to Heritage Road, is for the most part flat. That said, there are dense concentrations of vegetation which will need to be cleared prior to developing the land. The southern end of the property has a pronounced rise to it as it climbs the side of the surrounding foothills. While it may be possible to build up higher on the land, it's more than likely a part of the property which will have to remain scenic backdrop.

Nearby Towns: The small town of San Luis - the oldest town in Colorado - sits within a five minute drive from the subject property and will afford you easy access to some groceries, supplies, restaurants, cafes and some medical and government services.

Nearby Towns, More: Also close by, but with far more to offer, is the town of Alamosa. Located forty-five minutes northwest along Highway 285, the nearby town of close to 10,000 people not only features big box stores such as Walmart and Ace Hardware, but is also home to the San Luis Valley Health Center Hospital, Adams University and Trinidad State Junior College. A number of fast food restaurants have a footprint in Alamosa, and the region boasts a thriving downtown including bars, restaurants and nightlife. Additionally, there's plenty of schools, churches and medical practices for anyone planning on raising a family in this region.

Sanchez Reservoir & Wildlife Area: Located on the eastern end of this subdivision within only a five minute drive of the subject property is the 1,462 acre Sanchez Reservoir and Wildlife Area (see photos in the gallery at the bottom of this page). While hunting is prohibited here, visitors will have plenty of opportunities to take their boats and fish along the shores of this pristine lake. Species of fish native to the area include walleye, carp, channel catfish, northern pike, perch, white suckers and more.

Nearby Attractions: Situated in Southern Colorado's picturesque San Luis Valley, you'll find plenty of great outdoor activities to take advantage of, all within close proximity of the subject property. Nearby bodies of water such as the Terrace Reservoir and the La Jara Reservoir are within a short five to ten minute drive of this parcel, each offering even greater opportunities for fishing and hunting. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is just forty five minutes north of this parcel and features the tallest dunes in North America - perfect for sand boarding and sand sledding. Animal lovers can explore both the Monte Vista and Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge. And of course, skiing enthusiasts can take advantage of the slopes and trails in the world-famous Taos Ski Valley, just south of this region in neighboring New Mexico.