Log Home Destinations: Gunnison County, Colorado

Photo courtesy of cottonwoodpass.net

Gunnison County boasts some of the most remote wilderness access in the country, including the Curecanti National Recreation Area, Hartman Rocks, Taylor Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and plenty of land for your log home.

Open space abounds because 80 percent of the landscape is protected, 2 million acres of it federally owned land. The population density is a low 4 per square mile, but that’s based on permanent residents, not seasonal visitors. The county celebrates its ranching heritage, adding to the local charm.

Photo courtesy of www.landsofcolorado.com

Attractions

Gunnison County teems with recreational activities, scenic and historic sites, museums and the Gunnison Valley Observatory, which welcomes amateur astronomers. The county’s natural features, primarily lakes and mountains, and its rural character appeal to people who indulge their passion for camping, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, fishing, skiing, and the lore of log homes. Crested Butte, the county’s winter hub, offers spectacular terrain for all snow-related adventures.

Photo courtesy of www.unitedcountry.com

Land Availability

Because so much of the land is off limits for development, available acreage tends to be concentrated around existing settlements. The average land price is $9,989 per acre, but some spectacular lots are available.

Examples: 20 acres above Pitkin, in the Quartz Creek Subdivision with a mix of grassy meadow and wooded hillside: $79,500; 463 acres of mountain ranchland four miles from the Ragged Wilderness and eight line-of-sight miles from the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness: $1.34 million.

Log Home Landscape

Log homes are plentiful in Gunnison County. Most are lodges, not cabins, but at least folks there are familiar with logs — including architects, builders, tradespeople and decorators.

The region is well served by national log home manufacturers and many local logcrafters who are skilled at working with big logs. Standing-dead lodgepole and ponderosa pine and Engelmann spruce are common log species.