Given the city’s proximity to mountains, gorgeous trails, vast acres of ranch, and the sparkling Gunnison River, here’s where you really can make the most of the outdoors.
Hiking and camping
From relaxing nature walks to challenging treks, Gunnison offers incredible hikes and camping spots. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park with its sheer cliff walks and monolithic rock towers has 30 trails from easy hikes to those that would test even the most experienced hikers. The 25-mile-long Mill-Castle Trail also offers remarkable challenges with a steep elevation of almost 7,000 feet. There’s Gunnison National Forest, where outdoor enthusiasts can choose from over 50 world-class hiking trails. Meanwhile, 750+ miles of single-track trails provide a training ground for the Western Colorado University’s Collegiate Trail Running Team.
If you and your family enjoy camping, camping spots are aplenty in the region. Whether you choose tent camping, car camping, or an RV, you can take your pick from popular campgrounds such as Cement Creek, Blue Mesa Reservoir, Gunnison Koa Journey, and Blue Mesa Adventure Pods.
Whitewater rafting and kayaking
Experience the extensive mountain rivers and whitewater adventures with exhilarating rafting trips. The Gunnison River is a popular whitewater rafting and kayaking destination for families and rafting newbies. The Taylor River offers another opportunity for a thrilling whitewater rafting experience with scenic views.
Fly fishing
With a bounty of rivers and reservoirs, you can fish to your heart’s content. Hit Taylor River, Gunnison River, or Blue Mesa Reservoir for catches. Here you’ll land some brook, brown, rainbow, and kokanee salmon.
Boating
With three reservoirs, Curecanti National Recreation Area provides different boating experiences. You can take a boat tour offered for free by the park service that takes you to the Upper Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
Skiing
During colder months, Gunnison is a winter playground with great skiing areas. If you prefer a local ski away from the crowd, the best choice is Cranor Hill Ski . Crested Butte Mountain Resort is a ski paradise with lodges, restaurants, ski rentals, and top-tier skiing slopes. Enjoy shorter lift lines and skiing lessons in Monarch Mountain, a more affordable ski resort and one of the oldest in Colorado.
Gunnison has an abundance of sightseeing destinations that are not to be missed.
Gunnison Valley Observatory
2804 Country Road 38, P.O. Box 1227
Bring the entire family to this facility for an amazing stargazing experience and some fun learning about astronomy. Equipped with a 30-inch reflector telescope, the observatory brings clear astronomical views to its visitors. The observatory offers astronomy discussions, public viewings, workshops, and dome tours. Movie showings here are also quite a change from your usual cinema experience.
Gunnison Pioneer Museum
803 East Tomichi Avenue
Located at the base of Tenderfoot Mountain, this museum showcases the cultural history of the Gunnison Valley’s early settlers. The museum is an outdoor gallery with 18 buildings and numerous memorabilia and artifacts on display.
Downtown Gunnison
A fantastic spot to walk around in for great restaurants, art galleries, local coffee houses, breweries, and unique shops. Local merchants converge in Downtown Gunnison with a vast array of artisan gifts and specialty food on sale.
Hartman Rocks Recreation Area
One of Gunnison‘s best-kept secrets, this 15,000-acre outdoor gem draws in visitors and locals for its wealth of activities. Mountain bikers, dirt bikers, hikers, mountain climbers, and outdoor adventurers can have it all with 45 miles of single-track trails, 45 miles of roads, and 50 designated campsites.
Those looking for a more laid-back experience can take in the wildlife, mountains, and forests all around Hartman Rocks. In the winter, fat biking and cross-country skiing are top activities in the area.
High Alpine Brewing Co.
111 North Main Street
Excellent beers and epic terrain go together at this popular haunt located in Downtown Gunnison. It features a huge list of local beers on tap. The brewery is also known for serving brick-oven pizzas, tasty sandwiches, and homemade salad dressings.
Jorgensen Park
An oasis for relaxation, this park has a multitude of recreational facilities like a fishing pond, an ice skating rink, baseball fields, softball fields, and a BMX Trax. Families and friends can enjoy a weekend bonding in multiple picnic areas and gazebos.
With a bounty of natural wonders and its friendly suburban community, Gunnison attracts new residents every year. The town has a diverse population of young professionals, entrepreneurs, designers, artists, students, and outdoor enthusiasts.
The median listing price in Gunnison is $595K and the home values in the city have climbed 14.8% over the previous year. Gunnison, Co real estate features listings of single-family homes, as well as affordable townhomes and condos.
Single-family homes
When buying a single-family home in Gunnison, your choices range from charming cabins to enormous estates. Single-family homes can offer comfortable 4 to 5 beds and baths and modern amenities such as state-of-the-art kitchens, wet bar, home gym, walk-in closets, laundry room, and oversized garage.
The sprawling vistas of the Elk Mountain Range, wildlife, nature trails, tall aspen trees, and a waterfront add a beautiful setting and prized views for many single-family homes.
Historic single-family homes can be found within the downtown area and golfing communities like Dos Rios. For home buyers who opt to build their dream homes, Meadow Vista South and Riverwalk Estates are preferred locations.
Townhomes and condos
There are also condos and townhomes available. The great benefit of these types of properties is that maintenance and security services are provided by a homeowners association. Condos also often come at a lower cost than single-family homes as buyers can acquire properties in great locations that are close to the city’s attractions.
