JEFFERSON COUNTY

County Offices
100 Jefferson County Parkway
Golden 303-271-8512
www.jeffco.us

Chamber of Commerce
1667 Cole Boulevard
Golden 303-233-5555
www.westchamber.org

The former agricultural and mining area of Jefferson County is now a thriving suburban expanse of metro Denver, where highly balanced business, industrial, and residential sectors provide an enviable quality of life. The Rocky Mountains cascade down verdant foothills to greet sweeping plains, offering some of Colorado’s most magnificent scenery. The region’s rolling grasslands, craggy rock formations, steep foothills, and rugged mountains have inspired the county to develop an ambitious, award-winning open-space program.

Here in the “Gateway to the Rockies” lies one of the state’s largest counties, harmonizing the delights of Colorado’s high country with suburban sophistication and urban advantages. Thriving Denver suburbs like Arvada and Golden contrast with unincorporated mountain villages. Even well-established communities like Lakewood have managed to preserve a wealth of land for recreational activities, evidence of careful planning and a vision of environmental awareness and controlled growth shared by planners and residents.

Services
State-of-the-art hospitals, medical centers, family clinics, emergency care centers, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation centers are all accessible to Jefferson County residents. Lakewood is home to the Veteran’s Administration offices for the entire state as well as a number of specialized health-care facilities. The public school district is the largest in the state, effectively managing the education of nearly 89,000 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

Opportunities for higher education range from the local Red Rocks Community College to respected state universities and premier private colleges like the county’s own Colorado School of Mines. Nearby Boulder is home to Colorado University (CU), while the CU Health Science Center is located minutes from home in Denver. Students, residents, visitors, and business executives share an extensive and highly efficient transportation network, encompassing major interstates, high-speed freeways and parkways, RTD mass transit options, and Denver International Airport.

Lifestyle
Jefferson County’s rich legacy of natural beauty and variety of terrain at the edge of the Denver metro area is surpassed only by the diversity of its communities. Newcomers can settle into a highly urbanized neighborhood in Lakewood or a rustic cabin surrounded by towering pines in an alpine village. Modern shopping malls contrast with quaint retail districts filled with antiques and collectibles, while restaurants from elegant to the most casual cater to every whim and fancy. Appreciation for the arts is evident at every turn. The spectacular Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is nationally recognized for the quality of its facilities and programming. Even a small alpine town like Evergreen claims an impressive list of performing arts events and cultural or historic attractions.

Regardless of the environs or lifestyle you choose, the unrivaled recreational opportunities of the Rocky Mountain region will always be close to home. Hiking, mountain biking, camping, backpacking fishing, hunting, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, skating, sledding, boating, swimming or off-roading are just a few of the pastimes that occupy the leisure hours of Jefferson County residents. Extraordinary recreational centers combine with vast expanses of open space, greenbelts, regional trail systems, golf courses, sports complexes, and fitness centers in the region’s communities. With its distinctive and well-managed cities, educational and economic leadership, prime location in the metro area, and progressive attitude, Jefferson County is a feather in the cap of Denver’s vast resources.

Arvada
Municipal Offices
720-898-7000
www.ci.arvada.co.us

Chamber of Commerce
303-424-0313
www.arvadachamber.org

Stretching beyond Jefferson County into Adams County, Arvada is nestled between the Rocky Mountain foothills to the west and Denver to the east. This thriving suburb is characterized as naturally beautiful, culturally rich, and economically dynamic. Harmonizing the charm of yesterday with modern development, Arvada is home to historic “Olde Town” but also offers such state-of-the-art amenities as Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. This nationally acclaimed venue offers a variety of performing arts, galleries, classes, and an amphitheater for summer concerts. Area youth receive a quality education in the Jefferson County R-2 and Adams County 50 school districts. Located just 14 miles from the University of Colorado in Boulder and 7 miles from the acclaimed Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Arvada is surrounded by opportunities for higher education. Balancing welcoming residential neighborhoods with commercial development and light industry, the city excels in recreational opportunities. A unique system of canals and creeks enhances more than 1,080 acres of parkland, 125 miles of multi-purpose trails, sparkling lakes, open space, and championship golf courses—all set against the backdrop of Rocky Mountain majesty.

