Plum Creek

Life is elevated in Plum Creek, literally. Sitting 1,000 feet higher than the nearby mile-high city of Denver, this neighborhood in Castle Rock offers mountainscapes from all vantage points. But this suburb thirty miles south of Denver also offers something low: taxes. "When Plum Creek was developed in 1985, we were far enough away from the city to avoid the taxes that come with being in the metro district,” says Liz Willoughby, a RE/MAX Alliance Realtor and local.

A variety of postmodern and ranch homes, ranging from 2,500 to 4,000 square feet in size, line the long and narrow Plum Creek golf course. Many of these houses come with an attached garage and driveway, exposed or added-on brick siding, well-manicured lawns and fenced-in backyards in the $550,000 to $800,000 price range. Narrow sidewalks run through sections of the neighborhood, and the roads are nicely paved. Farther from the golf course, there are larger and newer postmodern builds in the 5,000 to 6,000 square foot range, displaying both green and rock landscaping. These homes boast sizeable back balconies and patios, great for entertaining with a view, and fall in the $800,000 to $1.2 million price range. Also in Plum Creek are duplex homes and town houses, some on the golf course, for around $550,000. And no matter where in the neighborhood you live, you’ll see the distant Rocky Mountains from your window.

The public Plum Creek Golf Club offers 18 holes and beautiful mountain vistas, as well as a bar and restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. North of the neighborhood off Plum Creek Parkway, children and adults alike make use of the open green space of Baldwin Park. With a paved walking path and a nearby off-leash dog park, locals and furry friends can get active while enjoying the clean mountain air. To the west, spanning eight miles through Plum Creek, people ride bikes, jog and push strollers along the flat and winding East Plum Creek Trail, some using a bird checklist as they go. “The city is also working on a brand-new park off Emerald Drive that will have all the amenities, including pickleball courts, projected to be done in 2024,” Willoughby adds.

Students living in Plum Creek can attend schools in the Douglas County School District, given an A-minus overall grade on Niche. Pre-K through 6th grade learners can go to South Ridge Elementary, an International Baccalaureate World School with a B-minus Niche grade. As they progress, students can attend Mesa Middle School, ranked among the Best Public Middle Schools in Colorado and receiving a B-plus Niche grade. Douglas County High School, which receives a B grade on Niche and is ranked among the Best High Schools for STEM in the state, serves the area’s older students.

In the northern part of Plum Creek off Interstate 25, locals can grab groceries for the week and fill up on gas at the Safeway shopping plaza. At the southern edge of the neighborhood, people sip on Red Velvet lattes and other specialty brews at Oo-de-Lally Coffee, a tiny drive-thru coffee shop with seasonal decor. “People do most of their shopping in Castle Rock, just a mile up the highway, and there’s also more restaurants and brewery options,” says Willoughby. There, locals can dine on coconut chicken sandwiches and Jamaican-spiced sweet potatoes at Union, an American bistro with a rustic setting.

A half-mile from Plum Creek is the Douglas County Fairgrounds, where people from all over the state come ride the Ferris wheel, indulge in tasty foods and watch the horses and cattle compete during the annual Douglas County Fair & Rodeo. Two miles east of Plum Creek, traveling campers and locals gather at McAwesome Ranch, a campground with a live music venue.

Living in Plum Creek, you can quickly hop onto Interstate 25 and drive north to get to Denver in 45 minutes or south to get to Colorado Springs in 45 minutes. The central locale of this suburb 6,000 feet above sea level makes it a dream-worthy place for anyone looking for a home out of the city with picturesque mountain vistas.

Written By

Mary Beth Greene

Photography Contributed By

David Sanden

Video By

Victoria York