Arboles

Arboles, Colorado lies adjacent to the New Mexico border in southwestern Colorado. This small, remote town has 280 residents as of the last census, and many of them are older than the average age of Coloradans by about 15 years. The area itself is very pretty and lies next to Navajo Reservoir. The median household income here is much lower than the state average, but so are the home prices with the exception of those on large properties overlooking the reservoir. Other than outdoor adventures, Arboles doesn't have much to offer. There are no real restaurants and not much else other than a couple of RV parks, several churches, a postoffice, and very small grocery store. Ignacio lies just 20 minutes to the northwest though, and although it too is a small town, there are a few locally owned restaurants as well as a Subway.

Other than the highway which runs through Arboles, all of the streets are still dirt. The homes are mostly small and spread out with a lot of trees and shrubbery around. Most of the town doesn't have a good view of the reservoir, you have to be up a little high to see it. There is a ton of wildlife here and I'm sure it's popular with hunters and fishers.

Arboles is neighborhood or community of about 250 residents that are spread out on large lots or ranches on the northwest shore of Navajo Reservoir. Arboles means "trees" in Spanish I guess referring to the pinon pines and juniper trees in the area among the sagebrush land of the area. There is a desert feel but the reservoir and scattered crops and trees blend desert with a little green.

The average household income is about $33,000 so not too high or low, in fact the cost of living is very reasonable considering that you get a land of land and square feet for your buck here and you are close by to the lake and the mountains. Boating, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and camping are all popular activities in the area for both residents and tourists.

Navajo Reservoir literally straddles the Colorado/New Mexico border and is off any major interstates. You have to go many miles off the beaten path to arrive in Arboles. Living here offers solitude and recreation and a mix of desert and mountain living. Durango, Colorado up to the NW takes over an hour to get to and offers shopping options as well as Bloomfield, New Mexico also over an hour away to the SW. The isolation of the area and limited shopping options requires residents to stock up and think ahead. There are restaurants and grocery stores in the area but they are limited.

There are some amazing properties near the lake that are dream spots. I just saw a 29 acre estate on a bluff overlooking the lake, asking price 1.1 million. There is another lake property that overlooks the water on 1 acre for $500,000. Lake front property is expensive but gorgeous. Away from the lake a bit but still offering a lake view I found a nice little A-frame home on 2 acres for $195,000.