#1Gunbarrel
unincorporated, Boulder County · 10,051 peopleOutdoors grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall A · #12 of 158 in CO
Gunbarrel, #1 on this list · Martha Weiser House · Photo: Davidmendosa · CC BY-SA 3.0Colorado rankings · Outdoors
Best towns for the outdoors in Colorado
Gunbarrel ranks first on outdoors among Colorado’s 159 towns of 2,500+; 96 of the 159 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work
#1A+
#2Avon
Eagle County · 6,184 peopleOutdoors grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C+ · #110 of 158 in CO
#3Golden
Jefferson County · 20,390 peopleOutdoors grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall B · #74 of 158 in CO
All 159 towns
Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
159 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
1Gunbarrelunincorporated, Boulder County · 10,051 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall A · #12 of 158
10Niwotunincorporated, Boulder County · 3,447 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall A− · #35 of 158
11Roxborough Parkunincorporated, Douglas County · 9,085 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall A · #27 of 158
12Dakota Ridgeunincorporated, Jefferson County · 33,753 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall A · #14 of 158
15Stonegateunincorporated, Douglas County · 8,906 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 158
19Fort CollinsLarimer County · 171,500 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #59 of 158
22Applewoodunincorporated, Jefferson County · 8,350 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #21 of 158
24Manitou SpringsEl Paso County · 4,577 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #86 of 158
27Acres Greenunincorporated, Douglas County · 2,639 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 158
30Ken Carylunincorporated, Jefferson County · 33,233 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #11 of 158
31Federal HeightsAdams County · 14,075 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #95 of 158
34BroomfieldBroomfield County · 79,174 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #45 of 158
37The Pineryunincorporated, Douglas County · 11,871 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #34 of 158
38Columbineunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 25,478 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #20 of 158
39Steamboat SpringsRoutt County · 13,557 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #58 of 158
43Colorado SpringsEl Paso County · 494,743 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #138 of 158
44Greenwood VillageArapahoe County · 15,323 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #77 of 158
45Berkleyunincorporated, Adams County · 10,789 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #144 of 158
46Dove Valleyunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 4,806 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #37 of 158
47Evergreenunincorporated, Jefferson County · 8,602 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #39 of 158
52Fairmountunincorporated, Jefferson County · 9,902 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #16 of 158
60Meridian Villageunincorporated, Douglas County · 2,699 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #52 of 158
61Highlands Ranchunincorporated, Douglas County · 102,257 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 158
62West Pleasant Viewunincorporated, Jefferson County · 5,051 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #49 of 158
67Stepping Stoneunincorporated, Douglas County · 3,137 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 158
73Orchard Mesaunincorporated, Mesa County · 6,945 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #85 of 158
76Redlandsunincorporated, Mesa County · 8,868 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #99 of 158
77El Jebelunincorporated, Eagle County · 2,941 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #79 of 158
78Twin Lakesunincorporated, Adams County · 8,030 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #125 of 158
80Wheat RidgeJefferson County · 32,081 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #100 of 158
85Edwardsunincorporated, Eagle County · 10,785 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #112 of 158
88Four Square Mileunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 23,024 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #43 of 158
92Cliftonunincorporated, Mesa County · 19,518 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #130 of 158
94Glenwood SpringsGarfield County · 10,395 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #135 of 158
99Security-Widefieldunincorporated, El Paso County · 37,345 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #111 of 158
101Cherry Hills VillageArapahoe County · 6,389 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #19 of 158
102Meridianunincorporated, Douglas County · 5,634 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #38 of 158
106Welbyunincorporated, Adams County · 16,197 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #106 of 158
107Lincoln Parkunincorporated, Fremont County · 3,986 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #141 of 158
109Stratmoorunincorporated, El Paso County · 5,412 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #91 of 158
113Battlement Mesaunincorporated, Garfield County · 5,755 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #124 of 158
114Sterling Ranchunincorporated, Douglas County · 4,213 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #62 of 158
116Cimarron Hillsunincorporated, El Paso County · 19,817 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #129 of 158
117Snowmass VillagePitkin County · 2,965 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #46 of 158
121Cherry Creekunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 10,721 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #15 of 158
123Monte VistaRio Grande County · 4,005 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #152 of 158
129Fruitvaleunincorporated, Mesa County · 8,019 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #80 of 158
131Sherrelwoodunincorporated, Adams County · 18,692 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #126 of 158
132Black Forestunincorporated, El Paso County · 15,738 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #71 of 158
136Todd Creekunincorporated, Adams County · 5,379 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #78 of 158
137Sierra Ridgeunincorporated, Douglas County · 3,663 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #44 of 158
140Fort Carsonunincorporated, El Paso County · 18,019 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #115 of 158
142Strasburgunincorporated, Adams County · 3,455 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #68 of 158
144Castle Pines Villageunincorporated, Douglas County · 4,436 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #29 of 158
145Air Force Academy College campusunincorporated, El Paso County · 6,727 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
146Derbyunincorporated, Adams County · 8,453 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #117 of 158
147Holly Hillsunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 2,572 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 158
148Pueblo Westunincorporated, Pueblo County · 35,681 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #103 of 158
149Gleneagleunincorporated, El Paso County · 6,440 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #26 of 158
150Penroseunincorporated, Fremont County · 4,087 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #143 of 158
151Woodmoorunincorporated, El Paso County · 8,934 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #10 of 158
152Invernessunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 2,934 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #18 of 158
153Park Centerunincorporated, Fremont County · 2,588 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #120 of 158
154BurlingtonKit Carson County · 3,164 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #116 of 158
155Shaw Heightsunincorporated, Adams County · 5,565 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #134 of 158
157Geneseeunincorporated, Jefferson County · 3,778 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #53 of 158
159Ponderosa Parkunincorporated, Elbert County · 3,453 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #84 of 158
Quick answers
Questions people ask
Which Colorado town is best for the outdoors?
Gunbarrel (Boulder County) ranks first on outdoors among 159 towns, with an A+; Avon and Golden follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a outdoors grade (159 in Colorado). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Colorado page.
Go deeper
All Colorado rankings →More Colorado lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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