- 719-742-3626
- Office Locations: La Veta | Walsenburg | Aguilar | Trinidad
The greatest time of the year is upon us here in the beautiful Spanish Peaks Country in Southern Colorado! From the history to the art, from the outdoors to the attractions, the Wahatoya (Huajatolla) mountain area has never failed to be on a bucket list of “Places to See this Summer!” Named by the Native Americans, the Wahatoya (Huajatolla) mountains “breasts of the earth” or by the later Spanish travelers, Dos Hermanos (Two Brothers or more commonly known as Twin Peaks), these peaks will always hold a place in all of our hearts for one of the most breathtaking places in Colorado!
If you are in search of a place to experience the great outdoors and history, La Veta, Cuchara, and the Highway of Legends should be on your route! These summertime activities attract people from all over the world! The Fransisco Fort Museum is a great place to learn about the rich history of La Veta and the surrounding area! Enjoy the wonderful food at Corners Diner, Mission Deli Mesa, Alys’, or The Bugling Bull. But make sure to make time to relish in the abundant, locally owned and operated shops such as Crafted in Colorado, La Veta Mercantile, Desert Expressions, or Spanish Peaks Outfitters. To end your trip, take a slow ride up the remarkable Highway of Legends in hopes to encounter mountain wildlife such as bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk, bears, and mountain lions. Once you reach Cuchara, stop for a stroll down the quaint village street. Check out all of the local gems as you meander through the shops and work your way down for a fun round of miniature golf at The Bear’s Den. Don’t leave town without first having dinner at the famous Dog Bar and Grill, or The Timbers restaurant.
The Fourth of July is one of the greatest times to visit the area. The Independence Day Parades of La Veta and Cuchara are great for families to experience just a handful of programs and businesses that the area supports. From the parades, head over to La Veta Park to enjoy Art in the Park: live music, shopping, and food. Make sure you bring your boogie boots and get ready to experience live hit music and local music at the Spanish Peaks Music Fest and end the weekend playing in the mud at La Veta’s Annual Mud Fest. For times and locations of these events and more visit the The La Veta Cuchara Chamber of Commerce.
While you’re out enjoying our beautiful valley don’t forget to stop by any of our three locations:
Walsenburg 502 Main St (719) 738-1818
La Veta at 215 South Main St (719) 742-3626
We would love to show you just how easy it can be to own a piece of this inspiring valley for yourself.
Springtime for Colorado farmers and ranchers means work! Whether it’s getting fields ready for planting, ditches ready for water, or the all-important calving, lambing, kidding, or whatever season you find yourself knee-deep in. This is the season when sleep becomes less and worry becomes more.
With a decent snowpack and the early spring rains here in rural Colorado, we are hopeful for a successful harvest season. Coming off of such a stressful year full of drought and fires most of the region was hit hard when the hay market was so high and finding good quality feed for our animals was a struggle. Hopefully this year, with the help of the weather, as ranchers, farmers, and gardeners, we will make enough products to sustain our lifestyle. The concept of high-performance agriculture is key to understanding the importance of crop yields. How much you can produce within a given amount of land is essentially how efficient you are as a farmer. In today’s economy, being able to do things efficiently is as important as ever. You want to ensure that you are maximizing your space and the land you have worked to cultivate. Crop yields not only determine your efficiency but your bottom line as well (A Farmers Guide). Whether you’re planting several acres or getting ready to plan your backyard garden consider some of these helpful tips for high-elevation farming and gardening:
Plant Early, Plant Effectively.
Practice Seasonal Soil Rotation.
Know The Yield Potential.
Ensure Proper Water Drainage.
Test Your Soil.
Always Scout Your Fields.
Remember that the higher the elevation, the harsher the sunlight, and the faster your plant’s soil will dry out. Putting seedlings in a vented cold frame is an ideal way to help them adjust. You can give seeds that go directly in the garden a jump start by planting them under mulch. It’s always a challenge playing a game with the weather; however, with these few tips, your fields or gardens will be bountiful when summer rolls around the corner (High Altitude Gardening).
