Rangely offers rural living and natural recreation on the White River
With a town sign bearing the phrase “Way Outside of Ordinary,” Rangely owns its remoteness on the south bank of the White River Valley, about 90 miles north of Grand Junction. Forests with elk and deer surround residential streets and a single stoplight-less road with shops and restaurants. “It’s truly that small town where you get to know your neighbors, who are pretty much everyone in town. It’s not dying and it’s not growing. Generations after generations have grown up and stayed there,” says Scott Roahrig, a broker with Vertex Realty Partners with over 9 years of experience. “It’s also for people who want to retire in a small town and have the outdoors as a main focus.”
Community parks, OHV trails and natural recreation
The Western Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Park District maintains the town’s recreation center and community parks, such as Hefley Park, which has a bike-friendly trail. Elks Park includes a playground, sand volleyball courts and softball fields with lights. SeptemberFest is hosted in the park, and it features concerts, a car show and a cribbage tournament.
Many recreation areas near Rangely, such as the White River, where anglers cast their lines, are naturally occurring. “Rangely borders the Bureau of Land Management national forest, an abundance of public land available for exploration and trails for hiking and biking,” Roahrig says. Off-highway vehicle (OHV) paths comprise Wagon Wheel Trails and Rangely Rock Crawling Park’s 560 acres. Kenney Reservoir’s southern region has swimming and boat docks. Heavily forested, much of Rangely has an elevated wildfire risk.
Traditional architectural influence from gridded streets to hilltops
Minimal Traditional, ranch-style homes and multistory homes with traditional influence are common from central Rangely’s condensed gridded streets to the north and south, where the terrain becomes hilly. Minimal Traditional prices range from about $80,000 to $270,000, and ranch-style homes go roughly from $160,000 to $340,000. Multistory homes include split-level, bi-level and New Traditionals. Prices range from $240,000 to almost $470,000.
Remote community, with highways, airports and a hospital close by
Colorado Highway 64, locally known as “Main Street,” connects the area to Kenney Reservoir, about 6 miles east, and Meeker, nearly 55 miles farther. Grand Junction Regional Airport is almost 90 miles south via Colorado Highway 139, and it has nonstop service to major airports, such as the Denver International Airport, with direct flights worldwide. Rangely Airport has small planes, so many travelers must drive the 90 miles into Grand Junction for its airport. The area may be remote, but it has medical offices and the Rangely District Hospital.
White River Market and shopping and dining locally on Main Street
Main Street cuts through Rangely’s center and has various local restaurants, including California Wok with Asian fare and Gio’s Family Dining with Italian cuisine. Local shops are also on Main Street. Nichols Store has general store items and livestock feed, and Sweetbriar has antiques and home decorations. The local grocer, White River Market, and an Ace Hardware are nearby.
Learning and athletic programming in Rangely schools
Rangely School District serves the area and includes Parkview Elementary School and Rangely Junior and Senior High School, a sixth through 12th-grade institution. Niche gives both schools C-plus grades overall. Rangely Junior and Senior High have athletic teams at both the junior high and senior high levels, including some for basketball, volleyball and cross country. Colorado Northwestern Community College is nearby and offers 35 degree programs, such as its nationally-acclaimed dental hygiene program.
