Rio Grande Co, Off-Grid, 5 AC
Nance Blvd : San Acacio, CO 81151
Costilla County, Colorado
Lot Description
Land Description
Picture yourself on 5.22 acres of southern Colorado freedom where the mighty Rio Grande River runs just 1.6 miles from your property line, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains wall off the eastern horizon in shades of granite and snow, and the only sound you hear in the morning is the wind moving through the high desert grass. This flat, open parcel in the Rio Grande Ranchos subdivision of Costilla County sits at 7,659 feet elevation - high enough to leave the heat and congestion of lower elevations behind, open enough to deliver 360-Degree mountain views in every direction, and positioned close enough to one of America's most legendary rivers to make it a genuine part of your daily life rather than a distant attraction. Estate Residential zoning permits single-family homes, manufactured homes, and barns with a 600-Square-Foot minimum. No HOA. Annual taxes of just $81.48 per year. Direct road access on county-maintained Nance Blvd. This is the Rio Grande lifestyle - fishing, hunting, side-by-side riding, dirt biking, off-grid living - all available from a single five-acre address that you own outright.
The off-grid potential here is not theoretical. Costilla County receives over 300 days of sunshine annually - among the highest solar resource levels in Colorado - making solar power the natural and obvious choice for property owners who want energy independence. A well or cistern handles water. Septic handles waste. Propane handles heat and cooking. The complete off-grid infrastructure package for a Costilla County property - solar system, well, septic, propane - runs $15,000 to $35,000 depending on system size and well depth. Add a quality manufactured home for $55,000 to $120,000 and you have a fully self-sufficient residential property in southern Colorado for $70,000 to $155,000 all-in. Nothing comparable exists anywhere in Colorado's mountain resort markets at these price points. This is the last affordable entry point for buyers who want the self-sufficient Colorado life.
Camping is permitted immediately - up to 14 days every three months with no utilities required. Come out, set up camp, experience the land through the seasons, and plan your build from a position of direct experience. When you are ready for extended stays, a long-term camping permit (up to 180 days annually for $200) is available once a septic and water source are in place. Own the land. Camp on the land. Build on the land. Costilla County specifically supports this sequence.
We are open to owner financing as well - here is what that would look like:
Cash Price: $7,499
Easy Financing Option:
- Down Payment: $139
- Documentation Fee: $249
- Total Due Today: $388
- Monthly Payment: $139/Month for 78 months
- Total Monthly Cost: $139/Month
Super Saver Financing Option:
- Down Payment: $279
- Documentation Fee: $249
- Total Due Today: $528
- Monthly Payment: $279/Month for 30 months
- Total Monthly Cost: $279/Month
For just $388 down and $139 per month, you can own 5.22 acres of Rio Grande country - flat, buildable, off-grid ready, with one of America's most legendary rivers 1.6 miles out and a full four-season recreational landscape in every direction. No credit checks, no bank hassles.
See Info below:
- Total Acreage: 5.22 acres
- Short Legal: R.G.R. Unit 48 Blk 11 Lot 15
- Subdivision: Rio Grande Ranchos, Unit 48
- State: Colorado
- County: Costilla
- Zip: 81151
- Address: Nance Blvd., San Acacio, CO 81151
- Parcel Number (Apn): 715-58-120
- Approximate GPS Coordinates (Center): 37.156750, -105.696633
- Corner Coordinates: NW: 37.1576, -105.6972 | NE: 37.1576, -105.6961 | SE: 37.1557, -105.6961 | SW: 37.1557, -105.6972
- Google Map Link:
- Lot Dimensions: Approximately 327 ft x 690 ft
- Shape: Rectangle
- Elevation: 7,659 - 7,662 feet (essentially flat - only 3 feet of variance across the entire parcel)
- Terrain Type: Flat, Desert, Plain - level and highly buildable with minimal site prep required
- Annual Taxes: $81.48/Year
- Zoning: Estate Residential (Er) - Costilla County
--- Single-family dwellings allowed (600 sq ft minimum)
--- Manufactured/mobile homes permitted (post-1976, on permanent foundation)
--- Barns and agricultural outbuildings permitted
--- Camping/RV: up to 14 days every 3 months, no utilities required
--- Long-term camping/RV permit available: up to 180 days/year ($200 permit, requires septic and water source)
--- No time limit to build - develop on your own timeline
- HOA/Poa: None
- Access: Nance Blvd - direct access, dirt road, county maintained
- Closest Highways: US Hwy-285, Route 142
- Water: Off-grid - well or cistern. Average well depth in this area: 50-150 ft (shallower than county average - a meaningful advantage). Cistern/water haul option: San Luis Water Dept sells 500 gallons for $25.
- Sewer: Septic only - county-approved installation required. Approximate cost: $2,200-$4,000 installed.
- Electric: Off-grid solar or wind recommended. Grid connection available through Xcel Energy or ). 300+ days of sunshine annually.
