Treed Lot with Mountain Views
Fort Garland, CO 81133
Costilla County, Colorado
Land Description
Mountain Cabin Paradise with Trees & Views
Fort Garland, CO 81133
Costilla County, Colorado
Land Description
Welcome to 5.051 acres of prime mountain land at 8,800 feet elevation in the prestigious Sangre de Cristo Ranches of Colorado. This exceptional property combines the best of mountain living - an open buildable space perfect for your cabin or home, mature trees providing natural beauty and privacy, and rolling sloped terrain that creates dramatic mountain character while maintaining accessibility.
Located on established Sarnoff Road just 25 minutes from the historic town of Fort Garland, you'll have easy year-round access while enjoying true mountain solitude. With 210 feet of road frontage and generous dimensions (540 ft x 660 ft x 210 ft x 530 ft), this property provides ample space for your dream mountain retreat, whether that's a cozy family cabin for weekend getaways, a serious off-grid homestead, or the ultimate hunting basecamp in one of Colorado's premier elk hunting regions.
The property's 8,800-Foot elevation places you in the perfect mountain zone - high enough for spectacular views, clean alpine air, and four distinct seasons, yet accessible year-round with manageable snowfall. The partly wooded terrain offers the best of both worlds: open spaces with commanding views and mature trees that provide windbreaks, privacy, and that authentic mountain forest character that makes Colorado special.
We are open to owner financing - here is what that would look like:
Total Money Down: $549 ($299 down + $250 documentation fee)
Monthly: $275/Month for 72 months
Cash Price: $14,499
Property Facts:
Apn: 70238530
Size: 5.051 acres of prime mountain land
Subdivision: Sangre de Cristo Ranches (S.D.C.R. Unit J-2)
Lot Number: Lot 4690 (Block 230)
State: Colorado
County: Costilla
Zip: 81133
Legal Description: S.D.C.R. Unit J-2 BLK 230 Lot 4690 (221-22) Cont 5.051 Ac(Wd 376-662) (Soa 383-525) (WD 387-894)
Gps Center Coordinates: 37.4803 N, -105.2994 W
Elevation: 8,800 feet of pristine mountain air
Terrain: Partly wooded with rolling, sloped character
Annual Taxes: $282.36 (2024)
Zoning: Estate Residential (Er) - maximum building freedom
Flood Zone: C - above the 500-Year floodplain, no wetlands
Building & Use Options:
Site-Built Homes: 600 sq ft minimum for single story; 800 sq ft minimum for two story
Mobile/Manufactured Homes: Allowed (post-1976 models only)
Camping: Allowed 14 days every 3 months (without septic)
RV Living: Temporary permit available up to 180 days annually with basic utilities installed
Timeline to Build: No mandatory timeline - build when ready
HOA: Voluntary Association only - $25 annual fee (optional, used primarily for road maintenance)
Utilities:
Access: County-maintained Sarnoff Road (gravel/dirt)
Water: Well or cistern (permit through Division of Water Resources)
Sewer: Septic system required (county approval needed)
Power: Solar, wind, or generator recommended; contact Xcel Energy for grid options
Gas: Propane delivery available (A-1 High Valley Propane, La Veta Propane Inc)
Information presented in this listing is deemed accurate but is not guaranteed. Buyers are advised to conduct their own due diligence and verify all details independently.
Location And Setting Overview
Your High Country Sanctuary in Colorado's Most Spectacular Mountain Setting: This remarkable 5.051-Acre property sits at 8,800 feet elevation in the heart of Sangre de Cristo Ranches, positioned where the San Luis Valley meets the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range. This is serious mountain country - where elk bugle through autumn mornings, where snow-capped fourteeners dominate every horizon, and where crystal-clear air makes stars so bright they cast shadows at night.
