Park County Communities

Located at the intersection of US Highway 285 and Colorado Highway 9, Fairplay receives heavy through traffic, especially during the peak summer tourist season and the winter ski season.

As the incorporated seat of Park County, Fairplay is the center of county government. According to the State Demographer, 678 people now reside within the Fairplay town limits. It is estimated that about 1,500 more reside in outlying areas. Businesses in Fairplay include two motels, two hotels, a family grocery store, seven restaurants, two service stations, Peoples Bank, a number of gift shops and other small businesses.

RE 2 District schools in Fairplay serve the entire South Park region. Two medical clinics and a pharmacy provide primary health services in town. The historic courthouse now serves as a public library.

Located on Colorado Highway 9 six miles northwest of Fairplay, Alma is the highest incorporated town in North America. The population estimate for Alma is 233, with an estimated 1,000 residents in nearby subdivisions. With one restaurant, a small convenience store, health food store, two real estate offices and a Post Office, Alma is suitable for cottage industries.

Historically Alma was a center for the local mining industry. With continued development of residential subdivisions around Alma, the area is predominately a bedroom community for several ski resorts in Summit County, 25-40 miles to the north.

Forty miles west of Denver on US 285, Bailey is a small, unincorporated community serving nearby residential subdivisions. This area of the county is collectively known as Platte Canyon, which also contains the small towns of Pine Junction, Shawnee and Grant. Because Platte Canyon is within commuting distance to Denver, it is has experienced dramatic "bedroom community" growth in recent years. Although the population of Bailey proper is nominal, subdivisions in the surrounding hills account for about 65 percent of Park County's 17,283 residents. Commercial business is growing slowly in the Bailey area, primarily related to the construction and real estate industries. Deer Creek Elementary, Fitzsimmons Middle School and Platte Canyon High school are near Bailey and serve a large region comprising the RE 1 School District.

Several guest resorts attract visitors year-round to the Platte Canyon area. Guanella Pass has been designated a state and national scenic & historic byway that connects Platte Canyon to Georgetown, 22 miles north of Grant. Businesses in the Bailey area include several general stores, gas stations, gift shops, a lumberyard, Crow Hill Dental Clinic, Family Health Center, Park County Republican and Fairplay Flume newspaper and several restaurants. The Park County Library is located five miles east of Bailey on US 285. This area of the county also supports a large number of home-based businesses and cottage enterprises.

Como is located 8 miles northeast of Fairplay and one mile north of US 285 on County Road 33. It has an estimated population of about 100 in and around town.

As the historic terminus of the D,SP&P Railroad, Como is rich in mining and railroad history. With the exception of electricity and indoor plumbing, many of the buildings in Como remain much as they were in the late 1800s. The Como Roundhouse has been restored and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Como Mercantile, which was originally Allen's Corner Saloon, has reopened as a general store. The Como Depot Hotel has been restored and is now a restaurant. A miner's house on 6th and Broadway is now the Como Mammoth Museum.

Driving into Guffey from any direction is like stepping back a hundred years in time. Several 19th-century structures are still occupied while others, though vacant, appear as if they are occupied. Guffey reflects both the spirit and appearance of authentic Colorado history.

Located in the southern end of the county, Guffey has a general store and cafe, an elementary school, community center, public library, small museum, restaurant and at least two real estate offices. In spite of its small size, Guffey is a center of activity for nearby ranches, subdivisions and small cottage industries. The nearest urban area is Canon City, 33 miles southeast of town on Colorado Highway 9.

Located 45 miles from Colorado Springs on US Highway 24, Lake George has two restaurants, two convenience stores, two motels, a full service campground and three auto service stations. Lake George also has a US Post Office, elementary school and public library. With a population of about 1,500 in the Lake George area, seasonal visitors to nearby Elevenmile Canyon and two state parks provide a support base for this small mountain community.

The Hartsel area has a Western frontier quality that is no longer found in much of Colorado. Hartsel is located at the intersection of US Highway 24 and Colorado Highway 9 and has two general stores, a gas station, restaurant, trading post and real estate offices. Near three reservoirs, Hartsel receives heavy through traffic in the summer and is a destination for boaters and fisherman. A 25,000-acre planned development (Hartsel Springs Ranch) around town will likely have an influence on Hartsel's cultural and economic future.

Five miles west of Bailey on US 285, Shawnee has an art gallery, general store, community center and US Post Office. The US Forest Service has developed a recreation facility on the AG Ranch near Shawnee. Fitzsimmons Middle School and Platte Canyon High School are located one mile east of town.

Just over Kenosha Pass from Grant on US Highway 285, Jefferson is surrounded by large cattle ranches and sparsely populated subdivisions. It has a gas station, general store, real estate office and post office. The historic Jefferson Depot is now on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as a gift shop and snack bar. This area of Park County has been the recipient of substantial funding to conserve heritage ranches and water resources for the benefit of County residents and local tourism economy.