Kittredge blends rustic charm with outdoor adventure
Kittredge is a small, rural town about 28 miles west of Downtown Denver, surrounded by ponderosa pines in the Colorado mountains. Its location in Bear Creek Canyon offers access to hiking trails and recreational activities on the water. A handful of local restaurants are found along Bear Creek Road, and Evergreen is a little over 2 miles away for essentials. “It’s this little tucked-in community in the foothills,” says Kay Bohan, a real estate agent with LIV Sotheby’s International Realty, who has about 20 years of experience and lives in the area. According to Bohan, Kittredge is an eclectic version of Evergreen, with more local restaurants and a small-town, rustic vibe. "There are so many opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts," she says.
Recreation in the mountains and on Bear Creek
Kittredge’s mountainous landscape lends to an abundance of outdoor recreation. O’Fallon Park is a hiking area along Bear Creek with a picnicking and fishing spot at the entrance. “The creek meanders through and it’s just beautiful. The kids here have grown up playing in the creeks and parks,” Bohan says. “And you have daily wildlife sightings of elk and deer.” Four trails wind through O’Fallon’s thick forests and grassy meadows, connecting to Corwina Park and Lair O’ the Bear Park nearby. Bear Creek Trail extends over 12 miles through the entire area and allows bikers and horseback riders, while Panorama Point Trail, located in Corwina Park, is only accessible to hikers and reaches a mountain summit. Rutabaga Ride is a biker-only trail in Lair O’ the Bear Park.
Kittredge Community Park is a recreational outlet in town. The green space has a playground, open field and a paved walking path with fitness equipment. About 3 miles west in Evergreen, Dedisse Park is a large space that contains the Evergreen Golf Course and Evergreen Lake. Water recreation is an option year-round with boating and fishing in the warmer months and ice skating in the winter.
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre is a nationally known outdoor concert venue that’s around 8 miles east of Kittredge. The open-air amphitheater is carved into red-stone cliffs, which also offer hiking opportunities. Famous performances include The Beatles and Grateful Dead.
Single-family homes across the decades
Most homes in Kittredge are found in town along quiet residential streets. Properties are spaced out with large grassy lawns that are both spotted with and surrounded by thick, mature trees. “It’s foothill living, so there are some entry-level housings, but they do have a mix of multi-million-dollar homes too,” Bohan says. Ranch-style homes and traditional single-story cottages from the 1920s to 1950s are common, along with raised ranches, bi-levels and split levels from the 1950s to 1980s. Many of the larger properties have balconies. Prices range from $460,000 to $650,000.
As properties start winding up the mountain, they tend to get bigger. Custom, multi-story mountain homes from the 1980s to 2010s are found north of Bear Creek Road. Some have cabin-inspired features such as wood exteriors and front porches, while others have a New Traditional design. Craftsman-inspired homes are outfitted with multiple sloped roofs, front gables and the occasional balcony. These properties are priced around $800,000 to $1.2 million.
A-rated Jeffco public schools with quality programs
Kittredge is served by the Jefferson County School District, which offers choice enrollment. Parmalee Elementary School provides after-school enrichment programs, and Evergreen Middle School has an outdoor lab for hands-on learning. Both schools earn A-minus grades from Niche. Evergreen High School receives an A and has career pathways programs in business marketing, health sciences, multimedia arts and production arts. Students can also participate in over 55 clubs and sports teams.
Events build the Kittredge community
The Kittredge Community Civic Association organizes multiple social events a year aimed at bringing the community together. There’s a chili pot luck and cook off event in the spring and an annual neighborhood cleanup and yard sale event in June. The organization also gets together for community improvements; the Kittredge Community Park was originally one of its projects.
According to Bohan, the town will occasionally host a farmers market or open a roadside stand to support the local farming community. “They always get fresh Palisade peaches and cherries, and of course the locally grown fresh lettuce.”
Local restaurants and nearby shopping in Evergreen
Commerce is limited in Kittredge, with a handful of local shops and restaurants lined along Bear Creek Road. Black Hat Cattle Co. is a steakhouse sporting a rustic, Western atmosphere and Switchback Smokehouse serves barbecue platters. Blackbird Cafe specializes in brunch options. Kittredge General Store is a gas station with with grocery items and made-to-order food. “It’s the most amazing place to have burritos and tacos, and of all places, it’s a local gas station. They have the best Taco Tuesday in town,” Bohan says.
Downtown Evergreen is over 2 miles away and has its own selection of local restaurants, clothing boutiques, thrift shops and novelty stores.
Traveling in and out of Kittredge
A vehicle is required to navigate the area’s mountainous landscape. Colorado state Highway 74, known as Bear Creek Road, is the main commuter route, traveling east and west through the area. Drivers can take it to Evergreen, over 2 miles west, or around 28 miles east to the Denver Metro area. The Denver International Airport is roughly 51 miles away.
The risks of mountain living
Living in a mountain valley comes with unique environmental challenges. Heavy rain can create a risk of flooding along Bear Creek. Kittredge also has a risk of potential wildfires. As such, Evergreen Fire Rescue Station 6 provides fire prevention and emergency medical services to the area. Its mitigation program offers resources for preventing wildfires.