Conifer Area
County Offices
303-271-8512
http://jeffco.us

Chamber of Commerce
303-838-5711
www.goconifer.com

The intersection of roads often heralds the development of a town, which is the case with Conifer, Pine Junction, and Bailey in the alpine heights of Jefferson County. These unincorporated mountain communities are popularly know as the Conifer Corridor, an expanse of spectacular mountain vistas and thick pine woods. One of Colorado’s most scenic sites, Turkey Creek Canyon, is located in this panoramic region. Jefferson County and Park County school districts provide an excellent education in K-12 schools, while nearby community Evergreen continues to expand its suburban amenities both commercially and culturally. Long a favored spot for vacation and seasonal homes, this area became more attractive to Denver metro commuters with the construction of the 470 beltway. Carefree commutes into downtown Denver are now available through RTD bus service. Intensified growth is on the agenda for these small communities, offering the rustic lifestyle, alpine beauty, and invigorating fresh mountain air that many find so desirable.

Evergreen
County Offices
303-271-8512
http://jeffco.us

Chamber of Commerce
303-674-3412
www.evergreenchamber.org

Probably the best known of the unincorporated mountain communities, Evergreen strikes a rare balance between city convenience and mountain living. Deep pine forests, abundant wildlife, breathtaking alpine scenery, and quality housing attract newcomers to this community that straddles Bear Creek. Well known as a resort area and vacation home site, Evergreen is transforming into a balanced community of permanent residents with an increasing percentage of Denver commuters. RTD provides several bus routes into the metro area. Amenities are exceptionally well developed for a small town, with additional services and business scattered throughout the small nearby towns like Bailey. Public education is supplemented by private schools like Montessori Children’s House or Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen. Theater, musical entertainment, shopping, senior activities, fine dining, golfing, tennis, ice skating, and a myriad of outdoor activities from hiking to camping or fishing are waiting beyond your front doorstep in Evergreen.

Golden
Municipal Offices
303-384-8014
www.cityofgolden.net

Chamber of Commerce
303-279-3113
www.goldencochamber.org

Scenic and historic, the community of Golden is nestled in the foothills west of Denver and once served as the state’s first territorial capital. Today, Golden is known as the home of the Coors Brewing Company and the world-renowned Colorado School of Mines—recognized as the foremost college of mineral engineering studies on the planet. A number of impressive research centers have sprung up in this area, attracted by collegiate talent and genius. Among them are the National Earthquake Center, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the American Alpine Center. Golden is a rare jewel of suburban delights, where residents can kayak the Clear Creek that flows through the town or browse through the unique shops and galleries that line the main street retail district. Fine restaurants, museums, historic sites, and virtually unlimited recreational opportunities close to home have enhanced the city’s desirability as a place to call home. The 55,000 square-foot recreation center built in the mid ’90s provides a wealth of facilities from aquatic and fitness centers to a climbing wall. Interstate 70 is nearby for quick and easy access to downtown Denver and the Denver Technology Center.

Ken-Caryl Ranch
County Offices
303-271-8512
http://jeffco.us
Community Information
www.ken-carylranch.org

Chamber of Commerce
303-279-3113
www.goldencochamber.org

The rapidly growing master-planned community of Ken-Caryl Ranch in west metro Denver provides an idyllic residential atmosphere and superb recreational amenities. The construction of the 470 beltway has opened the door for beautiful new suburban communities that are springing up on previously undeveloped land along its corridor. Committed to an exceptionally beautiful living environment, Ken-Caryl Ranch has consistently earned the “Tree City USA” designation for the proliferation of trees and greenery planted throughout the area. Swimming pools, an equestrian center, tennis courts, and miles of scenic trails are just a few of the outstanding recreational facilities available to residents. More than 3,500 acres are dedicated to open space, providing a panoramic backdrop for hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and nature study. Indoor facilities offer everything from racquetball to aerobics. The home selection is diverse, blending architectural styles and price ranges that appeal to a cross-section of income levels for a highly balanced community.

