Relocating to Woodland Park/Co Springs??

So after 23 years of somewhat faithful service the USMC and I have decided to part ways... it has been real.. .it has been fun.. sometimes it has been real fun. After living in CA, VA, AZ, HI, GA, FL, RI and Japan during my time in the Corps it is finally time for me to pick where I want to live. I had honestly thought I would end up in Bozeman MT. I have vacationed in Bozeman for the last 20 years and it seemed like the logical place to go.. However, my best friend has retired to Co Springs and loves it. I have spent a couple of weeks fishing with him and I have now begun to seriously thing about the Woodland Park area.<!--?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /--><o></o>
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When I took a real close look at Bozeman this summer, I actually spent a couple of days looking at houses, I decided to keep the Bozeman area and it’s amazing fishing as a vacation destination. The Co Springs area has several major military bases, and that is a HUGE bonus for a military retiree. Plus I have been lurking here in your regional forum and the riding just seems to be phenomenal. <o></o>
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I am flying out to look at houses next week, even though my final transition probably won’t take place until the summer of 2013,, the government tit is a seductive mistress and hard to tear myself away <!--?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /--><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" oreferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><vath o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></vath><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" style="VISIBILITY: visible; WIDTH: 11.25pt; HEIGHT: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square" alt="0" type="#_x0000_t75" o:spid="_x0000_i1026"><v:imagedata o:title="0" src="file:///D:\DOCUME~1\MATTHE~1.THO\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape> I guess my questions are on folks thoughts about the area.<o></o>
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I really dont know much about the Woodland Park area. I have driven through it a few times on my way to 11 mile or Deckers, but this will be my first real look. I like the idea of being higher up the mountain, closer to fishing.. closer to riding?? closer to skiing?? but still close enough to a bigger town. <o></o>
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Thoughts? Advice? I fully expect a few "stay out" replies so bring it on <v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" style="VISIBILITY: visible; WIDTH: 11.25pt; HEIGHT: 11.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square" alt="0" type="#_x0000_t75" o:spid="_x0000_i1025"><v:imagedata o:title="0" src="file:///D:\DOCUME~1\MATTHE~1.THO\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape> I currently have an 08 R1200 GSA, an old 73 R/75 and a barely broken in plated DRZ 400E... I am fairly new to the whole dirt thing, but I have loved every ride on the DRZ so far. I am thinking about getting rid of the R75 and the DRZ and turning that into a KTM 500.<o></o>

You will fit right in. Wooland will be a bit more expensive housing wise than C Springs due to it being up the hill.
I grew up in Divide, a little more up the hill and now live in town due to the commute. Send me a line when you get here, I'll show you around to the good stuff on the bikes.

well, luckily for you the housing market is pretty much in the shitter here (like most everywhere else) so you will be able to afford more than usual.


Woodland Park is a nice area, yeah its closer to riding, closer to skiing (not much but a bit) and fishing too...

close fishing you have Rampart Reservoir, 11 Mile Reservoir, and a lot of other various smaller ponds and "rivers" or what passes for them out here...

another one of the reasons I like the area... for less money I can get a place surrounded by pines as opposed to Bozeman where the only thing I could afford was a tract home built on an old cow pasture.

Woodland is a good place to start . There are a lot of good places to live in the vicinity .Welcome .

I really liked Woodland Park when I lived there. It was before kids :) and I worked a 4:00 pm till midnight shift. I could get up, look on the forest map for what looked like a beaver pond, jump on the dirt bike with a collapsible pole, and see what I could do. During the week I had the forest to myself pretty much. It was a little busier on the weekend. We moved down to the Springs when the kids were born and Cripple Creek opened the gambling. The pass can get pretty busy on Friday and Saturday night. Winters are mild, although you could get quite a bit of snow, the temps are decent. I missed summer though :)

First, thank you for your service and the twenty three years of helping keep America a safer place.

Woodland Park is a nice place to live, it is close to the big city of Colorado Springs, but far enough away to keep out of the busy rat race. You are close to a lot of great fishing, lake, stream and ice, so it is a hard place to beat. As for riding, you are on top of a lot of great places for last minute evening rides, and those long all day dusk to dawn rides. Woodland Park is a great choice.

In '06 my wife and I did a tour of the Front Range looking for an affordable mountain town where we wouldn't have to drive 30 minutes away to buy groceries and one that had a reasonable airport within an hours drive. Woodland Park was the only town that fit the bill. We moved here in '07. We found that comparable housing prices here were better than anywhere else we looked (Fort Collins, Denver and burbs, and CO Springs). There were a LOT of houses for sale here one year ago, but things seem to be back to normal now. Anyway, we love it here. Let us know when you'll be in town with a bike and we'll take you out.

Pros:
Riding (hundreds of miles of trails right on the edge of town), fishing, riding, no traffic (you will NEVER have to wait more than one light cycle in this town), hiking, biking, nice people, PPIHC, The Hungry Bear, riding, etc, etc...

Cons:
nightlife (there are a couple cowboy bars, otherwise town is empty at night), groceries cost more, food service is slow (except at The Hungry Bear), you're gunna hit a deer and get your truck stuck in a snowy ditch every couple of years, and the windshields on all of your vehicles will be cracked from kicked up rocks in the winter.

The bro lives in Woodland Park (pwrtrippin) and I mean a walk to town is possible. Pablo lives just West of town not really walking it to town.