Elevation Advantage and Mountain Climate: At 8,800 feet, your property occupies the sweet spot of Colorado mountain living. You're high enough to enjoy spectacular alpine views, escape valley heat, and experience genuine four-season mountain weather, yet not so high that winter becomes extreme or access becomes challenging. This elevation provides natural air conditioning during summer while moderate southern exposure and tree cover create comfortable microclimates perfect for mountain home sites.
Geographic Position and Wilderness Access: Your coordinates place you approximately 25 minutes southeast of Fort Garland along the eastern valley corridor, nestled in the foothills where the valley floor transitions into the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The "Blood of Christ Mountains" - named by Spanish explorers for their crimson alpenglow at sunrise and sunset - rise spectacularly around you, with peaks like Mount Blanca (Colorado's fourth-highest at 14,345 feet) creating an ever-changing backdrop of shadows, light, and seasonal snow.
Sangre de Cristo Ranches Heritage: You're not just buying land - you're becoming part of Colorado's most storied mountain community. Sangre de Cristo Ranches was carved from the legendary Forbes Trinchera Ranch, one of Colorado's historic working ranches that operated for over a century. The subdivision was thoughtfully planned to preserve authentic ranching character while providing families with individual mountain homesites. The original developers set aside over 5,000 acres of common greenbelt land for recreational use by property owners, continuing the communal land-use traditions dating back to the area's Spanish land grant origins.
Fort Garland Historic Hub: Just 25 minutes (14.8 miles) from your mountain retreat sits the historic community of Fort Garland, established in 1858 as a U.S. Army outpost to protect settlers and maintain peace with Ute Indians. The fort's most famous commander was legendary frontiersman Kit Carson, who served from 1866 to 1867. Today, the beautifully preserved fort operates as a fascinating museum where you can walk through original adobe barracks and learn frontier history. Beyond history, Fort Garland provides practical amenities including grocery stores, gas stations, several restaurants, and basic services essential for mountain living.
Strategic Access to Major Cities: While feeling completely remote, you maintain reasonable access to civilization when needed. Colorado Springs lies just 2 hours 9 minutes (135 miles) away, providing major shopping, medical facilities, and airport access. The Front Range urban corridor remains accessible for supply runs while your mountain property provides the escape that city residents pay premium prices to visit on vacation.
Climate Perfection for Mountain Living: Your 8,800-Foot elevation delivers ideal mountain climate - approximately 300 days of sunshine annually, moderate snowfall that typically melts quickly on south-facing slopes, and dramatic daily temperature swings that eliminate humidity-related discomfort. Summer days reach comfortable 60s-70s with crisp nights in the 40s, perfect for sleeping without air conditioning. Winter brings manageable snow and brilliant sunshine that creates spectacular landscapes while maintaining access via county-maintained roads.
Recreational Opportunities
Your Gateway to Wilderness Adventure: Owning property in Sangre de Cristo Ranches means living at the doorstep of some of Colorado's most spectacular and least-crowded recreational opportunities. While Front Range residents fight traffic and crowds to reach the mountains, you wake up surrounded by them. Your property provides immediate access to world-class hunting, challenging fourteener climbs, pristine wilderness exploration, and winter sports that rival anywhere in the Rocky Mountains.
Great Sand Dunes National Park: Just 48 minutes (40.8 miles) from your property lies one of Colorado's most unique national parks. Great Sand Dunes protects the tallest sand dunes in North America, with massive dunes rising 750 feet above the valley floor. The park offers extraordinary recreation including sandboarding down steep dune faces, sand sledding for families, hiking to dune ridgelines for spectacular views, and wading in seasonal Medano Creek that flows at the dunes' base during spring runoff. The juxtaposition of massive sand dunes against snowy mountain peaks creates surreal landscapes found nowhere else.
Zapata Falls Alpine Wonder: Fifty-three minutes from your mountain cabin, Zapata Falls provides one of Colorado's most dramatic waterfall experiences. A short but thrilling hike through a narrow rock gorge leads to a 40-foot waterfall cascading through the canyon. During winter, the falls freeze into massive ice formations creating an otherworldly frozen wonderland. The trail offers stunning views across the San Luis Valley and serves as a popular family destination accessible to most fitness levels.
