Formerly known as Eldorado and originally established as a mining town in the 1850s, Eldora is a remote neighborhood at the base of the Ute Mountain Range. Because of its location in the Middle Boulder Creek Valley, it is sometimes referred to as “Happy Valley.” Many residents are seasonal and will visit in the summer. “Eldora is a part of Nederland, yet it’s its own community. It has an old mining town feel, even with some of the more modern homes,” says Real Estate Agent Nicholas Brodsky, owner of Boulder-Mountain Realty, who has over 25 years of experience.
Eldora is a secluded community in the Roosevelt National Forest.
Hailed as “Happy Valley” by residents, the neighborhood provides lots of outdoor activities.
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Hiking and skiing in the mountains
Situated within the Roosevelt National Forest, Eldora has access to several forms of outdoor recreation. “There is absolutely fantastic access to mountain trails. Hiking is the biggest thing back there; it can get packed,” Brodsky says. The Hessie Trail can take hikers into the Indian Peaks Wilderness, where there are several lakes surrounded by mountain views. Camping and backpacking along the trail are allowed with a permit, while dogs must be leashed. The Boulder Falls Trail is a 100-yard hike to a flowing waterfall along Middle Boulder Creek that’s considered a popular local landmark. Six miles east of Eldora, closer to Nederland, the West Magnolia trailhead has a designated campsite with 22 spaces. The area provides access to 8 miles of multi-use trails that are open to hikers, bikers and horseback riders.
Eldora Mountain Resort is Boulder County’s closest on-mountain ski and ride location, only 5 miles from the rest of the neighborhood and 21 miles from the city. With 10 lifts and seven Woodward terrain parks, the resort accommodates skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and more. There are tracks for all levels of difficulty, including a handful of double black diamonds. The resort is seasonal, only operating from November to April.
The Hessie Trail is a hiking trail that takes hikers deep into the Indian Peaks Wilderness.
Eldora Mountain Resort is the closest seasonal ski resort to Boulder.
Boulder Falls Trail leads to a flowing waterfall along Middle Boulder Creek.
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Old and new cabin-inspired homes
Eldora’s neighborhood streets are uniquely gridded for a mountain community. Homes are lined along the roads, though they are still spread out with acres of land between each neighbor. Contemporary homes from the 1970s are common on the market, some with a handful of detached buildings such as sheds or chicken coops, with wood fences surrounding the property. Many of the multilevel properties are cabin-inspired with wood siding, wrap-around porches and barn-style features. These properties range from 1,400 to 2,000 square feet and can cost between $500,000 and $1.1 million. There are also single-story homes that range from 500 to 800 square feet and can cost $300,000 to $400,000. “There are a lot of old, historic cabins in there that are almost 100 years old. A lot of the modern homes still look like cabins because there’s a historic requirement to build in Eldora,” Brodsky says.
Most single family homes were built in the 1970s and have cabin-inspired architecture.
Some contemporary homes with cabin-inspired architecture exist in Eldora.
Single family home log cabins exist throughout the peaceful mountain town of Eldora.
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Heading to Nederland for retail and restaurants
With no commercial spaces in Eldora, traveling roughly 4 miles to Nederland is required for shopping and dining out. Caribou Village is a retail area with a handful of eclectic stores and novelty shops like O’Neil Rocky Mountain Art. Mountain Man Outdoor Store sells sports equipment and gear for activities such as backpacking and golf. For food, Crosscut Pizzeria & Taphouse serves wood-fired pies and craft beer. The Train Cars Coffee & Kava is a locally famous café created inside three railroad cars, over a century old, that pay homage to the area’s beginnings. B & F Mountain Market is a full-service grocery store also located in the shopping center. There’s also Mountain People’s Co-op on East 1st Street, which specializes in organic, locally sourced produce.
Nederland is Eldora's neighboring hub for retail and dining.
Crosscut Pizzeria and Taphouse is a restaurant with wood-fired pies and craft beer.
“B” and “F” Mountain Market is a full-service grocery store serving residents of Eldora.
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Boulder Valley’s public school options
Children living in Eldora can attend schools within the Boulder Valley School District. Nederland Elementary School earns an A-minus grade by Niche and provides before- and after-school care. From there, students can attend Nederland Middle-Senior High School for sixth through 12th grade. According to Niche, the school is ranked as the No. 13 Best High School for the Arts in Colorado. The school maintains a B grade and has a nationally recognized performing arts program.
Nederland Middle-Senior High School.
Nederland Elementary School.
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Traveling in and out of Eldora
Eldora is a car-dependent community as most roads are dirt. Eldora Road is the main thoroughfare and the only paved street in the neighborhood. It connects to Peak to Peak Highway, also known as Colorado Highway 119, in Nederland, and travels to Boulder. While there are no forms of public transportation in the neighborhood itself, there’s an RTD shuttle that comes in from Boulder and heads straight to Eldora Mountain Resort. The Denver International Airport is 60 miles away for commercial flights.
Eldora is a car-dependent community as most roads are dirt.
Eldora is mostly residential, single family homes.
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The effects of valley living
Eldora’s mountain and valley landscape lends to a unique set of environmental challenges. Middle Boulder Creek may be at a potential risk of flooding, which can impact the roads in Eldora. The surrounding grassy fields and forests also add to a risk of potential wildfires. In efforts to respond quickly, the volunteer Nederland Fire Station #3 is located on Fifth Street. Additionally, Eldora also experiences heavy snowfall in the winter months. “Because it’s in the valley, Eldora tends to get more wind than other places. We get a lot more snow, a lot more winter and a lot more cold,” Brodsky says. The neighborhood sees roughly 106 inches of snow a year, which is almost twice as much as the state of Colorado’s average annual snowfall of 67 inches.
Barker Meadow Reservoir provides year-round recreation and water for the city of Boulder.
The main thoroughfare of Eldora consists of a dirt road with residential single family homes.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Caleb Skeen,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Eldora
US
Homicide
1
4
Sexual Assault
1
4
Assault with Weapon
1
4
Robbery
1
4
Burglary
1
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
1
4
Larceny
1
4
Crime Score
1
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Home Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
198
Median Year Built
1929
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,001
Significantly below the national average
1,935
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
15,245
Distribution of Home Values
Source: Public Records
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Caleb Skeen,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
187
Median Age
51
Population under 18
15.5%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
26.2%
Above the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$53,125
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$72,775
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
95.4%
College Graduates
53%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
4%
% Population in Labor Force
77.8%
Above the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
12''
Average Winter Low Temperature
-1°F
Average Summer High Temperature
80°F
Annual Snowfall
106''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
3/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
0/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
