Shari Pierce

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in joining our community. Whatever has attracted you to this area — the scenery, the climate, the recreational activities or a specific job, we know you will find Pagosa Country to be a friendly, pleasant place to live, work and play. 

The Pagosa Springs Real Estate and Relocation Guide has been developed to provide an abundance of pertinent information about the area. 

Our community is surrounded by over 3 million acres of National Forest and wilderness areas. That means you will find a variety of outdoor activities here — hiking, biking, rafting, backcountry exploration, skiing, sledding, cross-country skiing, fishing, hunting and many others. You will also find other activities to keep you busy such as our charming shops, historic sites, museums, Chimney Rock National Monument and a variety of artisans. 

Please indulge in the pleasure of soaking in our geothermally heated waters. The giant spring in town issues forth from a mighty aquifer, providing Pagosa Country with some of the most relaxing and restorative waters anywhere in the world.

There is also an abundance of networking opportunities and special events to enhance the work and living environment for residents and business owners.

Members of our community are actively involved in many volunteer, leadership and business ventures. 

Whether a home-based business or a growth company, Pagosa Springs has the resources available to help you succeed. 

Archuleta School District, along with alternative educational options, offers many diverse programs to all students, including distance-learning opportunities. 

The area’s hospital, Pagosa Springs Medical Center, operates a 24/7 emergency room, lab and diagnostic services, diagnostic imaging and mammography exams, cancer care, a surgical staff, orthopedic surgery, primary care physicians and more. 

Look through these pages and learn for yourself — Pagosa Springs is a great place to live, work, create, move or expand your business, raise a family or retire. 

Welcome to Pagosa Country.

EXPORE PAGOSA

About the area

Location

Archuleta County is located in southwest Colorado, situated at the junction of U.S. 160 and 84 at an elevation of 7,079 feet. The county seat, Pagosa Springs, is located 30 miles north of the New Mexico border, and 60 miles east of Durango. It is also near the Four Corners region where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona meet.

Physical Description

Archuleta County is comprised of 872,960 acres. Only 34 percent of lands in Archuleta County are in private ownership. Tribal lands comprise 14.4 percent of the county. Most of the northern and eastern portions of the county (51.6 percent) are within the San Juan National Forest. There is a total of approximately 2.8 million acres of National Forest and Bureau of Land Management surrounding Archuleta County.

Population Archuleta County

Source: US Census Bureau State & County QuickFacts

2019 estimate — 14,029

Housing and Income 

Median value owner-occupied housing — $314,400

Households — 5,858

Persons per household — 2.23

Per capita money income — $31,629

Median household income — $52,221

Persons in poverty — 10.8 percent

Geography

Land area (square miles) — 1,350

Persons per square mile — 9.1

Taxes

Sales and User Tax: 2.9 percent state, 4 percent county. County sales tax revenue is divided between county and town.

Lodger’s Tax: A 4.9 percent tax is collected from the lodging industry and used for tourism promotion.  

Primary Source of Town & County Revenue: Retail sales taxes, property taxes and charges for services.

Government

Town Government: www.pagosasprings.co.gov

Home Rule Municipality

Town council with elected mayor and six councilors elected for alternating four-year terms, town manager is appointed. Date of incorporation: 1891.

County Government: www.archuletacounty.org.

Three county commissioners elected for alternating four-year terms.

Newspaper: The Pagosa Springs SUN 

www.pagosasun.com, (970) 264-2100

Education

District 50 Joint Office (970) 264-2228 

www.mypagosaschools.com

High School (970) 264-2231

Middle School, 5th-6th grades (970) 264-2256

Middle School, 7th-8th grades (970) 264-2794

Elementary School (970) 264-2229

Pagosa Peak Open School (970) 317-2151

The Training Advantage (970) 264-5627

GOAL Academy (877) PRO-GOAL

Utilities

Electric

La Plata Electric Association (970) 247-5786, www.lpea.coop

Gas/Natural

Black Hills Energy (888) 890-5554, www.blackhillsenergy.com

Water

Pagosa Area Water & Sanitation (970) 731-2691, www.pawsd.org

Sanitation

Pagosa Area Water & Sanitation (970) 731-2691, www.pawsd.org

Town of Pagosa Springs, (970) 264-4151 , www.pagosasprings.co.gov

Trash

At Your Disposal (970) 731-4892

Elite Recycling & Disposal (970) 731-2012

Waste Management (970) 264-5622

County Transfer Station (970) 264-5660

Tourism & Business Development

Pagosa Springs Community Development Corp., www.pagosaspringscdc.org, (970) 264-2360

Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, www.pagosaspringschamber.com, (970) 264-2360

Pagosa Springs Area Tourism, www.visitpagosasprings.com, (970) 585-1200 or (866) 438-4917

Pagosa Springs Official Visitor Guide, www.explorepagosa.com, (970) 264-2100

Region 9 Economic Development District, (970) 247-9621, www.scan.org

Fort Lewis College Small Business Development, (970) 247-7009, http://sbdcfortlewis.org/