Blanca Peak Fourteener Access: Colorado's fourth-highest peak dominates your northern horizon and offers multiple climbing routes from gentle Class 1 hiking to technical Class 4 scrambling. The standard route from Como Lake trailhead provides access to not just Blanca's 14,345-Foot summit, but also neighboring fourteeners Little Bear Peak, Mount Lindsey, and Ellingwood Point. Experienced mountaineers can summit multiple 14,000-Foot peaks in a single long day, while casual hikers enjoy spectacular scenery at lower elevations.
UFO Watchtower Experience: For something completely unique, the UFO Watchtower sits 1 hour 10 minutes away in Center, Colorado. This quirky attraction capitalizes on the San Luis Valley's reputation as a UFO hotspot, with numerous sightings reported over decades. Whether you're a believer or just curious, the watchtower provides entertaining educational displays and panoramic valley views from its elevated platform.
Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Exploration: The 220,000-Acre Sangre de Cristo Wilderness begins just minutes from your property, offering unlimited backcountry adventures through pristine mountain terrain. Over 50 alpine lakes dot the high country, connected by 100 miles of maintained trails leading through every life zone from piñon-juniper woodlands to alpine tundra above treeline. Backpackers can plan multi-day expeditions where grizzled bristlecone pines thousands of years old cling to windswept ridges.
Winter Sports and Snow Recreation: Wolf Creek Ski Area, Colorado's legendary powder destination receiving over 430 inches of natural snowfall annually, lies approximately 2 hours away. The resort features 1,600 acres of skiable terrain with 77 named runs serving all ability levels. Closer to home, the Sangre de Cristo Range offers unlimited backcountry skiing opportunities for properly equipped winter travelers, with numerous drainages holding skiable snow from December through April.
Wildlife And Hunting Excellence
Living Among Wildlife: Owning mountain land at 8,800 feet means sharing your environment with remarkable wildlife populations that have inhabited this landscape for millennia. Your 5.051 acres sits within critical wildlife habitat where multiple species migrate, feed, and raise young throughout the year. The transition zone between valley grasslands and mountain forests creates especially rich habitat supporting incredible biodiversity.
Rocky Mountain Elk Mecca: Your property location within Game Management Unit 83 places you in the heart of Colorado's legendary Trinchera elk herd - one of the largest elk populations in North America with an estimated 15,000+ animals. During spring and fall migrations, herds of 100 or more elk move between high summer range and lower winter habitat, often traveling through areas near your property. September brings the spectacular elk rut when bull elk produce their distinctive bugling calls that echo across valleys and meadows - one of nature's most memorable sounds.
Trophy Hunting Opportunities: GMU 83's reputation for exceptional elk hunting draws hunters from across the country, with rifle season success rates consistently exceeding state averages. The combination of massive elk populations, diverse terrain offering both open meadows and timbered slopes, and mix of public and private lands creates ideal hunting conditions. Over-the-counter elk licenses remain available for archery season, while rifle licenses require drawing through Colorado Parks and Wildlife's preference point system. Your property serves as the perfect base camp for serious elk hunting.
Mule Deer and Other Game: Mule deer inhabit the foothills and brushy areas throughout this elevation, with mature bucks sporting impressive antlers. The area also supports wild turkeys in draws and riparian zones, providing exciting spring gobbler season opportunities. Your partly wooded terrain creates ideal habitat where deer bed during day and emerge to feed during twilight hours.
Predator Presence: Black bears roam the forested slopes and canyons surrounding your property, typically avoiding humans but occasionally visible during berry season. Mountain lions maintain territories spanning 100 square miles throughout the Sangre de Cristos, their secretive nature making sightings rare but tracks and signs reminding you that true wilderness predators inhabit these mountains. Coyotes provide more frequent encounters, their evening howling sessions echoing across the landscape.