- Gas: Propane/LP only - no natural gas available
- Waste: GT Trash pickup service available. Transfer station alternative.
- Internet/Phone: Cellular service available. Satellite internet (Starlink, HughesNet) provides broadband connectivity.
Note: Information presented in this listing is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. Buyers are advised to conduct their own due diligence and verify all details independently.
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Location And Setting Overview
- Your Gateway to Rio Grande Country: This 5.22-Acre parcel sits in the Rio Grande Ranchos subdivision of Costilla County - a community of five-acre parcels on the western valley floor of the San Luis Valley, positioned with the Rio Grande River as its western and southern neighbor. This is not a subdivision in any conventional sense. There are no common areas, no clubhouse, no amenity package. What exists is a grid of parcels on high-desert terrain in one of the most scenically dramatic corners of Colorado, with one of America's most legendary rivers 1.6 miles out the front gate. This location has one primary distinction from comparable Costilla County land: it is Rio Grande-adjacent. That proximity changes everything about how you use this land.
- The San Luis Valley - A Landscape Like Nowhere Else: At 7,659 feet above sea level, this property sits in the San Luis Valley, the largest high-altitude valley in the world. Bounded by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the San Juan Mountains to the west, the valley floor stretches 122 miles north to south and 74 miles east to west - a vast, flat, high-altitude plain ringed by mountain ranges that top 14,000 feet on both sides. The light here is singular: big sky country at altitude, where sunrises ignite the Sangre de Cristos in shades of red and gold and sunsets paint the San Juans from the opposite direction. Dark skies at night are among the best in the continental United States - the valley's minimal light pollution means the Milky Way is not just visible but overwhelming, a Bortle Class 2-3 sky that urban dwellers have never experienced.
- The Rio Grande - 1.6 Miles from Your Property: The Rio Grande River is not a local amenity. It is one of the defining rivers of the American West - flowing 1,885 miles from its Colorado headwaters in the San Juan Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico. In the San Luis Valley, the river moves through classic high-desert country, wide and cold and clear, carrying snowmelt from the surrounding ranges. The section of the Upper Rio Grande accessible from this property carries Gold Medal Waters designation from Colorado Parks and Wildlife - the highest quality fishery rating in the state, given sparingly to waters supporting trophy-sized trout populations in exceptional habitat. Being 1.6 miles from this river is not a minor feature of this property. It is the defining feature of the lifestyle this land makes available.
- The Sangre de Cristo Mountains - Your Eastern Horizon: The Sangre de Cristo Mountains rise directly to the east - a 200-Mile range containing 22 peaks above 13,500 feet, including nine 14,000-Foot summits. From the floor of the Rio Grande Ranchos, these mountains form a constant and immediate presence on the eastern skyline. Their color shifts through the day from morning blue to midday gray to the blood-red alpenglow tones that gave the range its name - Sangre de Cristo, Blood of Christ, named by Spanish explorer Antonio Valverde y Cosio in 1719. Mount Blanca at 14,345 feet - Colorado's fourth-highest peak and one of the four sacred mountains of the Navajo people - anchors the northern end of that view. No photograph captures it accurately. You need to be standing on your five acres at sunset to understand what this means.
- Strategic Valley Position - Services When You Need Them: The Rio Grande Ranchos position in western Costilla County places you within practical reach of services without sacrificing the privacy that makes this land worth owning. San Luis - Colorado's oldest incorporated town, established in 1851, 19 miles east - provides gas, groceries, hardware, and a community with genuine history including the famous Stations of the Cross shrine. Alamosa, 35 miles north, serves as the regional hub with Walmart, Safeway, Home Depot, and San Luis Valley Health regional hospital. Fort Garland, 15 miles east at the junction of Highways 160 and 159, provides additional stops, restaurants, and the historic Fort Garland Museum. You are remote enough to feel genuinely escaped. You are close enough that civilization is accessible when you need it.
- High Desert Climate Built for Outdoor Living: Over 300 days of sunshine annually and low humidity create weather that makes outdoor living genuinely pleasant across three seasons. Summer highs reach the mid-70s to low 80s, dropping into the 40s at night - perfect conditions without air conditioning. The dry air means shade actually provides relief and afternoon thunderstorms typically pass quickly, leaving behind cooler temperatures and clear skies. Fall brings consistently beautiful weather through September and October, with mild days, crisp nights, and the golden cottonwoods along the Rio Grande corridor. Winter is cold but manageable, with intense high-altitude sun that melts valley snow quickly and clear winter nights that showcase the dark sky spectacle. Spring mud season is brief. Every season delivers different and compelling reasons to be here.