High Altitude Gardening | Planet Natural
Southern Colorado has plenty to see and do! If you’re lucky enough to live in Colorado, check out some of the following nearby sights. If you don’t live in Southern Colorado, then hit the road or contact Code of the West to get a place of your own!
Get Outside
Lanthrop State Park: Colorado’s first State park, Lathrop State Park, is located in Huerfano County. The park provides 1,594 acres of year-round water and land-based recreation with Martin Lake, Horseshoe Lake and the 9-hole Walsenburg Golf Course. You’ll have plenty of boating, camping, fishing and golfing opportunities located in one place!
Blue and Bear Lakes: Bear Lake Campground, located in the San Isabel National Forest, offers views of the nearby Culebra Mountain Range with aspen and spruce forests. Bear Lake is 1/8 mile from the campground, and then Blue Lake is one mile away. Both of these small lakes are stocked several times during the summer for fishing.
Sand Dunes: Alamosa County is lucky to have the Great Sand Dunes National Park, the largest dunes in North America! The Great Sand Dunes National Park is 30 square miles of massive dunes, diverse grasslands, wetlands, conifer and aspen forests, alpine lakes and tundra.
Off-Road Trails: If you’re interested in off-road trails, you’ll find challenging ones in Southwestern Colorado. These are only a few, but a quick search will point you to all the trails Colorado has to offer.
– Imogene Pass: The entrance to this pass is outside of Ouray and off of Highway 550, which is known as the Million Dollar Highway.
– Duckett Creek Trail Head: This off-road trail is near Westcliffe in the San Isabel National Forest.
– Rainbow Falls Trail: Located in Pike National Forest near Sedalia, this trail is 20 miles long and good for 4X4s and ATVs.
Non-profits and Organizations
Walsenburg, Westcliffe, Alamosa and La Veta have long lists of nonprofits and organizations! Check out Spanish Peaks Business Alliance or Wet Mountain Valley Community
Foundation’s list if you’re interested in supporting one of these amazing nonprofits. You can also look at nonprofits in Walsenburg, La Veta and Alamosa.
Art Galleries
You’ll find many Southern Colorado art galleries. Here are a few of them:
-SPACe promotes and encourages art-centered educational events in the Spanish Peaks region of southern Colorado. They organize art shows and workshops as well.
-Shalawalla Gallery, Gift Shop and School is located in La Veta. You can visit Beth and Jonathan Evans, internationally-known batik artists who have exhibited their work all over the world.
-The La Veta Gallery on Main showcases ceramic works and also represents many local and regional artists working in paint, jewelry, fiber, photography, scratchboard, wood and paper.
-The Painted Horse Gallery and Studio showcases a unique mix of hand-made art, jewelry, robots, knives, teas, leather vests, gifts, wine and canvas classes as well as private events.
Restaurants and Bars
– Alys’ Restaurant calls La Veta home, and is worth a stop for a phenomenal dining experience courtesy of Chef Alys Romer.
– Dog Bar & Grill has been called the “Heart and Soul of Cuchara” since its opening in 1980. The restaurant has an award-winning patio and features live music in addition to delicious food.
-Chappys is a downtown Westcliffe bar and restaurant that provides flame-cooked steaks, burgers, chicken, dogs and bratwursts.
-The Mission Deli Mesa is a family-owned restaurant on the edge of town near the golf course in La Veta. It has some of the best mexican food in town!
Movie Theaters
Walsenburg’s Fox Theater is a historic cinema and event space that opened in 1917. In addition to movies, the Fox Theater also hosts a variety of events. Check their website to ensure the theater is open.
Historic Jones Theater is home to Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts (WCPA). It shows movies, plays and holds productions and classes for children and teens.
Keep in mind that there’s plenty more to do and see in Southern Colorado. It’s time to get outside and start exploring all that Colorado has to offer!
No matter where you are located in Colorado, you can find something amazing to do! In this post, we’ll cover a variety of activities you can enjoy and provide some valuable resources to plan your next Colorado excursion.
Stargazing—Colorado’s dark skies provide some amazing stargazing opportunities. Several cities in Colorado, including Norwood, Westcliffe, and Silver Cliff, are designated “Dark Sky Communities” by the International Dark Sky Association.
