Blue Ridge is a rural escape from modern conveniences
Located about 70 miles southeast of Flagstaff in Coconino County, the remote community of Blue Ridge offers a total escape from modern conveniences (cell phone service often included). With virtually no commercial development, Blue Ridge is surrounded by thick ponderosa pine forest, allowing residents to fully immerse themselves in nature. “You’ve got some great long-range mountain views,” says area resident Sherrie Vrankovic, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Advantage Realty. “There’s some awesome hunting opportunities, or you can just sit and watch the wildlife from your deck.” As a sparsely populated community with far more trees than people, Blue Ridge offers plenty of privacy and seclusion. The community has a low risk of violent and property crime, with an overall CAP Index Crime score of 1 out of 10, compared to the national average score of 4 out of 10.
Outdoor enthusiasts love Blue Ridge for how close they are to the great outdoors.
There are many pieces of history that happened around Blue Ridge.
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Part-time cabins for secondary homeowners
Because of Blue Ridge’s highly remote location, those with full time jobs will have a hard time living here year-round, which is why Vrankovic says the housing scene is mostly made up of cabins used as part-time vacation homes or weekend getaways. Most sit on anywhere from one to ten acres, and while many are modest with no frills, there are also plenty of luxury builds. While tiny hunting cabins and rustic fixer-uppers range from around $200,000 to $350,000, most residences start at closer to $400,000 and range to about $900,000 depending on size, acreage and upgrades. Custom, luxury homes with sprawling square footage start closer to $1 million and can go for upwards of $2 million. There are also plenty of undeveloped parcels, with prices starting at around $40,000 and ranging to around $300,000 depending on acreage.
Some of the cabins around Blue Ridge are used for rentals or hunting trips.
Blue Ridge residents love being tucked away behind the beautiful pine trees.
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Water recreation at the Blue Ridge Reservoir
Located about 15 miles south of Blue Ridge, the C.C. Cragin Reservoir, commonly referred to as the Blue Ridge Reservoir, offers water recreation opportunities to area residents. The narrow, freshwater lake winds through 8 miles of canyon-like terrain and is surrounded by thick ponderosa pine forest, offering scenic views to kayakers, canoers and paddleboarders. Stocked with rainbow and brown trout, the lake is also popular for fishing.
Blue Ridge residents have easy access to the Coconino National Forest wilderness.
You can find many hiking trails through the woods in Blue Ridge.
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Shopping and dining 40 miles away in Winslow
There aren’t any shopping or dining options in Blue Ridge. To stock up on groceries, residents will have to commute about 40 miles northeast to the city of Winslow, where there’s a Walmart and a Safeway. Winslow also has an array of local eateries, including RelicRoad Brewing Company with local craft beers and pub fare, and the Falcon Restaurant, which serves everything from breakfast to hearty Mexican and American dinners. Winslow is also home to popular chains such as Sonic and Denny’s.
Walmart is a nearby option for Blue Ridge residents to get some shopping done.
Blue Ridge residents enjoy living near smaller towns like Winslow and Flagstaff.
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Students can commute to partner districts for school option
While not many school-aged children live full-time in Blue Ridge due to its remote location, the community is served by Chevelon Butte School District. Though the district doesn’t operate any schools of its own, it does provide local students with transportation to schools in nearby partner districts. From kindergarten through eighth grade, any students who live in Blue Ridge will attend Pine Strawberry Elementary School in the Pine Strawberry School District, which is located about 40 miles south and receives a B-plus rating from Niche. High schoolers in Blue Ridge will attend the C-plus-rated Payson High School in the Payson Unified School District about 50 miles north, which offers career courses in fields ranging from agriculture science to engineering.
Thomas Knoles Jr Elementary is another great school in the community.
Coconino High School is a well known school in the area.
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State Route 87 helps residents feel connected
State Route 87 leads about 40 miles northeast to Winslow and Interstate 40. County Road 3, known locally as Lake Mary Road, leads about 70 miles northwest to Flagstaff. The Flagstaff Medical Center is on the city’s north end, and the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, with daily nonstop flights to Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth, is on the south end.
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