Living Here

Where the Old West Meets the New West

There are many reasons that the Colorado River Valley is a great place to live! We are striving to differentiate ourselves from countless other rural communities that have endured multiple boom-and-bust economic cycles. As our communities’ common goals for our economic future become a reality, we can and will become a place that is not only known for its energy industry and outdoor activities, but for its outside-the-box thinking in shaping the way people live and work in a vibrant, competitive business environment.

We are where the old west meets the new west. Rich with western heritage and history, our communities are also innovative and progressive by offering many of the amenities within short driving distances that everyone looks for in a community.


GARFIELD COUNTY AIRPORT

A General Aviation Mountain Business Jet Airport

Rifle Garfield County Airport (RIL) is located in Rifle, Colorado, a mere 27 miles from Glenwood Springs, 46 miles to Eagle, 61 miles to Aspen, 65 miles to Grand Junction, and 88 miles to Vail. It is in the epicenter of Colorado’s best Rocky Mountain to Red Rock Desert recreational and residential properties. The Rifle Garfield County Airport is the preferred alternate for Eagle and Aspen (which are closed at night frequently due to weather); the preferred General Aviation Mountain Business Jet Airport in Colorado; and is open 24 hours a day, and seven days a week with no noise restrictions.

 

GARFIELD RE-2 SCHOOL DISTRICT

Serving Rifle, Silt and New Castle

The vision of the Garfield School District No. Re-2 is to encourage, nurture and challenge every student, every day. The district serves approximately 4,900 students in the communities of Rifle, Silt and New Castle, CO. It is a district of high expectations, high standards, and a persistent pursuit of quality from our staff and our students. They have a have a National Blue Ribbon School, three Governor’s Award winning schools, and high schools emphasizing International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP).

GARFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT 16

Serving Parachute and Battlement Mesa

The mission of Garfield County School District 16 is “As a result of our efforts, all students will be successfully prepared for life in a safe and nurturing environment.” Garfield County School District No. 16 serves students from Parachute, Battlement Mesa, and the surrounding areas.

 

LIBERTY CLASSICAL ACADEMY

Cultivating classically-trained Christian leaders.

Liberty Classical Academy strives to nurture students with the love of God, the humility of Christ and the values of faith, family, and community.  The wisdom imparted by a classical education inspires our students to excel and be a blessing to us all.

 

GRAND RIVER HOSPITAL DISTRICT

Exceptional Local Health Care

Grand River Hospital District serves the 27,000+ individuals within the District’s 1,500 square-mile service territory in western Garfield County. The District accomplishes this through the dedication of over 400 employees and 93 affiliated physicians at 6 locations. In an effort to improve the health and well- being of local communities, Grand River Health operates Grand River Hospital and Medical Center and E. Dene Moore Care Center in Rifle, Grand River Clinic West in Battlement Mesa and Grand River Student Health Centers in Rifle and Parachute.

Grand River Health’s focus is on offering meaningful clinical, community outreach, and exceptional, local health care.

 

VALLEY VIEW HOSPITAL

An independent, non-profit health system based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Valley View is designated as a Planetree-affiliated facility, representing the highest level of achievement in person-centered care. Valley View has been recognized for performance excellence from Healthgrades, J.D. Power & Associates, Truven Health “Top 100 Hospitals”, Survey Vitals and Consumer Reports.

 

COLORADO STATE PARKS

Visit Our 3 Local State Parks

Home to three state parks, the Rifle area has multiple areas to explore, hike, camp and fish. Rifle Falls State Park offers majestic waterfalls and lush scenery. Rifle Gap State Park can accommodate tents, small campers and RV’s and has picnicking and water sport opportunities. Harvey Gap State Park is more relaxed. It is open for fishing, and swimming, has over 30 picnicking sites but does not allow pets or overnight camping. Visit Colorado State Parks online at www.parks.state.co.us for more information and park pass rates.

 

COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

Proudly Educating Colorado

Colorado Mountain College in Rifle boasts an auditorium, state-of-the-art science and computer labs, and art and ceramics studios. Rifle Campus has “Smart” classrooms with top-notch technology and the entire campus is wireless. The Rifle Campus offers a variety of degrees and certificates.