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Green forest and peaks under summer clouds

Mountain towns near Denver

Compare Colorado's mountain towns.

Every mountain town from Golden to Steamboat Springs: drive time to downtown Denver, elevation and typical home value, with the source on each number.

Call or text 303-955-4220Compare the towns

A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree. Updated September 2026.

Photos: Green forest and peaks under summer clouds, Jashan Kaleka (Unsplash).

The short answer

Golden (24 minutes), Morrison (25 minutes) and Genesee (29 minutes) are the closest mountain-edge towns to downtown Denver without traffic (OSRM route, Sept. 24, 2026). Zillow's typical home value for August 2026 runs from $393,000 in Central City to $1,092,000 in Genesee across the Front Range towns on this page.

Closest

Golden, 24 minutes.

Golden is 14.8 miles from downtown Denver without traffic and sits at 5,673 feet (OSRM; USGS).

Highest value

Genesee, $1,092,000.

Genesee has the highest Zillow typical home value of the foothill towns, August 2026.

Lowest value

Central City, $393,000.

Central City, 55 minutes from Denver without traffic, has the lowest Zillow typical home value on this page, August 2026.

Highest town

Woodland Park, 8,480 feet.

Woodland Park is the highest foothill town here by USGS point elevation, 104 minutes from Denver without traffic.

The map

Where the mountain towns are.

Every pin opens that town's page. Drive times from downtown Denver, without traffic.

Colorado mountain towns near Denver: 34 mountain towns with drive times to downtown Denver.DenverEvergreen: 28.0 miles, 42 minutes to Denver without trafficConifer: 28.3 miles, 41 minutes to Denver without trafficGolden: 14.8 miles, 24 minutes to Denver without trafficLookout Mountain (Golden): 18.9 miles, 32 minutes to Denver without trafficGenesee: 18.3 miles, 29 minutes to Denver without trafficMorrison: 16.7 miles, 25 minutes to Denver without trafficIndian Hills: 25.6 miles, 46 minutes to Denver without trafficKittredge: 26.4 miles, 44 minutes to Denver without trafficPine: 46.6 miles, 75 minutes to Denver without trafficBuffalo Creek: 44.2 miles, 69 minutes to Denver without trafficBailey: 44.0 miles, 65 minutes to Denver without trafficWoodland Park: 83.7 miles, 104 minutes to Denver without trafficIdaho Springs: 32.0 miles, 44 minutes to Denver without trafficGeorgetown: 44.8 miles, 60 minutes to Denver without trafficBlack Hawk: 37.2 miles, 56 minutes to Denver without trafficCentral City: 37.6 miles, 55 minutes to Denver without trafficNederland: 45.0 miles, 70 minutes to Denver without trafficAllenspark: 61.7 miles, 99 minutes to Denver without trafficLyons: 44.5 miles, 63 minutes to Denver without trafficEstes Park: 67.8 miles, 102 minutes to Denver without trafficBreckenridge: 79.3 miles, 106 minutes to Denver without trafficFrisco: 70.7 miles, 91 minutes to Denver without trafficSilverthorne: 67.1 miles, 86 minutes to Denver without trafficDillon: 67.9 miles, 88 minutes to Denver without trafficKeystone: 73.9 miles, 98 minutes to Denver without trafficWinter Park: 68.3 miles, 100 minutes to Denver without trafficFraser: 71.0 miles, 105 minutes to Denver without trafficVail: 97.3 miles, 122 minutes to Denver without trafficAvon: 105.8 miles, 131 minutes to Denver without trafficEdwards: 116.8 miles, 157 minutes to Denver without trafficAspen: 198.3 miles, 245 minutes to Denver without trafficSnowmass Village: 196.9 miles, 243 minutes to Denver without trafficSteamboat Springs: 155.6 miles, 205 minutes to Denver without trafficCrested Butte: 225.8 miles, 304 minutes to Denver without trafficEvergreenConiferGoldenMorrisonPineBaileyWoodland ParkIdaho SpringsGeorgetownNederlandLyonsEstes ParkBreckenridgeWinter ParkVailAspenSteamboat SpringsCrested Butte
  • Front Range foothills
  • I-70 corridor
  • Peak to Peak
  • Summit County
  • Resort
  • Tap a town to open its page

Outline: U.S. Census Bureau. Roads from downtown Denver: OSRM on OpenStreetMap. Town points: OpenStreetMap and USGS. Drive times without traffic.