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Recreational Opportunities
- Gold Medal Trout Fishing - 1.6 Miles Away: The Upper Rio Grande between Creede and Del Norte carries Gold Medal Waters designation from Colorado Parks and Wildlife - the state's highest fishery rating, given only to waters with exceptional trout populations and habitat quality. This 20-mile stretch is the longest Gold Medal designation in Colorado. Trophy brown and rainbow trout grow large in these cold, clear waters, fed by rich insect hatches that make dry-fly fishing through the summer months exceptional. The river is perfect for float fishing in the deeper downstream sections - calmer than other Colorado rivers, holding the big browns that define what "trophy trout water" actually means. Access points exist throughout the corridor, including established state wildlife areas and fishing easements, all within a short drive from your property. For serious anglers, owning land less than two miles from Gold Medal water is not incidental. It is the defining decision.
- Side-by-Side and ATV Riding - Open Country in Every Direction: The Rio Grande Ranchos and the surrounding San Luis Valley terrain is genuine side-by-side and ATV country. The valley floor delivers flat to gently rolling high-desert hardpack with native grasses, sagebrush, and open sight lines extending miles in every direction. The Rio Grande National Forest - accessible within a reasonable drive - opens over a million acres of federal land with designated OHV trails and forest roads for side-by-side and ATV use. The foothills approaching the Sangre de Cristo range add technical, rocky terrain with elevation gain for riders who want challenge alongside the open valley riding. Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Maps designate specific trails and roads open to motorized use, providing a clear legal framework for extended riding in the surrounding public lands. The combination of flat valley terrain and mountain approach routes makes this area genuinely versatile - something different in every direction.
- Big Game Hunting - GMU 83 Base Camp: This property sits within Colorado's Game Management Unit 83, which covers the San Luis Valley and holds elk, mule deer, antelope, and turkey across a mix of public and private land. The Rio Grande National Forest - accessible within a short drive - provides the primary public land hunting ground, with elk and mule deer populations that reward hunters who penetrate deeper than road-accessible areas. The open valley floor itself produces antelope and mule deer regularly, and transition zones between the desert floor and mountain foothills concentrate game during seasonal migrations. Archery season opens late August. Rifle seasons run mid-September through November. Late-season hunts extend into December. Owning a base camp here - a property where you stay, store gear, and head out each morning - transforms a multi-day big game hunt from a logistical challenge into a comfortable and repeatable annual tradition.
- Dirt Biking - Valley Floor to Mountain Approach: The open high-desert terrain of the San Luis Valley provides fast, wide-open riding on flat hardpack, while the foothills transitions to the east deliver technical terrain, elevation gain, and the forest road network of the Rio Grande National Forest. Dirt bikers who want variety find the combination of valley floor speed runs and mountain approach routes genuinely compelling - multiple terrain profiles within reach of a single property. BLM and Rio Grande National Forest roads add additional legal riding mileage for riders who want to extend their range into the surrounding public lands.
- Great Sand Dunes National Park - An Hour North: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve sits approximately 50 miles north - an easy day trip to one of the most unusual natural features in North America. The tallest sand dunes on the continent rise 750 feet from the valley floor, backed by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in a combination that stops first-time visitors cold. Over 500,000 people visit annually. Medano Creek flows seasonally at the base of the dunes in spring and early summer, creating a natural beach experience at 8,200 feet elevation. Sandboarding down 750-Foot dunes delivers an adrenaline experience that rivals any Colorado recreation. Hiking, wildlife viewing, and the sheer visual spectacle of the dunes against the mountains make this one of the most memorable outdoor experiences in the American West - and it is an hour from your property.
- Zapata Falls, Blanca Peak, and Beyond: Zapata Falls Trail, approximately 38 miles northeast, leads to a 30-foot waterfall hidden in a rocky crevasse at 9,000 feet elevation - a 1.7-Mile round trip that makes an excellent half-day excursion. Blanca Peak at 14,345 feet is one of Colorado's 58 fourteeners and among its most accessible - a popular summer objective for hikers wanting a genuine high-altitude wilderness experience. The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness encompasses 220,000 acres of pristine backcountry with over 100 miles of maintained trails connecting alpine lakes, wilderness ridgelines, and remote high-country terrain. Wolf Creek Ski Area sits roughly two hours southwest, receiving over 430 inches of snow annually and offering some of Colorado's deepest powder without the Front Range resort crowds. The San Luis Valley is not a single destination. It is a launch point for an entire region of outdoor recreation.
- Stargazing That Changes Perspective: The San Luis Valley's minimal light pollution creates night skies rated Bortle Class 2-3, among the darkest in the continental United States. The Milky Way stretches overhead with an intensity that requires experiencing to believe. Meteor showers produce dozens of visible streaks per hour during peak events. Astronomical features invisible from any city - distant galaxies, the structural detail of nebulae, the full arc of the Milky Way core - reveal themselves on clear valley nights. Whether you are a serious amateur astronomer or simply someone who has forgotten what a real night sky looks like, these skies deliver an experience increasingly rare in modern America. On your five acres, with no neighbor lights and no city glow, this is every night.
