Glade Park | Mesa County

The unincorporated community of Glade Park is one of Colorado's hidden gems. Most homes and land for sale in Glade Park are southwest of Miracle Rock Recreation Area, between DS Road and 8.4 Road. A two-bedroom home with outbuildings and 2,346 feet of living space lists for around $700,000. Most two- to three-bedroom homes in the community sell for under $650,000.

Situated on the Western Slope and bordering the state of Utah, Glade Park is south of McInnis Canyon and north of Pinon Mesa. Glade Park is 16 miles from Grand Junction. To get to Glade Park, one must take Little Park Road or follow the Colorado National Monument's Rim Rock Drive, gaining about 2,500 feet of elevation over a 4-mile hairpin turn. The views from the drive are spectacular, including red sandstone canyons and sheer cliff faces.

Glade Park is approximately 7,000 feet above sea level. Glade Park is typically 10°F cooler than Grand Junction due to its elevation. Still, winter temperatures can be much warmer than Grand Junction if there is a temperature inversion in the Grand Valley below.

The area's remoteness and its inhabitants' inventiveness have made Glade Park an unusual array of alternative and sustainably constructed dwellings, including earth boats, rammed earth structures, straw bale structures, geodesic domes, earthen walls, and block structures.

The community presents exceptional hunting. The area has numerous natural arches, beautiful rugged sandstone cliffs, and stunning rim rock bluffs that are home to deer, elk, and other large wildlife. The elevation in the area is around 6,500 feet. If you're looking for a large parcel, a beautiful ranch is listed for $2.75 million with over 1,200 acres! It is two combined parcels with two water wells producing five gallons per minute. An underground pipeline supplies stock water and includes 14,000 gallons of storage. The gorgeous setting has three seasonal ponds, year-round access via two country roads, working livestock corrals, and excellent perimeter fences.

Neighborhood Highlights:

Glade Park is a ranch and farming community. As precipitation has declined, most of the ranch land has been divided into 35- to 40-acre lots. Zoning allows for a density of one dwelling per 35 acres. Glade Park has no municipal water system; most houses have wells. The water table is about 500 feet below the earth's surface. Some homes get their water from the roof.

Glade Park has no motels or restaurants. There is a post office, community building, and the Glade Park Store, where you can pick up a few essentials.

There is also a volunteer fire department. Every Friday during the summer months, the Glade Park Volunteer Fire Department presents "Movies Under the Stars" to raise funds for firefighting and emergency response efforts. This is not just a local event. Hundreds of people invite their families to drive up from Grand Junction to cool off under the bright stars, eat barbecue, and watch family movies.

Cell phone service can be sketchy in parts of the county. According to the Glade Park community website, Version is the most reliable phone service in the region.