Bird Life and Raptors: Golden eagles soar on seven-foot wingspans above the valley and foothills, hunting rabbits and prairie dogs while performing spectacular aerial displays during courtship season. Great horned owls inhabit wooded areas, their distinctive hooting calls breaking evening silence as they hunt rodents and rabbits. The diversity of bird life adds constant entertainment and natural education opportunities.
Shared Recreation Greenbelt: Property owners in Sangre de Cristo Ranches enjoy special access to over 5,000 acres of common greenbelt land designated for hunting, hiking, and recreational use. This shared area provides additional hunting opportunities beyond public lands, with lower pressure and exclusive use by landowners rather than the general public. This unique amenity adds tremendous value to your property ownership.
Building And Development Excellence
Understanding Your Building Rights: Your 5.051-Acre property comes with carefully crafted protective covenants established when Sangre de Cristo Ranches was originally developed. These covenants preserve the rural, ranch-like character while giving property owners substantial freedom to build their dream mountain retreats. Unlike heavy-handed HOAs that micromanage every detail, these covenants simply establish common-sense guidelines ensuring all properties maintain appropriate quality.
Residential Building Requirements: The covenants specify residential use only, with no more than one family per main dwelling. This preserves the peaceful, family-oriented character while preventing commercial operations. For your main residence, minimum building sizes ensure quality construction - one-story homes must provide at least 600 square feet of habitable floor space, while two-story dwellings require at least 800 square feet. These measurements exclude basements, porches, and garages, ensuring your actual living space meets these standards while still allowing efficient cabin designs.
Strategic Building Site Selection: Your 5.051 acres with partly wooded, rolling terrain provides multiple excellent building locations. The open areas offer commanding views and maximum solar exposure for passive heating and solar panels, while the treed sections provide natural windbreaks, privacy, and that authentic mountain cabin setting. The rolling topography creates interesting building opportunities including walk-out basement designs and multi-level homes that work with the land's natural contours.
Setback Requirements and Property Boundaries: Your home must be set back at least 30 feet from any boundary along streets or roads, and 25 feet from other property boundaries. These setbacks provide privacy between neighbors, space for utilities and access, and maintain the open feeling that makes rural living appealing. Your generous 5.051 acres easily accommodates these requirements while leaving abundant options for home placement.
Accessory Buildings Freedom: Beyond your main residence, you can construct detached garages for vehicles and equipment, storage sheds for tools and supplies, workshops for projects, and other structures supporting your mountain lifestyle. These accessory buildings have no minimum size requirements and must simply harmonize with your main residence's architecture. Many owners build garages or workshops first, using them to store materials and tools while constructing their main home.
Construction Timeline: Once you begin construction on any structure, you must complete it within one year from the start date. This reasonable timeline ensures the subdivision maintains its appealing appearance while providing flexibility for legitimate building projects. Extensions may be granted under unusual circumstances with written approval.
Manufactured Home Options: The covenants allow manufactured homes, making them a viable and affordable option for establishing your mountain residence. Modern manufactured homes feature quality construction, attractive designs, and efficient floor plans that work beautifully for mountain living while costing significantly less than site-built construction. The home must meet minimum square footage requirements and be installed properly on a permanent foundation.
Septic System Requirements: Any septic system requires full approval from Colorado and Costilla County health agencies regarding design, capacity, location, and construction. Working with licensed septic installers familiar with local requirements makes this process straightforward. The rolling terrain and well-draining soils in this area typically accommodate conventional septic systems without expensive engineering solutions.
RV and Camping During Development: While building your permanent residence, you can camp on your property for up to 14 days every three months without permits. For longer stays, the county offers RV occupancy permits allowing up to 180 days annually with basic utilities in place. These provisions let you live on your land while building, saving rental costs and personally overseeing construction.
Off-Grid Living Paradise
Your Path to Energy Independence: This 8,800-Foot mountain property provides exceptional opportunities for off-grid living, allowing you to eliminate monthly utility bills and achieve true energy independence. The San Luis Valley ranks as one of America's premier locations for off-grid homesteading, combining abundant sunshine for solar power, steady winds for wind generation, accessible well water, and supportive regulations.