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Wildlife And Hunting
- Elk, Deer, and Antelope Throughout the Region: GMU 83 holds elk, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope populations across the San Luis Valley and surrounding mountain terrain. Elk herds in this region are substantial, with animals moving between the high mountain summer range and the valley floor wintering areas through September and October as the rut peaks. Bull elk bugling across the open valley - a sound that defines the Rocky Mountain fall - is a regular occurrence near this property during hunting season. Mule deer bucks reach impressive sizes in the well-managed Gmu, and pronghorn antelope make their home on the open sagebrush flats surrounding the Rio Grande Ranchos, their white rumps flashing across the high desert throughout the year.
- Hunting Access on Public Lands: The Rio Grande National Forest and surrounding BLM lands provide the primary public land hunting grounds accessible from this property. Over a million acres of federal land hold huntable populations of big game without the private land lease fees that increase hunting costs in many other Colorado units. Hunters who penetrate beyond road-accessible areas - carrying in or riding OHVs on designated routes - find less pressure and better opportunity than those who work only the perimeter. Your five-acre base camp enables exactly this kind of sustained, multi-day hunting effort that the most productive public land hunters consistently employ.
- Upland Birds and Waterfowl: Wild turkeys hold strong populations in the riparian corridors and foothill brush surrounding the valley, providing spring and fall hunting for these challenging game birds. Mourning doves migrate through in fall, concentrating at water sources in huntable numbers. The Rio Grande corridor and valley reservoirs attract waterfowl during migration - ducks and geese using the valley as a staging area between breeding and wintering grounds. Sandhill cranes pass through in spectacular numbers during spring and fall migration, their prehistoric calls filling the sky as flocks of thousands move overhead. Whether you hunt birds or simply observe them, the diversity of wildlife in the Rio Grande Ranchos area is extraordinary.
- Predators and Furbearers: Coyotes provide the evening soundtrack throughout the valley - their howls and yips echoing across the open country in the choruses that define the western outdoor experience. These adaptable predators offer year-round hunting opportunity with no bag limits, excellent for honing calling skills and keeping sharp between big game seasons. Bobcats inhabit the brushy draws and rocky outcrops. Red foxes hunt the meadow edges. Mountain lions roam the foothills and mountains. The predator community here reflects the health of the prey populations that sustain it - a complete, functioning ecosystem operating at the scale that only open country like the San Luis Valley supports.
- Raptors and Songbirds: Golden eagles soar on thermal currents above the valley, their wingspans casting shadows across the sagebrush as they hunt the open terrain. Bald eagles concentrate along the Rio Grande corridor during winter, drawn to the open water and fish populations. Prairie falcons nest on the cliff faces east of the valley and hunt the open flats with speed and precision. Ferruginous hawks - the largest North American hawk - ride thermals over the desert floor throughout the year. The Rio Grande corridor supports an exceptionally diverse raptor community that rewards patient observers with encounters unavailable in more populated regions.
- Wildlife Viewing All Four Seasons: You do not need a hunting license to enjoy the wildlife of the Rio Grande Ranchos. Binoculars and patience reveal elk on distant hillsides, pronghorn racing the sagebrush flats, and raptors hunting overhead throughout every month of the year. Spring brings returning songbirds and elk calves. Summer mornings offer deer feeding in the cool hours before retreating to shade. Fall brings the rut and migrating birds in spectacular numbers. Winter concentrates game near food and water sources and clears the viewing lines across the desert terrain. Every season delivers different wildlife encounters, and your property places you in the middle of one of southern Colorado's richest wildlife regions.
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Building And Development Options
- Estate Residential Zoning - Maximum Flexibility: This property carries Estate Residential (Er) zoning - the designation that provides maximum flexibility for rural property owners in Costilla County. Single-family homes, manufactured homes, barns, agricultural outbuildings - all permitted without the bureaucratic obstacles that restrict development in more regulated areas. You can build a traditional stick-frame cabin, install a quality manufactured home, construct a log structure, or pursue alternative building methods. Costilla County's approach favors individual property rights and personal responsibility, creating a regulatory environment where landowners can actually build what they need without spending months fighting zoning boards and HOA review committees.
- Minimum Building Requirements: The county requires permanent dwellings to contain at least 600 square feet of habitable floor space - a minimum that accommodates everything from compact cabins to tiny homes while ensuring structures meet basic habitability standards. This minimum applies to single-story construction. The requirement excludes basements, porches, and garages, focusing only on actual living space. If your vision is a modest, efficient mountain retreat rather than a sprawling estate, Costilla County's requirements work directly in your favor.
- Manufactured and Mobile Homes Welcome: Unlike many rural subdivisions that prohibit manufactured housing, Rio Grande Ranchos and Costilla County embrace this affordable building option. Manufactured homes built in 1976 or later, when HUD construction standards took effect, are permitted on ER-zoned parcels. The home must be placed on a permanent foundation and connected to approved water and septic systems, but the path to occupancy is straightforward. For buyers seeking a faster and more affordable route to Colorado land ownership, a quality manufactured home can have you on your property in months rather than the years a custom build might require. This flexibility puts the off-grid lifestyle within reach for buyers who might otherwise be priced out entirely.