Lakewood
Municipal Offices
303-987-7000
www.lakewood.org

Chamber of Commerce
303-233-5555
www.westchamber.org

Emerging as one of Colorado’s largest cities, Lakewood has nevertheless managed to retain much of its small-town flavor and the natural beauty of open space. More than 6,500 acres of parkland grace the cityscape with lush greenery, making the ratio of recreational facilities per capita one of the highest in the nation. Visible from Lakewood is the golden dome of the Colorado State Capitol to the east, but also snow-capped Mt. Evans to the west. This mecca of governmental activity claims the largest concentration of federal offices outside Washington, D.C. Other major employers that have been attracted by a pro-business attitude and dynamic economy include medical equipment manufacturers, health care, energy, insurance and financial services, and industrial engineering. From urban amenities to an abundance of outdoor recreation, Lakewood provides a high quality of life. Bear Creek Lake Park offers activities like fly fishing, horseback riding, and hiking just beyond the front door. Fox Hollow Golf Course was voted the number one public course in the state and first golf course in nation that was designed to accommodate golfers with disabilities. From retail centers to lovely neighborhoods, planners have continually enhanced city growth through careful zoning of residential and business environments for a balanced and attractive suburban atmosphere.

Morrison
Municipal Offices
303-697-8749
www.town.morrison.co.us

Chamber of Commerce
303-233-5555
www.westchamber.org

The saying that good things come in small packages is especially true in Morrison, a small but thriving town 15 miles southwest of Denver. Tucked away behind the towering hills at the confluence of Bear Creek and Mount Vernon Creeks, Morrison claims tourism as its major industry. Visitors travel to the town for “restaurants, rocks, or rock concerts,” or a delightful stop on route to the high Rockies. The Morrison Natural History Museum is filled with exhibits on local geology, ecology, and prehistory; while the world-famous Red Rocks Amphitheater hosts the top names in entertainment. Residents of Morrison enjoy the intimacy of a true family community, complete with a holiday party for the entire town each December. The Morrison Theatre Company offers plays throughout the year, and the Morrison Cowboy Celebration is well known as a rousing annual summer event. Once a quarry town based on native sandstone, the city is proud of its heritage and the homes and stores that were by built ancestors of today’s residents. Summertime sizzles in this mountain hideaway, from Colorado Symphony performances at the Red Rocks to drag races at the nearby speedway.

Wheat Ridge
Municipal Offices
303-235-2806
www.ci.wheatridge.co.us

Chamber of Commerce
303-233-5555
www.westchamber.org

Well served by Interstate 70 as it curves toward the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Wheat Ridge is a primarily residential community that also supports several retail centers, unique small industries, and a vibrant Enterprise Zone. Rocky Mountain bottling and Jolly Rancher candies are two of the most recognizable company names that call Wheat Ridge home. The town’s rural heritage is evident from the derivation of its name, “wheat as far as you can see along the ridge.” Its horticultural past is colorfully celebrated with the crowd-pleasing Carnation Festival held on the city’s anniversary each August. Wheat Ridge is a mature city with solidly constructed brick and wood homes along quiet tree-shaded lanes. One of the finest natural features of the city is Clear Creek, serving as the focal point for outstanding recreational advantages. Wise planners took advantage of this scenic attribute to develop a beautiful system of parks and greenbelt trails. These walking and biking trails also form connections to extensive regional trail system for true sports and outdoor enthusiasts. Close to home, residents can take advantage of a state-of-the-art recreation center that offers 71,000 square feet of options for leisure time activities.