Many opt to buy a condo as a vacation or second home. Vacation homes sales have increased since 2020, according to the National Association of Realtors. With the rise of vacationers in Gunnison, condos are offering the perfect accommodation for those who prefer rental properties to staying in hotels.
If you’re looking for a rental property for investment, buying a condo or a townhome in Gunnison can generate lucrative levels of passive income.
Choosing a neighborhood is as important as selecting a property. This Western rodeo town consists of various neighborhoods and subdivisions with excellent houses and community amenities.
Antelope Hills
Home to mountain wildlife, the subdivision provides great views of the Palisades, deep rugged canyons, and flat desert valley bottoms. Located near Gunnison Whitewater Park, residents can enjoy a weekend of canoeing, rafting, and kayaking. Antelope Hills has a landscape that is beautiful in all seasons. During winter, the area becomes covered with a snowy blanket; meanwhile, during spring and summer, it bursts into life in a rich display of colors.
Dos Rios
Befitting its name, Dos Rios, or “two rivers” in Spanish, this prime golf property is situated near the convergence of the Gunnison River and Tomichi Creek. Cottonwood trees and the rocky outcroppings of Hartman’s Rocks surround the area, making Dos Rios one of the most scenic in Gunnison. A golf lover’s haven, Dos Rios’ superior real estate listings include single-family homes, townhomes, and land with views of the golf course.
Ohio Meadows
A few miles north of Gunnison, CO and west of Highway 135 on the way to Crested Butte, Ohio Meadows real estate offers large homesites. These properties have superb views of the Sawatch Range or up the valley towards Carbon Peak and the Anthracites.
Riverwalk Estates
Outside of Downtown Gunnison, Riverwalk Estates spans over 100 acres of development. With 43 lots that are more than an acre each and open spaces dotting the neighborhood, your dream home sits among meadows and serene cottonwoods. The proximity to Gunnison River makes it easy for residents to enjoy fishing and rafting. You can also bike and hike along the private trails inside the subdivision.
Similar to market trends in other cities in the country, there is a low inventory of homes for sale in Gunnison, CO. This makes Gunnison a seller’s market.
The median listing price of a single-family home climbed to $595K with each square foot costing $307. Gunnison, CO real estate spends on average 26.5 days on the market. Highly desirable homes can sell after only nine days on the market and often receive multiple offers, many of which are above the listed price. While this year started off with an increase in mortgage rates, the limited inventory and high demand still favor home sellers in Gunnison.
Here are some tips on how to maximize the market opportunity when selling your home in Gunnison, CO.
Prepare well
Even in a hot market, sellers need time to fully prepare their homes for marketing. Thus, before listing the property, do a deep clean, pack up personal items and depersonalize the home, freshen it up with a new coat of paint, improve the landscaping, and boost its curb appeal. Consider hiring home cleaning services to take some of the more intensive work off your hands and ensure that the results will showcase your property at its best.
Do home inspection
Conducting your own pre-inspection eliminates unnecessary surprises. Knowing the flaws of your house and fixing them prior to listing allows you to enter into negotiations, set and confident about your property’s value.
Stage for success
We cannot stress enough how important staging is in attracting buyers. In a recent NAR report, 23% of sellers’ agents reported that staged homes had increased the dollar value of offers made by buyers. Staging also decreases the time the property stays on the market, a fact indicated by 22% of sellers’ agents. By simply decluttering, removing personal items, creating more space, putting fresh coats of neutral paints, and adding minimalist decor, you can help buyers envision themselves as the owners of the home, making a bid more likely.
Since most buyers search online, a good professional photographer can do wonders to make your listing stand out. It’s worth investing in the services of professional stagers who’ll know how to make your property distinct from the others and more appealing.
Right pricing
Setting the right listing price is an important factor when selling your house in Gunnison. Pricing below market value means leaving money on the table. On the other hand, if you overprice, your house can linger on the market. This not only slows down your selling journey but it can also make buyers suspicious about why the property has not been sold. It can then lead to you wanting to lower prices just to generate more interest and then you can get locked in a difficult cycle.
Utilizing a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and analyzing market trends are the best ways to find out market value and competitive pricing. This will be done as a matter of course when you work with a Realtor.
A real estate agent with a strong local knowledge of Gunnison CO, real estate is an important asset to have when selling your home. They are equipped with information on the dynamics of the housing market, home values, comps, and the right timing to sell. You also have a skilled negotiator working on your behalf.
Working with a Realtor gives you the benefit of not having to worry about the complicated paperwork involved in selling a property. An expert Realtor can transform a stressful home-selling experience into a smooth and profitable one. While some might consider selling a home by themselves, it’s often the case that working with a real estate agent more than pays for itself.
If you’re looking to buy or sell Gunnison, CO real estate, I can help. I am a full-time REALTOR® and the Managing Broker/Owner of Signature Properties Ebner & Associates, specializing in residential, land, and commercial property sales throughout Gunnison County.
Born and raised in the Spring Creek and Taylor Canyon neighborhoods of Gunnison County, my local expertise in Gunnison gives my clients the inside information they need to make their venture successful. I take pride in providing dedication and unmatched customer service. It is my personal goal to see the happiest and most informed clients achieve their real estate goals. Contact me at 970.901.2922 or email me here.