- Camping and RV Privileges: Costilla County recognizes that property owners want to use their land immediately - not someday when construction finally finishes. Camping is permitted for up to 14 days within any three-month period, with no utilities required and no permit needed. Start enjoying weekend getaways, hunting camps, and family trips from the day you close. For longer access, a Temporary RV Occupancy permit allows up to 180 days annually once a permitted well or cistern and a septic or waste management system are installed. The permit costs $200 and renews in 60-day increments - perfect for extended summer seasons or for occupying the land during construction of your permanent structure.
- No HOA Restrictions: Rio Grande Ranchos operates without a homeowners association. No monthly dues, no architectural review committees, no restrictions on fence style, outbuilding placement, or exterior paint colors. This is genuine rural land ownership - your property, your decisions. The absence of HOA control is not a minor detail. It is the defining characteristic that separates this land from regulated subdivisions where the restrictions gradually accumulate until property owners cannot use their land the way they intended. When you buy here, you are buying independence alongside the acreage.
- Accessory Structures and Outbuildings: ER zoning permits detached garages, workshops, barns, storage sheds, greenhouses, and agricultural buildings without the restrictions common in more urbanized settings. Many buyers build a storage structure or barn first - creating secure space for tools, materials, and vehicles while planning the primary residence. Others start with a greenhouse to extend the short growing season. The county requires permits for structures over 120 square feet, but the process is designed to facilitate rather than obstruct. Five acres provides ample room to lay out a complete homestead - primary structure, outbuildings, gardens, and open space - according to your vision rather than a developer's plan.
- Well Depth Advantage: Average well depths in this specific area of the Rio Grande Ranchos run 50 to 150 feet - significantly shallower than the county-wide average of 100 to 300 feet. Shallower wells mean lower drilling costs, simpler pump systems, and faster installation. This is a meaningful practical advantage for buyers planning to develop, and it reflects the property's position in the valley floor where the water table sits relatively close to the surface due to the proximity of the Rio Grande and its associated alluvial water movement.
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Climate And Terrain
- High Desert Mountain Climate at 7,659 Feet: Rio Grande Ranchos sits at 7,659 feet in the San Luis Valley's high desert environment. This is not the humid, forested Colorado of mountain resort advertisements. It is open sagebrush country with big skies, long views, and air so dry and clear it almost crackles on a cold morning. The semi-arid climate delivers roughly 10 to 12 inches of annual precipitation, enough to sustain native vegetation without the mud, mold, and moisture problems that plague wetter regions. Over 300 days of sunshine annually means blue skies are the rule rather than the exception, regardless of season.
- Summer: High Desert at Its Best: Daytime summer temperatures reach the mid-70s to low 80s - warm enough to enjoy outdoor activities without the oppressive heat that bakes lower elevations. Nights cool dramatically into the 40s and 50s, creating sleeping conditions that require blankets in July and air conditioning never. The low humidity means shade actually provides relief and the afternoon thunderstorms that build over the surrounding mountains typically pass quickly, leaving behind cooler air and dramatic skies. Summer monsoon moisture between July and August greens up the landscape and fills the small ponds and stock tanks across the valley floor.
- Fall: Prime Season in Every Dimension: September and October consistently deliver the most pleasant weather of the year - mild days, crisp nights, golden cottonwoods along the Rio Grande corridor, and the elk rut in full voice across the surrounding terrain. This is when southern Colorado performs at its absolute best. Hunting seasons align perfectly with the finest weather. The crowds that visit Great Sand Dunes in summer have thinned. The light is lower and more golden. The air is clean and cold in the mornings and warm by midday. If you visit this property only once before buying, visit in October.
- Winter: Cold, Clear, and Manageable: Winters are cold but manageable, with valley floor daytime highs typically in the 30s and overnight lows that occasionally drop below zero during the coldest stretches. The valley receives modest snowfall, generally 30 to 50 inches spread across multiple smaller events rather than single massive storms. The intense high-altitude sun often melts accumulation within days of falling. The dry air makes cold temperatures more tolerable than equivalent readings in humid climates. Winter nights deliver the darkest skies of the year - fewer atmospheric particulates, no humidity, crystal-clear conditions that make the Bortle Class 2-3 skies even more dramatic.
- Flat, Open, Buildable Terrain: This specific parcel is essentially level - only 3 feet of elevation variance across 5.22 acres, from 7,659 to 7,662 feet. Lot dimensions of approximately 327 feet by 690 feet create a rectangle of open, buildable land with no rock outcroppings, no steep terrain, and no drainage challenges requiring special engineering. The native vegetation of sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and native grasses stabilizes the soil while requiring no maintenance or irrigation. Multiple building sites exist across the parcel with flexible orientation options for solar panels, structures, and access points. This terrain requires minimal site preparation - a significant cost advantage compared to sloped or rocky parcels.
