Nederland, Colorado
Nederland Colorado
Nederland is at once a quiet mountain town and the funkiest place to live that is full of art and music! This unique mountain town is also home to our local ski hill, Eldora Mountain Resort. The city of Nederland CO is tucked into the canyons just West of Boulder. Surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, this place was established in the gold rush in the 1850’s. Originally the town was a trading post for the travelers moving through the mountains and the native people. The city of Ned, as we have nicknamed it, started off under many various and creative aliases. Some people called it Dayton, others called it Brown’s Crossing, and even Middle Boulder for a time. Ultimately a dutch mining group changed the name to Nederlands after their home because, in their eyes, this town was located in a valley surrounded by mountains so it was obviously ‘low land’ just like the name means in their language.
Family Life
Families who grow up in Nederland are guaranteed a small town quality of life. There is one school for all the children from 8th grade through high school and one elementary school. Children growing up in the area are assured of having lasting relationships with their peers, great opportunities for fun, and growth throughout the community. The Nederland Community Center is available for recreation and indoor fun.
These facilities offer lessons for kids of all ages teaching things like swimming, soccer and more. Also fun for families with children is the Carousel of Happiness. This is a classic carousel from the early 1900’s that has newly hand-carved animals for the children to ride. Rides are just $1, which is great for a family outing. Upstairs at the carousel there is a playroom for the kids to do puppet shows and to get a bird’s-eye-view of the fun below. The facility also has a toy shop where the proceeds go to maintaining the carousel. There is also a totally bitchen’ skate park for the kids to rip up when the weather is nice!
Mountain Life
The town of Nederland is known for its creative culture and mountain vibes. By that we mean, when you go you are taking a step back from the hustle and bustle known of a ‘flat-lander’ and finding your mountain speed. Generally, that speed is about two steps more ‘chill’ than your average pace. Expect the shops to have a relaxed, hippy-artist feeling that characterizes everything loved most about the community. The Blue Owl Bookstore is the perfect example. Walk inside and it is wall to wall with classic books as well as new edition, small run publications from local artists. There are crystals hanging from the rafters and cats dogging behind bookshelves as you approach to find your newly treasured hardbacks. Another classic Nederland haunt is the Train Cars Coffee and Yogurt Company. These are actual train cars and cabooses that house a coffee shop. It’s like stepping onto a movie set in the Wild Wild West to have a hot chocolate here after a day of skiing or hiking.
The city is vibrant throughout the year with festivals that feature the cool and eclectic nature of the town. At the end of the long cold winter about the time that spring hits the mountains the town pours out to celebrate Frozen Dead Guy Days. This is a party that happens in March and includes music, food, and a polar bear plunge into the cold Barker Reservoir. This is truly a party that celebrates all the fun that the residents of Nederland love about the snow and cold. In the early part of June we enjoy the High Peaks Art Festival with workshops for children, artists from around Colorado, and lots of local food. This is a more casual event than the ruckus Frozen Dead Guy Days!
Outdoor Activities
The festivals are great fun but people actually move to Nederland CO for the beautiful nature and outdoor activities! First and foremost is the local ski mountain Eldora Mountain Resort. This is such a great place for the people of Ned and also Boulder’ites. We all appreciate that skiing can happen within 45 minutes of Boulder (max) and that the vast majority of the people are locals. This is a quaint and fantastic place to teach kids to ski and also for enjoying a day on the mountain without getting caught in the rats nest of traffic on I-70. Note that this facility has nice downhill skiing and an excellent Nordic area! The cross-country skiing in Nederland CO is some of the best in the state. Beyond just mountain sports people enjoy hiking and snowshoeing throughout Nederland CO. We suggest considering the Diamond Lake Trail which is a 5.3 mile track located near to Ned that is rated as a moderate hike. Other lovely hikes include the Arapho Glacier Trail which is just 3.5 miles and nice for younger hikers.
Real Estate Market
The real estate market in Nederland has been picking up since 2013. While strong it isn’t quite as aggressive as towns on the Front Range. That is pretty standard for mountain areas. The average price for a single family home in Ned was about $367,000 in 2014 and it was on the market for about 128 days total. That is an average that is more in line with what the National Association of REALTORS considers a balanced market. The price was pretty steady when comparing 2014 and 2013 without a whole lot of appreciation.