Town is nice, town is safe, I'm not sure on schools but I would assume better then most of the Springs ones.

You have Rampart Range, Rainbow Falls, 717 Trails, Gold Camp area. For Street riding up to Decker's in fun, then to Pine, also down to Cripple Creek, and to Victor. You can make some good dirt or street bike loops. For street bike riding I would for sure rather pick Woodland Park...for dirt I am okay in Monument as its just 20 miles on Mt Herman to get to everything so its not a huge deal.

Not sure of budget or type of house you are looking at.

Monument is also a nice area, will probably cost more to live then up there, but its better then Springs if you do a lot of dirt riding as I have Mt Herman to access Rampart Range Rd and on to Woodland Park. Our taxes are high here $2,500 (cheap to where we moved from). Homes in this economy are $130K to $500K...same as Woodland Park although I think you can get some cheaper ones up there. More chance of an HOA down here, our neighborhood don't have one

For obvious reasons we have better access to Denver (CO Springs airport is nice but the hops to DIA are ridiculous, better to just drive to DIA), less chance of missing flight connection in DIA during winter (my wife just went through Hell in Springs going to DIA).

I think the question is will you have to work after you retire??? If so most military / DOD related jobs will be down in the Springs. Although a lot of people do it I would not want to commute up and down that hiil all year ( if you have an old car without power brakes I guess you could save gas and coast down hill one way ). Also health is a consideration, WP is at 10,000' so if you have health issues that may be a concern. Thw winters there are noticably longer up at that altitude. Health care is limited esp if you are on Tricare.

Another option if you like it a litte warmer is Cano'n City, still a short drive to Ft Carson hospital, BX. Commisary and along the Arkansas river, and much less snow. esay access to Cripple Creek area. and cheaper housing.

Where does your buddy live?? if you are moving here to be near him...then live close by.

We have lived here 4x since the ealy 80's when it was 150K people...it is now 600K and has changed a lot. We settled ( wife retired AF) to the Black Forest area. We both are still working, not sure if we will stay when we don't have to work but that is a few years off. I would say if you live in the Springs I would live downtown ( to include Manitou & Old Colo City ) or out in the county, Black Forest, Palmer Lake, Monument. Nothing S of Platte Ave
if in town. Real Estate is in the tank, 10 acres down the road from us for sale for $175K.

Love being in Woodland Park, I don't think you could pay me enough to live in the Springs (but I do work there). Altitude is 8400ft. Air conditioning is not needed. Home prices are a bit higher yes but that is because for most people this is as far as they are willing to commute. Prices drop fast as you head out 24 to Divide so depending on how often you pan on going to the Springs will always influence how far from it you are willing to live. Its about 4 miles to get to Rampart Range Rd, and on a dual sport you can ride it to town (Monument or into the Garden of the Gods). Lucky me, I can ride mostly dirt to work.

I agree with Pablo 100% on the area. But haven't hit a deer here yet, They are a bit smarter than Whitetails of the midwest.

I haven't hit one yet either, but I see them dead on the side of the road all the time and I've had a few walk out in front of my car, so I figure it's just a matter of time.

I have lived around the woodland Park area for over 60 years . I haven't hit one yet. I guess my time is coming .

Do check out the Monument and Palmer Lake area.

I miss my little cabin in Palmer Lake

Thanks for all the replies.. not a single "stay out!!" I really do not know if I will need to work.. Military retirement at the 23 year mark equates to about a 60% pay cut from my active duty full pay. I am single, no kids and no debt, but it will be a change in lifestyle and buying habits. I am still looking for a sugar mamma

I am looking for places under 240k and there are several available..a couple on 24 out of Woodland Park just a couple of miles that really meet my ideal.. log cabin.. pine trees, etc. However, I suspect that eventually I may feel the need to work, and that may mean a trip into Co Springs... I honestly dont know. I am torn between buying my "retirement home" and looking for a cheaper Condo to simply act as a base of operations for fly fishing trips, some longer motorcycle trips, etc. I hope to get a better feel for it next week.

It is all a bit intimidating after being told where to go and where to live for my entire adult life. I hope I have the guts to try and live on the retirement alone for a while.. seek out some employment doing something other than DOD work, if you read my signature quote,,, I am trying to avoid that :eek1 I will look at the Monument area and Palmer Lake area as well, but it seems to me they are in the wrong direction. I really like some of the stuff out in Divide, but that may start to get too far from town if I do decide to to the DOD route.

Just don't forget the 12,189,238 cars which go east and west of the highway through town all summer and into the fall. It is a busy busy road and getting from Colorado Springs up to Woodland Park on a Friday night after work in the summer is a pain. If you don't HAVE to be anywhere, great. It is a very busy town for 6 months of the year with traffic. Just my .02.

Tom

Not if you go through Monument and up Mt. Herman road on the bike. Just have to watch out for the kids driving daddy's. Lexus way too fast on the wrong side of the road.

If you are going to do dirt, fighting traffic on the north end is worse than going up 24.
Just do Rampart out of Garden of the Gods, no need to do Mt. Herman.
Same cavet though with the kids.

That was how many washboard divets I sailed over on that route. Sorry, I wasn't thinking of you when I recommended
Mt. Herman. I live North Black Forest and was thinking of me. hi~jack off

Woodland area is nice. Tons of fishing and ridding options nearby. One complaint is that the dinning options are not great. Town kind of has the feel of an area right off the interstate. Decent library with a good collection of books about Colorado.