- Sandy Loam Soils - Foundation and Septic Advantage: The San Luis Valley's soils in this area consist primarily of sandy loam compositions that drain well and provide stable foundation support. These soil types perform excellently for septic system leach fields, allowing proper percolation without the drainage problems associated with heavy clay soils. The well-drained character also eliminates basement water concerns and standing water issues after precipitation events. Foundation work proceeds normally without the special engineering sometimes required in areas with expansive clays or unstable substrates. Buyers should conduct appropriate soil testing before construction, but the general soil conditions in Rio Grande Ranchos favor straightforward and cost-effective building.
- Solar and Wind Resources: The San Luis Valley ranks among the premier solar energy environments in the United States, and this property sits in the center of that resource. High altitude means thinner air and greater solar intensity - photovoltaic panels operate more efficiently here than at lower elevations with more atmospheric filtering. The valley's steady breezes average 10 to 12 mph, providing reliable supplemental wind energy to complement solar production during evening hours and overcast periods. The combination of solar and wind resources makes off-grid energy independence genuinely practical here - not an experimental aspiration but a proven approach that hundreds of Costilla County landowners have implemented successfully for decades.
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Off-Grid Living Potential
- Energy Independence Through Solar Power: With over 300 days of annual sunshine and the efficiency advantages of high-altitude thin air, solar panels here produce electricity at rates that panels in cloudier, lower-altitude regions cannot match. A properly sized solar array with battery storage can power a full-featured modern home - refrigeration, lighting, electronics, power tools, and every modern convenience. The difference from grid-connected living is that you own your power system outright and never receive another electric bill. Solar systems in Colorado are exempt from property tax. Many off-grid homesteads in Costilla County have operated on solar power alone for decades, demonstrating that this is not experimental technology but a mature and reliable infrastructure approach.
- Wind Power Supplements Solar: The San Luis Valley's geography creates steady wind patterns that complement solar production, particularly during evening hours and overcast days when panel output drops. Small residential wind turbines mounted on appropriate towers generate meaningful electricity when the sun is not performing at full capacity. The valley's average wind speeds of 10 to 12 mph provide consistent generation without the extreme gusts that damage equipment in other regions. A hybrid solar-wind system provides redundancy and more consistent power production throughout the year - reducing required battery bank size and increasing overall reliability for property owners who want maximum independence.
- Water Solutions: Well Depth Advantage Here: Average well depths in this area of the Rio Grande Ranchos run 50 to 150 feet - significantly shallower than Costilla County's overall average of 100 to 300 feet, and dramatically shallower than many Colorado mountain properties where wells reach 600 to 1,000 feet or more. Shallower wells mean lower drilling costs, simpler and less expensive pump systems, and lower ongoing maintenance. For buyers planning to develop, this well depth advantage translates directly to reduced infrastructure cost. Cistern systems remain a practical alternative for part-time use - a 1,500 to 2,500 gallon cistern provides weeks of household water between fill-ups, and the San Luis Water Department sells 500 gallons for $25.
- Septic - Proven and Straightforward: Septic systems have served rural Colorado properties for generations, and the sandy loam soils typical of Rio Grande Ranchos provide excellent conditions for standard installations. A conventional septic system with tank and leach field costs approximately $2,200 to $4,000 installed - a one-time investment that creates permanent waste management requiring only periodic pumping every few years. The well-drained soils pass percolation tests without difficulty. The Costilla County Planning and Zoning office ) provides guidance through the permit process. This is not a barrier to development - it is a standard rural infrastructure installation that hundreds of Costilla County property owners have completed without difficulty.
- Total Off-Grid Infrastructure Cost - Real Numbers: The off-grid learning curve is mostly about understanding what the actual numbers look like, because they are more manageable than most buyers initially assume. Solar power system: $8,000 to $20,000 depending on capacity. Well (at 50 to 150 feet depth): $3,000 to $7,000. Septic: $2,200 to $4,000 installed. Propane setup: $500 to $1,500. Total infrastructure: $13,700 to $32,500. Add a quality manufactured home: $55,000 to $120,000. Total all-in for a fully self-sufficient off-grid homestead on this parcel: $70,000 to $155,000. Those numbers do not exist anywhere else in Colorado mountain country. They are specific to places like the Rio Grande Ranchos, where land is still priced for what it is today rather than what the market will eventually recognize it to be.
- The Freedom of Self-Reliance: Off-grid living delivers benefits beyond utility savings. When the power grid fails during storms, your lights stay on. When municipal water systems experience problems, your well keeps pumping clean water. When utility rates climb year after year, your costs remain stable because you own your infrastructure outright. This resilience increasingly attracts buyers who recognize the vulnerability of depending entirely on distant systems controlled by others. The initial investment in solar, batteries, well, and septic pays dividends in both financial savings and peace of mind for decades. Your property becomes a genuine sanctuary - capable of sustaining comfortable living regardless of what happens in the wider world.
