About Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Towering Mountains covered in endless miles of ponderosa and aspen, with sunny, mild summers, golden autumns, deep snow winters, and friendly, small town charm - this is Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

Nestled on a wide, rolling 7000’ plateau, drained by the San Juan and Piedra rivers and framed to the north and east by the rugged San Juan Mountains, Pagosa Springs is a small Southwest Colorado mountain community. We’re surrounded by 3 million acres of National Forest and designated Wilderness Areas and located within a few hours drive of several major cities, including Albuquerque, Denver and Salt Lake City.

With about 12,000 people county-wide, Pagosa Springs maintains its small town charm yet is filled with good restaurants, a wide array of outdoor activities, and year-round events. Although Archuleta County has grown significantly over the past decade, its property values are still some of the most reasonable in Colorado – and with the current real estate market such that it is, homes and land can be purchased at prices not seen since the 1990’s anywhere in Colorado.

Pagosa Springs, like all of Southwest Colorado, boasts over 300 days of sunshine each year. With four distinct seasons, our recreational activities are both diverse and numerous.

in mid-August late in the afternoon. It was taken with a small Nikon digital camera. It was modified for size and cropped and a slight

adjustment to the contrast was made, but those are the only changes made to the photo.

Some Facts about Pagosa Springs

Pagosa Springs is located at 37°16′5″N 107°1′28″W, 37.26806°N 107.02444°W. The town sits formally at an elevation of 7,126 feet and is located in Archuleta County, Colorado.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.41 square miles (11.42 km²), of which, 4.38 square miles (11.34 km²) of it is land and 0.03 square miles (0.07 km²) of it (0.3%) is water. (Source: Wikipedia)

Archuleta County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 12,386 in 2006, a 25.14% increase since U.S. Census 2000 (of course, we should have the 2010 census date shortly). The county seat and the only municipality in the county is the Town of Pagosa Springs.

Archuleta County was created by the Colorado legislature on April 14, 1885, out of western Conejos County. It was named for J. M. Archuleta, of New Mexico, and in honor of Antonio D. Archuleta, who was the Senator from Conejos County at the time.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,355 square miles (3,511 km²), of which, 1,350 square miles (3,497 km²) of it is land and 5 square miles (14 km²) of it (0.39%) is water, depending on the time of year, no doubt. (Source: Wikipedia)

Climate and Weather

Compared to much of the American Southwest, Pagosa’s weather is mild. In winter our daytime temperatures often rise above freezing and with generally sunny, windless or near windless days it’s not uncommon to see folks walking around in light jackets. In summer, we rarely see daytime temperatures rise above the low 90’s, and temps in the 80’s are more the norm. Our low humidity levels in both summer and winter add to the general comfort level.

Pagosa boasts roughly 300 days of sunshine each year and even our cloudy days are often broken up by blue sky. In the few years I’ve been here, I’m fairly certain I can still count the number of completely cloudy, socked-in days on my fingers and toes (all of which I still have, that Barracuda back in Florida notwithstanding).

If you want to see the current weather in Pagosa, according to Accuweather^tm go here: Pagosa Weather

Some other Pagosa Basics

Relevant Newspapers:

The Pagosa Springs SUN (weekly)

PagosaDailyPost.com (online news)

The Four Corners Business Journal (monthly)

The Durango Herald (daily)

Government:

Pagosa Springs has an elected Town Council and Mayor and an appointed Town Administrator. The Archuleta County Government consists of three county commissioners elected for alternating four-year terms. Our primary source of revenue is retail sales and property taxes as well as charges for services.

Taxes:

Income Tax: 4.63%

Sales Tax: 6.9% - The state sales tax rate is 2.9%, with 4% being levied by Archuleta County. The Town of Pagosa Springs splits the 4% with Archuleta County.

Property Tax: Based on 7.96% of market value for residential properties and 29% of of market value for vacant land and commercial properties.

Hospital:

Pagosa Mountain Hospital

Crime/Law Enforcement:

The myth is there is no crime in Pagosa Springs. Of course there is, but it’s a relatively minor amount and violent crime is practically non-existent (except the occasional bar scuffle). Law enforcement is handled primarily by the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Department or the Pagosa Springs Police Department.