Avon is a ski resort destination with quick highway access
Avon is a popular resort town in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. It is beside one of Eagle County’s major ski destinations, which draws thousands of tourists every year. “It gets busy, but it’s our bread and butter,” says Brooke Franke Gagnon, a broker associate at Keller Williams Mountain Properties with sales in the area. “People live here because it’s a resort community.” Avon’s neighborhoods also appeal to people looking for year-round access. “It’s a high quality of life because people are always outside doing all the things that tourists want to come here and do,” Gagnon says. Two highways cross the community, allowing people to travel easily between recreational destinations and commercial centers. Although winter is the area’s peak season, summer brings several events to Avon’s primary hub, Nottingham Park.
Outdoor recreation includes Beaver Creek skiing, lake paddling and golfing
Avon is directly north of Beaver Creek, a major regional destination for cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. In summer, slopes become hiking and biking trails. Eagle Creek passes through the community, offering ample opportunities for fishing, kayaking and whitewater rafting. Nottingham Lake in Nottingham Park is a hub for paddleboarding, as well as ice skating in the winter. Nottingham Park also features several athletic fields, a playground and an outdoor performance pavilion. EagleVail Golf Club offers an 18-hole course open to the public, while Avon Recreation Center has over 2,500 square feet of indoor fitness facilities. Walking Mountains Science Center shares information about the ecosystems surrounding the community through educational hikes and science demonstrations.
Avon faces a major risk from flooding and wildfire over the next 30 years, according to First Street. Gagnon says that flooding is typically rare, but buyers should be aware of it. Since the community is at risk of brush fires, town officials prepare through mitigation techniques, like townwide tree thinning and pruning.
Rolling hills hold million-dollar luxury homes
Residential subdivisions either cluster around major roads or stretch across rolling hills. Home styles range from manufactured houses and condos to townhouses, multifamily dwellings and single-family houses. Luxury ski chalets and custom estates are especially common in the hills. Gagnon says Avon has a roughly equal percentage of seasonal and full-time residents. Many properties are people’s second or third homes, but specific neighborhoods prohibit short-term rentals, increasing year-round owner occupancy. Although prices can fall in the $300,000 to $900,000 range, Avon’s median price is around $1 million. “If you get into the resort area, $1.8 million is probably the cheapest you can get a single-family home,” Gagnon says. Gated communities like Mountain Star also have monthly HOA fees.
Small businesses and commercial centers are throughout Avon
Commercial options are all across town. Businesses like ski and bicycle retailers line Highway 6. A large shopping hub surrounds Avon Road, offering diverse restaurants, sporting goods stores and a City Market grocery store within walking distance of resorts. While the community does have Walmart and The Home Depot, national chains are a rarity. “If you want to be in the city and go to Target every weekend, this is not a lifestyle for you,” Gagnon says. “We are definitely more mom and pop and small business oriented.” She also says many businesses offer discounts to locals during the off-season.
Highways, roundabouts and buses move traffic through the town
Highway 6 and Interstate 70, two major county throughfares, cut through Avon. These connect to other regional hubs quickly and bring an influx of cars. “Traffic is a big deal,” Gagnon says. “We only have like one stoplight in Avon, so most of the traffic is funneled through roundabouts, which tourists — and even some locals — aren’t used to.” Alternative options, like the Avon Transit bus service, help shuttle people around town and to nearby ski slopes. For air travel, Eagle County Regional Airport is 26 miles away, and Denver International Airport is 125 miles east. Buck Creek Medical Plaza offers urgent, emergency and primary care inside Avon.
Students attend schools located in Avon and nearby Edwards
Most students attend Homestake Peak School, a prekindergarten through eighth-grade school inside Avon. Some students living on the far west side start at Avon Elementary School before moving to Homestake Peak School for grades 6 through 8. Avon Elementary has a C rating from Niche, while Homestake Peak School earns a B-minus. High schoolers attend Battle Mountain High School, which has a B-plus score. The school offers various electives, from beginner carpentry to environmental leadership.
Nottingham Park hosts annual concerts and competitions
Most annual events take place at Nottingham Park. AvonLive! bands play at the outdoor pavilion every Wednesday night in summer. SunsetLive! is a similar concert series, except shows are on Sundays. During Labor Day weekend, paddleboarders descend upon Nottingham Lake for Paddle Battles. Spectators watch individual and team races, as well as a humorous cardboard boat regatta. In July, cyclists participating in The Triple Bypass test their stamina as they travel over 120 miles from Evergreen to Avon.