- Modern Connectivity in a Remote Setting: Living off-grid no longer means living disconnected. Starlink satellite internet provides broadband speeds exceeding 100 Mbps to properties far from any fiber or cable infrastructure - streaming video, video conferencing, remote work capability, and all modern connectivity requirements from a property where the nearest neighbor is a field of sagebrush. Cellular coverage reaches most of the valley floor from highway corridor towers, providing phone service and backup connectivity. The combination of satellite internet and cellular service means full professional functionality is available from your off-grid Colorado homestead without compromise.
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Investment And Market Analysis
- Colorado Land Values Continue to Climb: Colorado's population growth shows no signs of slowing, with the state adding residents from overcrowded and overpriced coastal and urban markets that show no sign of becoming more affordable. This population pressure drives land values upward across the state, including in previously overlooked regions like the San Luis Valley. The mathematical reality is simple: Colorado has limited land, growing demand, and an outdoor recreation profile that attracts buyers from across the country. Properties purchased at current Costilla County prices stand to benefit from these demographic trends for years to come.
- Costilla County's Emerging Recognition: For decades, Costilla County remained one of Colorado's most overlooked land markets, with prices far below comparable acreage elsewhere in the state. That obscurity is fading as buyers discover the combination of affordable prices, dramatic scenery, recreational access, and development-friendly regulations that distinguish this area. Properties that spent months on the market now attract inquiries within weeks of listing. Sales volume has increased as word spreads through online marketplaces and among outdoor enthusiasts who have discovered the valley. The window of ultra-affordable Costilla County pricing may not remain open indefinitely.
- The Remote Work Revolution Changes the Calculus: The permanent shift toward remote work has fundamentally changed where people can live while maintaining careers. Software developers, writers, consultants, designers, and countless other professionals now work from wherever reliable internet reaches - and Starlink has eliminated the connectivity barrier that once made rural property impractical for working adults. A property that seemed remote and inconvenient five years ago now serves perfectly as a primary or secondary residence for remote professionals seeking escape from urban congestion and cost of living. This expanded buyer pool increases demand for properties exactly like this one.
- Minimal Carrying Costs Favor Patient Investors: Annual taxes of $81.48 make holding this property essentially painless regardless of your development timeline. No HOA fees. No mandatory assessments. No maintenance obligations for undeveloped land. You can hold for years while values appreciate, use it recreationally while planning eventual development, or build immediately. This flexibility combined with genuinely minimal carrying costs creates an investment profile unavailable in higher-cost markets. Whether your horizon is years away or this is your year, the low ongoing costs work in your favor.
- Rio Grande Proximity Premium: Properties positioned near Gold Medal fishing water carry a consistent premium in the Colorado recreational land market. The specific proximity advantage of this parcel - 1.6 miles from Gold Medal Rio Grande reaches - positions it within a buyer segment that pays up for river access: serious fly fishermen planning multi-day expeditions who want a home base, outdoor recreation families who want the river as a genuine part of their recreational program, and short-term rental investors who understand that "Gold Medal trout water minutes from the cabin" is a headline amenity that drives bookings and nightly rates. This property delivers that positioning at a Costilla County price rather than a resort-market price.
- Multiple Exit Strategies Available: Land investments succeed partly based on flexibility, and this parcel offers multiple paths to value realization. Hold the raw land as values appreciate and sell at a gain. Develop with a manufactured home and off-grid infrastructure and sell the improved property at a premium. Build your personal retreat and enjoy decades of use before eventually passing it to heirs. Create a vacation rental property generating income from the Rio Grande fishing, hunting, and recreation market while building equity. Each approach works within the current regulatory framework, giving you strategic options regardless of how your circumstances evolve.
- Generational Wealth on Five Acres: Land ownership represents one of the oldest and most proven methods of building family wealth. Unlike financial assets subject to market volatility, land provides tangible value that families can use, enjoy, and eventually pass to heirs. A property purchased here at current prices could become a cherished family hunting and fishing camp for children and grandchildren, a valuable inheritance when eventually sold, or the foundation of a family compound where multiple generations gather. The San Luis Valley's enduring appeal - based on natural beauty and outdoor recreation rather than passing trends - suggests this land retains and builds value across generational timelines.
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Community And Services
- San Luis - Colorado's Oldest Town, 19 Miles East: San Luis, established in 1851, holds the distinction of being Colorado's oldest incorporated municipality - a genuine small community with over 170 years of continuous history. The famous Shrine of the Stations of the Cross, featuring 15 bronze sculptures by artist Huberto Maestas along a trail above town, is one of the most visited cultural sites in southern Colorado. Gas stations, small markets, and hardware supply cover basic necessities. The county seat provides local government services, courts, and permit offices for property owners. The town maintains the authentic small-Colorado-town character that corporate retail development has erased elsewhere, and it is the closest community to this property for routine needs.