Bike Trails—Biking is a great way to explore Colorado, and the state has many mountain biking trails, scenic byways, and bike paths to try. If you’d like to explore Colorado’s biking opportunities, head to https://bicyclecolorado.org/.
14ers—Colorado has 58 mountains over 14,000 feet (aka 14ers). Checkout https://www.14ers.com/ is a great resource for maps, routes, and information so you can plan and prepare for your epic hike.
National Parks—Colorado is lucky to have 12 National Parks and National Monuments, 41 Colorado State Parks, and millions of acres of National Forest and other public lands. Rocky Mountain National Park is a well-known national park located in Northern Colorado that features 300 miles of hiking trails, wildflowers, wildlife and starry nights.
Campsites—Colorado offers excellent camping throughout the state. Believe it or not, Colorado State Parks offers more than 3,900 campsites, 50 cabins, and yurts located all over Colorado.
Festivals—Summers in Colorado feature all sorts of festivals. Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Colorado State Fair, Greeley Stampede ..these are only some of the well-known festivals offered in Colorado. Many Southern Colorado towns have festivals as well, from BBQ to brews to classic cars.
Coloradoans love their sports teams!
This is only a sliver of what Colorado has to offer! There’s so much to see and do. Contact COTW to snag your Colorado mountain property and have all of this in your backyard!
You may or may not already know this, but home insurance is not a legal requirement for owning a home. Still, this does not mean that homeowners’ insurance is not essential. On the contrary, having one will help you avoid and hurdle troubles, come the unexpected.
Aside from being one of your biggest investments and most valuable possession, your home is your safe place – a private space where you and your loved ones can bond, relax, and make lasting memories.
Even with the best safety and security protection measures, it would still not be possible to entirely eliminate the risks and dangers that may take place on your property. Theft, accidents, and natural disasters can happen; and when they do, they can change your life overnight.
Whether you’re still in the process of buying a house or have already paid off your mortgage, homeowners’ insurance is something you need to protect your family from money woes.
Why Homeowners Need Home Insurance
The primary goal of purchasing insurance is to safeguard your financial interests following a loss. You pay a certain amount of monthly premium to the insurance provider in exchange for the guarantee that they will bear the bulk of the burden should a disaster or an unexpected future loss strike you or your home.
Here are some of the most compelling reasons why you need homeowners insurance:
As mentioned, owning a house without homeowners’ insurance will not get you in trouble with the law. As long as you pay your property taxes, you can freely exercise your homeownership rights.
But what if a storm comes and destroys a section of your home? Or some careless mistake in the kitchen burns your house to the ground? What would you do then? Can you afford to pay for the renovation cost out of pocket? This is the main reason why you need to carry homeowner’s insurance – so you get financial help when you need it the most.
Home insurance police do so much more than just protect your home and the structures attached to it. It may also cover your family, your belongings, and even your house guests.
Here is an overview of what a standard homeowners insurance typically covers:
The other structures coverage of a home insurance policy helps pay (in part or in full) for the repair or replacement of structures in the property detached from the main house. It could be the garage, fence or tool shed — for as long as the cause of damage is a covered peril.
The personal property coverage pays for the replacement of lost, damaged, or stolen personal belongings such as furniture, home appliances, and electronic gadgets. Again, keep in mind that this only applies to covered losses.
In addition to the dwelling and personal property, homeowners’ policies also include personal and medical liability coverage.
If you or a member of your immediate family is found legally responsible for another person’s injury or damage to their property, the personal liability coverage of your policy may cover for the related repair costs, treatment, and legal fees resulting from the incident.
The medical liability coverage, on the other hand, takes care of the medical bills in case a guest accidentally injures himself or herself in your home.
With home insurance in place, you won’t have to worry too much about living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable because of fire or other disasters.
Homeowners’ insurance policies include additional living expenses coverage, which will pay for your interim housing costs and necessary daily expenses such as food, clothing, laundry, etc. The amount of assistance differs, depending on the level of your policy.
Let’s face it; our imaginations can often run wild when we think about the worst that could happen. While insuring your home won’t necessarily stop accidents or keep a bad thing from happening, it’s a reassurance that whatever happens in the future, you’ll be able to handle it. Think of it as a safety net – a security blanket that will help put those dark and negative thoughts to rest.
