Chautauqua’s community is full of history and adventure
Founded in the early 1900s as a summer vacation destination, Chautauqua is known for its strong sense of community and easy access to outdoor amenities. The neighborhood sits at the base of Boulder's flatirons, where cottages are within walking distance of hiking trails and event facilities. During the summer, the area will host concerts and festivals for the city. Despite the influx of seasonal visitors, residents of Chautauqua enjoy the variety of activities to do and know how to avoid the traffic.
In the Chautauqua neighborhood, going for a hike is as simple as stepping out the front door.
Chautauqua started as an adult learning site in the late 19th century.
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Chautauqua’s rich cultural history
The Chautauqua neighborhood was created as part of a larger Chautauqua Movement, which occurred in the late 1800s when Methodists began creating camps across the country centered around adult learning and self-improvement. The community would spend its summers attending educational offerings and events and enjoying outdoor activities. Now, Colorado’s Chautauqua is one of a few remaining sites, and its amenities and events are open to the public year-round.
Most of the neighborhood’s homes are from the original Chautauqua members. “My grandfather built a cottage here in the 1920s, and I spent every summer of my childhood visiting the community. It’s a lovely, secluded neighborhood with deep roots. The home is still in our family,” says Bella Weber, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker with over 25 years of experience.
The Chautauqua neighborhood has a strong sense of community.
The Colorado Chautauqua continues to host events year-round.
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Things to do in Chautauqua
Chautauqua offers numerous outdoor and indoor amenities:
The Chautauqua Auditorium holds concerts and live performances.
The Community House hosts lectures and cultural programs.
The Dining Hall serves all three meals and is open to visitors.
The General Store sells ice cream, coffee drinks and locally made goods.
Chautauqua Park features a playground and courts for tennis, pickleball and basketball. Events like the Flatiron Sounds Music Festival are held on the lawn.
In addition to its facilities, Chautauqua Park has access to several hiking trails that travel up the flatirons. The Chautauqua Trail is a 1-mile-out-and-back that connects to Bluebell Road, which allows biking and horseback riding. There’s also the Royal Arch, Bluebell Spur, Enchanted Mesa and McClintock Upper and Lower trails. Most routes feature pine forests and panoramic views of the surrounding valleys and foothills.
The iconic views of the Flatirons draws residents to the Chautauqua neighborhood.
Walk through the Boulder Open Space at the base of the famous Flatirons.
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Million-dollar single-family housing market
The average home value for properties in Chautauqua is around $1,540,000, which is higher than that of the City of Boulder’s, about $930,000. Bungalows and single-story cottages built from the late 1890s to the 1920s are the neighborhood’s main housing type. Four-bedroom, 1,200 square-foot homes in need of repair are priced around $1 million to $1.5 million, while recently renovated homes can get up to $2.4 million. These properties are rarely found for sale on the market – they’re either kept within families or used as guest lodgings.
“Most of [the cottages] are rentals,” says Lydia Creasey, a Realtor and team leader of Lydia’s Home Team with Re/Max Alliance, who has almost 20 years of experience. “[The community] has been there forever, as a kind of summer cottage area, but there are people who live there year-round too.”
Recently renovated, larger homes are sold for between $1.6 million and $2.4 million.
Bungalows and cottages are Chautauqua's main housing type.
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Traffic and parking for Chautauqua Park
Traffic issues are common for the area during the summer, with many visitors going to Chautauqua Park. “You go up into that area, and it’s a constant flow of traffic,” Creasey says. “On the weekends it’s almost impossible to find parking. We would sometimes park at a friend’s house nearby and walk over.” In an attempt to combat traffic, Boulder operates a free shuttle service on summer weekends and during the holidays. The 27th Way Park-N-Ride station is the closest parking lot on the shuttle’s route. Parking at Chautauqua Park costs a fee from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.
Locals can catch the RTD-bus on Baseline Road.
Commuters use the wide bike lanes on Baseline Road to travel around the city.
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Commuting to shopping and dining essentials
When it comes to accessing essentials, residents can easily walk to Chautauqua’s Dining Hall and General Store, which operate under different hours depending on the season. You can also drive to Downtown Boulder, about 2 miles north, and explore its wide selection of local businesses and restaurants. The drive takes approximately eight to 12 minutes. The closest grocery stores are Safeway and Sprouts Farmers Market on Arapahoe Avenue, which is around 2 miles northeast.
In the early 2000s, the Dining Hall was renovated so it could be open for customers year-round.
For groceries, shoppers drive a mile east to the nearby Sprouts Farmers Market.
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Getting educated in highly rated public schools
Children living in Chautauqua can attend top-rated schools within the Boulder Valley School District. The neighborhood is zoned for Flatirons Elementary, Manhattan Middle and Boulder High School, all of which earn high marks. The district also offers choice enrollment. Apex is the district’s Career and Technical Education Center, available to all interested teens.
Flatirons Elementary School boasts an A grade from Niche.
Students living in Chautauqua are zoned to Boulder High School.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Are you familiar with the Chautauqua neighborhood?
to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Chautauqua
US
Homicide
3
4
Sexual Assault
1
4
Assault with Weapon
2
4
Robbery
2
4
Burglary
3
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
3
4
Larceny
3
4
Crime Score
2
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes
14
Median Year Built
1921
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,634
Below the national average
1,930
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
1,306
Distribution of Home Values
Source: Public Records
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
Weather
Annual Precipitation
21''
Average Winter Low Temperature
21°F
Average Summer High Temperature
88°F
Annual Snowfall
56''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
45/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
34/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
38/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
