Missouri Heights | Garfield County

Missouri Heights is a rural community with an ideal location next to two rivers, a rich history, front-row views of Mount Sopris, and a diverse selection of affordable real estate for sale. Private homes and estates in Missouri Heights provide prospective owners with one of the best price-per-square-foot ratios in the Roaring Fork Valley.

The region offers vast amounts of pasture space and ranch land, a distinctly unpretentious country vibe, and more than its share of working ranches with various breeds of horses, dairy cattle, beef cattle and sheep. Think authentic Western cowboy: faded jeans, boots, a well-worn Stetson and a reliable, saddled equine for working the livestock that roam the property. Many of the larger ranches have secondary buildings, barns, corrals, sorting pens, sheds and other structures. Larger ranches have equipment sheds and barns to house farm equipment.

Real estate in Missouri Heights sits mainly on former ranchland from El Jebel to the south and Glenwood Springs to the west. There are hundreds of beautifully constructed homes on the mountainside, usually positioned on 35-acre parcels with excellent views of Mount Sopris and the Elk Mountain Range. Homes, country estates and ranches here are a perfect fit for buyers who love wide open skies, panoramic views and ample green space.

Missouri Heights real estate is perfect for anyone who dreams of ranching in the mountains and owning livestock. On any drive through Missouri Heights, you're bound to see horses running free or being ridden herding cattle. Many of the same families have worked these lands for generations. The area has a strong sense of community, and most of the homeowners in the area are friendly and know one another. There's not a lot of traffic in Missouri Heights unless you live there or know someone who does. The community is very safe and there is little to no crime.

Neighborhood Highlights

• Most of the real estate in Missouri Heights to the east is accessible from Upper Cattle Creek Road from El Jebel. The west side of Missouri Heights is accessible from Catherine Store Road, or Crystal Springs Road from Highway 82. Red Canyon and Cattle Creek Road head further back into the mountains and are home to some fantastic luxury estates.

• While Missouri Heights is fairly wide open, there are a few exclusive gated communities with high-end luxury homes. There are a few properties near Spring Park Reservoir that have water and mountain views. Most properties in the gated subdivisions do not have extensive pasture land or external buildings.

• There is a lot of undeveloped property in Missouri Heights. Many prospective homeowners choose to build their forever home here because it's an easy drive to Aspen and Glenwood Springs, but offers an authentic Western mountain lifestyle that you can't find too many places in Colorado. There's room to ride horses, own cattle, work the land and enjoy the serene way of life. Land here is affordable, so you can spend a little more making your dream home all it should be!

• Missouri Heights was the site of one of the first school houses in the area, built in 1888. Classes were held there until the mid-1950s, when kids began going to nearby Carbondale schools. Today, the historic structure is still welcoming guests as a much-used community center. Open for public use, it's still a wonderful place for a family event or friendly gathering.