Moving to a new place is an exciting adventure that comes with its own set of challenges. One of the trickiest parts is acclimating to a new environment and going into a new place without information on day-to-day life and living.
Here’s a simplified relocation resource—a list of information that might be helpful for an upcoming move to the Roaring Fork Valley.
Welcome to the valley!
Fast facts
Here’s the gist: the Roaring Fork Valley is located on Colorado’s western slope and is home to several small cities and towns. It’s comprised of the upper valley, which includes Aspen, Snowmass Village, and Basalt, mid-valley such as Carbondale, and down-valley, such as Glenwood Springs, New Castle, and Rifle. They are located both along the i-70 corridor and Highway 82, which interchange in Glenwood Springs.
The three counties include Garfield County (Rifle, Silt, New Castle, Glenwood Springs, and Carbondale), Eagle County (Basalt and El Jebel), and Pitkin County (Aspen).
There are two rivers that the area is known for: the Roaring Fork River and the Colorado River. They intersect in Glenwood Springs.
Here are the populations and elevations of the towns within the valley:
- Aspen – 7,721 people, 8,000’ above sea level
- Snowmass Village – 2,786 people, 8,209′
- Basalt – 3,941 people, 6,611′
- Carbondale – 6,658 people, 6,181′
- Glenwood Springs – 10,048 people, 5,761′
- New Castle – 4,877 people, 5,597′
- Silt – 3,076 people, 5,456′
- Rifle – 9,771 people, 5,348′
Getting settled
Upon arrival, be sure to check in with your city or town’s website to learn more about utility payments, trash and recycling pick-up days, maps, business information, and other information specific to your new town.
Here are the websites for the Roaring Fork Valley:
- www.cogs.us/
- www.carbondalegov.org/
- www.newcastlecolorado.org/
- www.townofsilt.org/
- www.rifleco.org/
- www.basalt.net/
- www.cityofaspen.com/
Staples
Here are a few community staples within the Roaring Fork Valley to be aware of.
Major Grocery Stores
- City Market (Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Rifle, Carbondale, Basalt, Aspen)
- Whole Foods (Basalt)
- Natural Grocer (Glenwood Springs)
- Clark’s Market (Aspen)
- Roxy’s Market (Aspen)
Vets
- All Dogs and Cats
- Glenwood Veterinary Hospital
- The Little Tail at Red Hill Animal Center
- Willits Animal Hospital
- Gentle Friends Animal Hospital
- Birch Tree Animal Hospital
- Town and County Veterinary Hospital
- The Valley Veterinary Hospital
- Alpine Animal Hospital
- Aspen Animal Hospital
Newspapers
- Glenwood Springs Post Independent
- The Sopris Sun
- Aspen Times
- Aspen Daily News
- Citizen Telegram
Shopping
Big box stores: Target (Glenwood Springs), Walmart (Glenwood Springs, Rifle), Lowes (Glenwood Springs), Bed Bath & Beyond (Glenwood Springs), Petco (Glenwood Springs), Tractor Supply (Glenwood Springs), Ross (Glenwood Springs), Dollar Tree (Rifle), Dollar General (Silt)
Small businesses and local stores make up the bulk of shopping options in the Roaring Fork Valley. Often, they can be found in downtown or main street areas and spread out across the town.
Schools
The Roaring Fork Valley is home to several primary schools, split into three districts: Aspen School District, Roaring Fork Re-1 School District, and Garfield Re-2 School District.
We are also home to several Colorado Mountain College campuses, which provide higher education in an adventurous setting.
Aspen (Aspen School District)
- Aspen Elementary
- Aspen Middle School
- Aspen High School
Basalt (Roaring Fork Re-1 School District)
- Basalt Elementary
- Basalt Middle
- Basalt High School
Carbondale (Roaring Fork Re-1 School District)
- Crystal River Elementary
- Carbondale Middle
- Roaring Fork High School
- Bridges High School
Glenwood Springs (Roaring Fork Re-1 School District)
- Glenwood Springs Elementary
- Riverview School
- Sopris Elementary School
- Glenwood Springs Middle
- Glenwood Springs High School
- Yampah Mountain School (Mountain Boces School District)
New Castle (Garfield Re-2 School District)
- Elk Creek Elementary
- Kathryn Senor Elementary
- Riverside Middle School
- Coal Ridge High School
Silt (Garfield Re-2 School District)
- Cactus Valley Elementary
Rifle (Garfield Re-2 School District)
- Graham Mesa Elementary
- Highland Elementary
- Wamsley Elementary
- Rifle Middle School
- Rifle High School
Recreation/Attractions
The Roaring Fork Valley is renowned for its outdoor recreation. It has something for everyone, including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, rafting, and skiing. There are several hot springs (for which Glenwood Springs is named) throughout the valley, along with family-friendly and historical attractions.
Here are some big ones:
- Glenwood Hot Springs Resort
- Iron Mountain Hot Springs
- Hotel Colorado
- Yampa Vapor Caves
- Hanging Lake
- Glenwood Canyon
- Glenwood Caverns and Adventure Park
- Rio Grande Trail
- Rifle Falls
- Sunlight Mountain Resort
- Aspen/Snowmass Ski Company
- Mount Sopris
- Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs
Nearby Airports
- Aspen/Pitkin County Airport
- Eagle County Regional Airport
- Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), Walker Field Drive, Grand Junction, CO
- Denver International Airport
Have any questions?
If you’d like to learn more about the area, connect with the team at Sopris Realty today. Contact us online or give us a call at 970-945-7677.