Solar Power Excellence: With over 300 days of sunshine annually and high-altitude location increasing solar panel efficiency, your property sits in one of Colorado's best solar energy zones. A properly sized solar array can generate all electricity needed for a comfortable home including lights, appliances, electronics, water pumping, and power tools. The 8,800-Foot elevation means your panels operate in cool, clear air that maximizes efficiency compared to lower, warmer locations.
Wind Power Supplementation: Mountain locations benefit from consistent wind patterns that supplement solar generation, particularly during winter months when solar production decreases. Small wind turbines mounted on towers can generate electricity during cloudy periods and at night. The combination of solar and wind creates a robust off-grid power system.
Well Water Development: Drilling a domestic well provides the most permanent water solution, tapping underground aquifers for cold, clean water year-round. Well depths in Sangre de Cristo Ranches typically range from 150-300 feet depending on location and geology. Wells produce water on demand, require only electricity to run the pump, and provide unlimited water for household use, gardens, and livestock.
Propane for Heating and Cooking: Most off-grid mountain homes use propane for cooking, water heating, and supplemental space heating. Propane burns cleanly, stores indefinitely, and provides reliable energy unaffected by weather or power outages. Propane delivery companies service the San Luis Valley regularly, filling residential tanks on scheduled routes.
Modern Communication: Starlink satellite internet provides high-speed broadband with download speeds exceeding 100 Mbps, enabling remote work, video streaming, and all online activities from your mountain retreat. Cellular coverage from major carriers reaches most of Sangre de Cristo Ranches, providing phone service and mobile internet backup.
Building Your Off-Grid Dream: Many owners start by camping while planning and preparing the building site. Next comes well drilling or cistern installation, followed by septic system approval. During construction, owners often install solar panels early to power tools and provide electricity for work lights. As the home nears completion, you finalize the electrical system, install propane tanks, and complete county inspections.
Seasonal Mountain Living
Four Distinct Seasons: Mountain living at 8,800 feet means experiencing dramatically different seasons, each with unique beauty and opportunities. Spring brings wildflower explosions across mountain meadows as snowmelt feeds seasonal streams and wildlife emerges from winter dormancy. Summer provides perfect weather for outdoor projects, hiking, and enjoying cool mountain breezes. Fall delivers spectacular aspen displays in golden yellows while elk bugling echoes across valleys. Winter transforms the landscape into snow-covered wonderland perfect for snowshoeing, skiing, and cozy fireside evenings.
Summer Mountain Paradise: Summer days at 8,800 feet reach comfortable 60s-70s with nights cooling to the 40s-50s. This natural air conditioning eliminates the need for expensive cooling systems while providing perfect sleeping weather. The elevation's moderate temperatures make outdoor work and recreation enjoyable throughout summer while lower elevations bake in oppressive heat.
Autumn Splendor: September and October bring Colorado's famous fall colors as aspen groves turn brilliant gold against evergreen forests. This is also prime elk hunting season when bulls bugle and massive herds migrate through mountain corridors. Cool crisp mornings, warm sunny afternoons, and spectacular sunsets make autumn the favorite season for many mountain residents.
Winter Wonderland: Snow typically arrives in November and continues through March, creating beautiful winter landscapes while remaining manageable at this elevation. Average snowfall ranges from 60-100 inches annually, with county road maintenance ensuring year-round access. Winter provides opportunities for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and enjoying the profound quiet of snow-covered forests.
Spring Renewal: As snow melts in April and May, the mountains burst back to life. Wildflowers carpet meadows, streams run full with snowmelt, and wildlife becomes increasingly active. Spring is ideal for construction projects, property improvements, and planning summer adventures.