- Alamosa - Regional Hub 35 Miles North: Alamosa serves as the San Luis Valley's commercial center, offering Walmart Supercenter, Safeway, Home Depot, and the San Luis Valley Health regional hospital - the largest healthcare facility and employer in the entire valley. Adams State University adds educational opportunities and cultural events. Banks, auto dealers, restaurants, and professional services cluster in this city of approximately 10,000 residents. Everything a regional hub requires for rural landowners - building materials, medical services, groceries, financial services - is available here within a 35-minute drive from your property.
- Fort Garland - Crossroads Convenience 15 Miles East: At the junction of Highways 160 and 159, Fort Garland provides the closest additional convenience stop with restaurants, a general store stocking groceries and ranch supplies, and gas stations serving the steady traffic corridor. The Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center - where Kit Carson commanded troops at one of Colorado's earliest frontier forts - makes an excellent afternoon cultural stop. Motels accommodate visitors or provide temporary housing during the planning and early construction phase when permanent structures are not yet in place.
- Cano's Castle and Local Character: Cano's Castle in Antonito - an extraordinary folk art installation of aluminum cans, glass, and found objects built by Vietnam veteran Donald "Cano" Espinoza - stands as one of the most unusual roadside attractions in the American West and a reflection of the San Luis Valley's genuinely eccentric and creative local culture. The Colorado Gators Reptile Park, the UFO Watchtower at Hooper, the San Luis Valley Museum in Alamosa - these attractions reflect a region with a distinct cultural identity and a sense of humor about itself that you will not find in the polished resort towns of the Front Range.
- Emergency Services and Public Safety: Costilla County Sheriff's deputies patrol rural areas, providing law enforcement response when needed. Volunteer fire departments in Fort Garland and San Luis cover fire and rescue emergencies across the county. Emergency medical services coordinate through county dispatch with ambulance response to medical calls. Cell phone coverage allows 911 access from most valley floor locations. Rural communities look after their neighbors in ways that urban areas do not, and the San Luis Valley's small-town communities carry that tradition with genuine commitment.
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Your Rio Grande Future Starts Today
This 5.22-Acre parcel in the Rio Grande Ranchos of Costilla County represents a specific and compelling opportunity: flat, buildable off-grid land at 7,659 feet in the San Luis Valley, 1.6 miles from Gold Medal Rio Grande trout water, surrounded by some of the most accessible and diverse four-season outdoor recreation in southern Colorado, with carrying costs of $81.48 per year, no HOA, and direct access on a county-maintained road. Well depths averaging 50 to 150 feet in this area reduce your infrastructure costs below the county average. The terrain is level and ready to build. The sky is dark enough to see the Milky Way in full from your own front yard.
At $388 down and $139 per month, this is not a five-year financial commitment. It is a decision that costs less monthly than most outdoor recreation memberships and delivers something categorically different: an address in Colorado that belongs to you, with the Rio Grande minutes away and the Sangre de Cristos on the horizon every morning.
The buyer who moves on this property is not waiting for a better opportunity. They recognize that affordable, Rio Grande-adjacent, off-grid-ready land with full recreational access does not wait. It sells. And when the next buyer shows up looking at the same parcel, they find it is already gone.
If the Rio Grande lifestyle is what you are after - fishing, riding, hunting, building something real and self-sufficient in one of America's most dramatic landscapes - this is your land.
For more information and to view land maps and attachments, visit our Land Website. Look for the green "Land Website" button under Land Maps and Attachments in this listing.
Lot Maps & Attachments
Directions to Lot
Location And Directions
This property is located in the Rio Grande Ranchos subdivision of Costilla County, Colorado - in the San Luis Valley on Nance Blvd near San Luis, CO 81151.
Driving Directions from Alamosa, CO (approximately 35 miles):
Step 1: From Alamosa, head south on US-285 S toward San Luis.
Step 2: Continue south on US-285 S for approximately 22 miles through the San Luis Valley.
Step 3: Turn right (west) onto Route 142 W near San Luis.
Step 4: Continue west on Route 142 W for approximately 8 miles into the Rio Grande Ranchos area.
Step 5: Turn onto Nance Blvd. The property has direct access on Nance Blvd. Use GPS coordinates 37.156750, -105.696633 to locate the parcel precisely on Google Maps or a GPS device.
Step 6: The parcel boundary runs approximately: NW corner 37.1576, -105.6972 | NE corner 37.1576, -105.6961 | SE corner 37.1557, -105.6961 | SW corner 37.1557, -105.6972.
Nance Blvd is a county-maintained dirt road. High-clearance vehicles are recommended but not required in dry conditions. Road maintenance is the responsibility of Costilla County.
For satellite view and interactive map, visit:
Property Record:
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