Twin Spruce Ridge

Twin Spruce Ridge is 10.5 acres of timbered mountain ground in Coal Creek Canyon, Jefferson County, positioned high above Twin Spruce Road with long views to the Continental Divide. It suits a buyer who wants a mountain homesite within commuting distance of Boulder, Golden, and Denver, or one who wants to hold the ground now and build later. A significant portion of the engineering required to build here is already done and conveys with the land. Land The parcel rises sharply roughly 220 feet from the road to a gently sloping upper bench, where the building site sits among evergreens with open views to the north and northwest. Soils are sandy loam over broken granite. Arapaho Peak and the Indian Peaks Wilderness stand off in the distance, with the closer landscape filling the middle ground. Above the property, a nearly 600-acre tract is shown on county mapping as privately owned, under conservation easement, and closed to public access. Protected ground of that size behind a homesite or recreational property is uncommon this close to the Front Range. Access is deeded, directly from Twin Spruce Road. Zoning is Jefferson County A-1, which permits a single family dwelling along with barn, stable, and related agricultural structures.

Improvements The parcel is unimproved. There is no well, no septic system, and no power on site. Access is currently a four-wheel-drive road climbing to the upper bench; it is passable in an appropriate vehicle and is how the property is shown.

Residential development will require a driveway meeting Jefferson County standards for grade, width, surface, and turning radius. The existing route does not meet the county’s maximum grade standard. Substantial engineering and design work addressing this has been completed and conveys with the land, including a civil driveway design and grading plan and structural design for the retaining walls the alignment requires. County approvals are not complete, and additional engineering and county review will be required. No driveway permit or building permit is in place, and the road is not built. A summary of the design work, the county filing history, and preliminary cost information is available on request.

County mapping shows FEMA 100-year floodplain along Coal Creek at the base of the property near the road frontage. The mapped area is a narrow strip along the road and does not extend to the upper building bench.

Buyers should independently verify access, permitting, utility availability, well and septic feasibility, floodplain mapping, the status and terms of any easement affecting adjoining land, and all land use and development restrictions and requirements with Jefferson County and their own consultants.

Recreation The property lies in Game Management Unit 38, in country holding elk, mule deer, and seasonal bear and turkey. Tag availability varies by season and method of take; buyers should confirm current licensing with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Golden Gate Canyon State Park is 4.2 miles up the road, with more than 12,000 acres of hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and rock climbing on granite crags.

Region & Climate At just under 8,000 feet, Coal Creek Canyon has a foothills climate with four distinct seasons, low humidity, and significant day-to-night temperature swings. Winters bring cold and regular snowfall from late fall into spring. Summers are mild, with warm afternoons and cool evenings. Ground snow load is 80.4 pounds per square foot.

History Coal Creek Canyon began as a toll road. The Colorado territorial legislature approved it in February 1866 as a wagon route to the Black Hawk goldfields, and teamsters hauling supplies paid sixty cents at the mouth of the canyon and a second toll at the far end. The 1870 census counted 57 people living up here, most of them listing their occupation as teamster. Paving reached Twin Spruce Road in 1952 and connected through to Highway 119 by 1958, opening the canyon to the weekend cabins and homes that define it today.

Location Twin Spruce Road is a short 8.7 mile drive up Coal Creek Canyon from Highway 93. Golden is approximately 24 minutes, Boulder 27, downtown Denver 42, and Denver International Airport 56. Drive times are estimates under good conditions.