Investment and Ownership
Purchase Options:
Cash Investment: $14,499 + $250 documentation fee
Immediate ownership without monthly obligations
No interest costs or long-term payments
Complete freedom to develop on your timeline
Owner Financing Plan:
Secure Your Mountain Retreat: $549 total ($299 down + $250 doc fee)
Monthly Investment: $275 for 72 months
Total Investment: $20,349 over 6 years
No credit check required
No interest charges
No prepayment penalties
100-Day No-Nonsense Guarantee: When you purchase this property and change your mind within 100 days of your down payment, let us know. We'll either refund your principal payment or exchange it for another property in our inventory that better suits your needs. This guarantee allows you to secure the property confidently before visiting in person. On owner financing, we refund principal paid excluding fees (closing costs, doc fees, note maintenance fees, and taxes). Any late or missed payments during the guarantee period will automatically void the guarantee.
Annual Ownership Costs:
Property taxes: $282.36 (2024) Paid monthly ($23.53 per month)
Voluntary Hoa: $25 annually (optional)
No mandatory fees or assessments
Regional Access:
23 minutes to High Altitude Convenience (Fort Garland)
25 minutes to Fort Garland town center
48 minutes to Great Sand Dunes National Park
2 hours 9 minutes to Colorado Springs
Why This Property Won't Last
Elevation Premium: Properties at 8,800 feet with partly wooded terrain and mountain views command significant premiums in Colorado's real estate market. This elevation provides authentic mountain living that buyers pay top dollar to obtain, while current pricing reflects pre-development agricultural values.
Colorado Mountain Land Scarcity: As Colorado's population grows, buildable mountain land becomes increasingly scarce and expensive. Properties offering this combination of elevation, access, and amenities rarely reach the market at these prices.
Hunting Excellence: GMU 83's legendary elk hunting reputation creates strong demand from hunters seeking property in prime game country. Your location in this renowned hunting unit adds substantial value that increases in value over time.
Off-Grid Paradise: The combination of excellent solar resources, proven well depths, and supportive regulations makes this ideal for off-grid living. As more people seek energy independence, properties with these characteristics appreciate faster than conventional locations.
Owner Financing Advantage: No-credit-check financing eliminates the obstacles preventing many buyers from achieving mountain property ownership. This financing won't remain available indefinitely as demand increases.
Perfect For Mountain Lifestyle Seekers Who Want:
Family Cabin Retreat: Weekend getaway property for creating lasting family memories in the mountains
Off-Grid Homestead: Energy-independent mountain living with solar power, well water, and self-sufficiency
Hunting Basecamp: Prime location in GMU 83 for serious elk hunters seeking permanent basecamp
Investment Property: Appreciating Colorado mountain land in premier recreational area
Retirement Sanctuary: Peaceful mountain setting for enjoying golden years in clean air and natural beauty
Adventure Base: Headquarters for exploring Colorado's outdoor treasures and mountain recreation
Information presented is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Buyers should conduct independent due diligence to verify all details.
Driving Directions from Fort Garland:
Your mountain adventure begins today. This 5.051-Acre property at 8,800 feet elevation provides everything needed for authentic Colorado mountain living - partly wooded terrain with open building spaces, commanding views, excellent access, and premier recreation opportunities. Properties offering this combination of elevation, character, and location don't remain available long in today's competitive Colorado mountain real estate market. Contact Wild Domain Land today to secure your mountain retreat before another buyer claims this exceptional opportunity.
Land Maps
Directions to Land
Driving Directions from Fort Garland, CO
Start in Fort Garland and head east on US-160 E.
Continue on US-160 E for approximately 5.5 miles.
Turn right onto County Road 25.
Continue on County Road 25 as it becomes Trinchera Ranch Road.
Stay on Trinchera Ranch Road for several miles as it winds south and east.
Turn left onto Frelinghuysen Road.
Continue straight until you reach Sarnoff Road.
Turn right onto Sarnoff Road and follow it to the property area.
The parcel will be on the east side of Sarnoff Road near the mapped coordinates shown in the listing.
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