Related Website Links & Info

Association of Realtors, www.pagosaspringsrealtors.com

U.S. Postal Service, Hot Springs Boulevard, (970) 264-5440

U.S. Forest Service Pagosa Ranger District Office, (970) 264-2268, www.fs.usda.gov/sanjuan

Colorado State University Extension Office, (970) 264-5931, www.archuleta.colostate.edu

Ruby Sisson Memorial Library, (970) 264-2209, pagosalibrary.org

Stevens Field Airport, (970) 731-3060,  FBO (970) 731-2127, www.archuletacounty.org/45/Airport, AWOS frequency 127.175

Durango-La Plata County Airport, www.flydurango.com  

Road Conditions

Colorado Department of Transportation, 511 or (303) 639-1111, www.cotrip.org

Archuleta County Road Report, (970) 264-5555

New Mexico Road Report, (800) 432-4269, www.nmroads.com

EXPORE PAGOSA

Just the facts

Where is Pagosa Springs?

Pagosa Springs sits at 7,079 feet in southwest Colorado at the base of the Continental Divide. Featuring rushing rivers and streams, lakes galore, hiking and biking trails, spectacular fall colors, ancient ruins, deep powder in the winter at nearby Wolf Creek Ski Area, incredible hunting, amazing wildlife, clean air and 3 million acres of National Forest surrounding the area, Pagosa Springs offers plenty of opportunities for our valued visitors, any time of year.

Who can I contact for info?

The Pagosa Springs Area Tourism website at www.visitpagosasprings.com will link you to the Visitor Center, or call their vacation line at (866) 438-4917. Visitor information can also be found at www.ExplorePagosa.com and www.PagosaSUN.com.

Keep up on the news and events with The Pagosa Springs SUN, the community’s weekly newspaper, with daily updates online at www.PagosaSUN.com.

What is it like at that altitude?

Regardless of physical fitness, acute mountain sickness can strike anyone not acclimated to Pagosa’s 7,000-foot elevation. To guard against altitude sickness:

• Drink three to four quarts of water per day.

• Avoid overexertion, while keeping caffeine and alcohol intake moderate for the first few days.

• Seek medical attention if persistent headache, fatigue, poor coordination or shortness of breath occur. 

What is the weather like?

Archuleta County is located in the “Colorado Sunbelt,” just north of the New Mexico border and along the Western slope of the Continental Divide. This combination of high desert plateau and dramatic Rocky Mountains to the north and east creates an unusually mild climate compared with much of the surrounding Southwest. We are favored with some 300 days of sun each year, as well as four distinct seasons. With low wind and warm sunshine, residents can enjoy a variety of year-round recreational activities.

Average Temperatures and Precipitation:

Average Days of Sunshine: 300 per year

Annual Precipitation: 20.87 inches/year

Annual Snowfall: 107 inches/year

Month High Low Precipitation Month High Low Precipitation

Month High Temp. Low Temp. Average Precipitation
Jan. 38.2°F 2.3°F .94”
Feb. 43.6°F 9.2°F 1.46”
Mar. 50.1°F 17.8°F 1.78”
Apr. 58.7°F 23.7°F 1.24”
May 67.8°F 31.0°F 1.41”
Jun. 78.0°F 37.2°F .90”
Jul. 82.6°F 45°F 1.80”
Aug. 80.2°F 44.8°F 2.68″
Sep. 73.5°F 36.8°F 2.10”
Oct. 63.2°F 26.5°F 2.32”
Nov. 48.6°F 15.7°F 1.75”
Dec. 39.9°F 5.6°F 1.50”

Is there a medical facility? 

Pagosa Springs Medical Center includes a critical access hospital located at 95 S. Pagosa Blvd. The emergency room is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Phone (970) 731-3700. Dial 911 for emergency services.

There are multiple primary care clinics in the community offering a variety of services.

Important phone numbers:

EMERGENCIES DIAL “911” (Ambulance, EMT, Fire, Police)

Nonemergency ambulance, fire, EMT or Law Enforcement, dial (970) 731-2160

Emergency Medical Services (970) 731-5811

Pagosa Springs Medical Center (970) 731-3700

Pagosa Urgent Care (970) 372-0456

Axis Integrated Healthcare (970) 264-2104

Pagosa Springs Police Department (970) 264-4151, Ext. 228

Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office (970) 264-8430

Pagosa Fire Protection District (970) 731-4191

USFS Pagosa District Ranger (970) 264-2268

Pagosa Springs Town Hall (970) 264-4151

Archuleta County Commissioners (970) 264-8300

The Pagosa Springs SUN (970) 264-2100

Pagosa Springs Post Office (970) 264-5440

Senior Citizens Center (970) 264-2167

Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library (970) 264-2209

Archuleta School District 50 Joint (970) 264-2228

Navajo Lake State Park (970) 883-2208

Airport Flight Base Operations (970) 731-2127

Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation (970) 731-2691

Black Hills Energy (888) 890-5554

La Plata Electric Association (970) 247-5786