Contact Code of the West Real Estate for their home warranty information.
(719)742-3626 | info@COTWrealestate.com
Guest Blog: Rachael Harper
Colorado real estate is an exciting investment! While water rights and resources might get overlooked when you’re house hunting, it’s important to gather this information for any real estate that peaks your interest—especially if it’s a rural mountain property.
Role of Colorado Division of Water Resources
Your real estate agent is a phenomenal resource! In addition, the Colorado Division of Water Resources is a valuable source for water rights. The Colorado Division of Water Resources issues water well permits, administers water rights, monitors stream flow and water use, inspects dams for safety, maintains databases of Colorado water information and represents Colorado in interstate water compact proceedings. By law, every new well in the state that diverts groundwater must have a well permit.
Here are some questions that you can ask if you have water right questions about potential properties:
–Individual on-lot wells—If there is a residence on the property, ask if it’s served by an individual on-lot well or central water supply system. If served by a well, ask questions about the well. How old is it? Is it registered with the Division of Water Resources? If it was put to use prior to May 8, 1972, it may or may not be registered.
–The Division of Water Resources maintains all well permit files. Files usually contain useful information about the well. To find the appropriate file, try to obtain the well permit number, or at a minimum, the section, township and range location of the well and the name of the party that may have obtained the well permit. Next, if you want to obtain copies of files, contact the Records Section of the Division of Water Resources office at 303-866-3581.
–Research the water restrictions for the on-lot well. Some wells limit the use of groundwater to in-house uses only, so using water for ponds, horses, etc. might be restricted.
–Well pumping rates—Ask the seller or realtor for the current pumping rate of the well. Well pumping rates are measured in gallons per minute. Prior to purchasing a property, consider having a well pump test done by a qualified party for the wells’ pump rate, such as a Colorado licensed pump installer or water well driller.
–Well water quality, public health and safety—Ask about the current water quality. Prior to purchasing the property, consider having the well water tested by a state-certified laboratory. The Water Quality Control Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment can be contacted at 303-692-3500, and can provide a listing of state-certified laboratories in Colorado. Information may also be accessed from their website at https://www.colorado.gov/cdphe/wqcd wqhom.asp.
–Do an on-site visual inspection of the well and property you are thinking of purchasing. Look for the following:
–Is the well physically located on the property?
–Does the location of the well allow for easy access for repair and maintenance?
–Does the well appear to be in a sanitary condition?
–Is the ground surface around the well head sloped such that there would be positive surface drainage away from it?
–Is the well casing visibly sticking up above the ground surface, and is there a weather-tight seal on top of the casing?
-Central Water Supply Systems—If purchasing property served by a central water supply system, find out what you can about the system and the supplier.
–Is the water supply from central wells or treated surface water supplies, such as a reservoir?
–Who is responsible for operating and maintaining the system?
–Consider contacting the water supplier and asking about the reliability of the system and find out the fee structure. Ask about allowed water uses. You may be able to obtain water quality information as well. A good source of contact information for water suppliers is the Colorado Water Congress at 303-837-0812.
-Other Water Rights—The property may have other water rights associated with it. The source of these water rights could be from rivers and streams, reservoirs, transmountain waters or other wells. The water could be conveyed to the property by direct pumping from the river or stream, but more typically, conveyance is by way of a ditch or lateral, canal or possibly through a pipeline.
Before purchasing property, you’ll want to research and verify water rights associated with the property. Ask to see any contractual agreement with a ditch company or supplier, or stock certificates of ownership of shares of water. Sometimes there is information on the property deed regarding water rights or on a special water rights deed. Obtain a copy of the decree if there is one involved. The Colorado Division of Water Resources maintains a database of water rights that are decreed through the water courts. This database can be searched by location (quarter/quarter and quarter section, section number, township and range) to see if any water right exists at a specified location. Copies can be acquired for a nominal fee. Additionally, you can search the online water rights database.
More Questions?
Contact Code of the West Real Estate with any water rights and resources questions. We would love to help!
Source: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/wellpermitguide_1.pdf