Colorado mountain towns: drive time to Denver, elevation, typical home value
TownAreaTo downtown DenverElevationTypical home value
Golden
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills14.8 mi / 24 min5,673 ft$857,000
Morrison
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills16.7 mi / 25 min5,765 ft$709,000
Genesee
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills18.3 mi / 29 min7,660 ft$1,092,000
Lookout Mountain (Golden)
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills18.9 mi / 32 min7,426 ftnot published
Conifer
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills28.3 mi / 41 min8,262 ft$742,000
Evergreen
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills28.0 mi / 42 min7,056 ft$880,000
Kittredge
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills26.4 mi / 44 min6,907 ft$506,000
Idaho Springs
Clear Creek County		I-70 corridor32.0 mi / 44 min7,527 ft$481,000
Indian Hills
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills25.6 mi / 46 min6,852 ft$659,000
Central City
Gilpin County		Peak to Peak37.6 mi / 55 min8,499 ft$393,000
Black Hawk
Gilpin County		Peak to Peak37.2 mi / 56 min8,534 ft$551,000
Georgetown
Clear Creek County		I-70 corridor44.8 mi / 60 min8,518 ft$471,000
Lyons
Boulder County		Peak to Peak44.5 mi / 63 min5,366 ft$756,000
Bailey
Park County		Front Range foothills44.0 mi / 65 min7,746 ft$548,000
Buffalo Creek
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills44.2 mi / 69 min6,746 ftnot published
Nederland
Boulder County		Peak to Peak45.0 mi / 70 min8,233 ft$666,000
Pine
Jefferson County		Front Range foothills46.6 mi / 75 min6,823 ft$653,000
Silverthorne
Summit County		Summit County67.1 mi / 86 min8,747 ft$830,000
Dillon
Summit County		Summit County67.9 mi / 88 min9,127 ft$828,000
Frisco
Summit County		Summit County70.7 mi / 91 min9,062 ft$978,000
Keystone
Summit County		Summit County73.9 mi / 98 min9,169 ft$822,000
Allenspark
Boulder County		Peak to Peak61.7 mi / 99 min8,493 ft$487,000
Winter Park
Grand County		Resort68.3 mi / 100 min8,801 ft$773,000
Estes Park
Larimer County		Peak to Peak67.8 mi / 102 min7,529 ft$685,000
Woodland Park
Teller County		Front Range foothills83.7 mi / 104 min8,480 ft$531,000
Fraser
Grand County		Resort71.0 mi / 105 min8,580 ft$776,000
Breckenridge
Summit County		Summit County79.3 mi / 106 min9,735 ft$1,187,000
Vail
Eagle County		Resort97.3 mi / 122 min8,179 ft$1,732,000
Avon
Eagle County		Resort105.8 mi / 131 min7,444 ft$1,257,000
Edwards
Eagle County		Resort116.8 mi / 157 min7,222 ft$1,735,000
Steamboat Springs
Routt County		Resort155.6 mi / 205 min6,731 ft$1,314,000
Snowmass Village
Pitkin County		Resort196.9 mi / 243 min8,208 ft$2,488,000
Aspen
Pitkin County		Resort198.3 mi / 245 min7,890 ft$3,438,000
Crested Butte
Gunnison County		Resort225.8 mi / 304 min8,912 ft$1,491,000

Drive: OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap to downtown Denver, without traffic (2026-09-24). Elevation: USGS point elevation at the town point. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026 (a typical value, not a sale median; ZIP level for Kittredge, Black Hawk and Keystone). Population and sources for every town: in each town page.

Which towns sit closest to Denver on CO-74 and the Lariat Loop?

  • Golden. 24 minutes and 14.8 miles to downtown Denver without traffic; 5,673 feet; Zillow typical value $857,000 (Aug 2026). City water comes from Clear Creek.
  • Genesee. 29 minutes without traffic; 7,660 feet; Zillow typical value $1,092,000 (Aug 2026). Genesee Water & Sanitation District serves the main subdivisions.
  • Lookout Mountain. 32 minutes without traffic to the summit point; 7,426 feet at the summit. Zillow publishes no separate value for it.
  • Morrison. 25 minutes without traffic; 5,765 feet; Zillow typical value $709,000 (Aug 2026). The town runs its own water and sewer.
  • Evergreen and Kittredge. Evergreen is 42 minutes without traffic at 7,056 feet, Zillow typical value $880,000; Kittredge is 44 minutes, ZIP 80457 typical value $506,000 (Aug 2026).

Golden, Morrison and Evergreen are the three towns on CDOT's 40-mile Lariat Loop Scenic Byway.

What are the US-285 towns southwest of Denver?

  • Indian Hills. 46 minutes without traffic; 6,852 feet; Zillow typical value $659,000 (Aug 2026).
  • Conifer. 41 minutes without traffic; 8,262 feet; Zillow typical value $742,000 (Aug 2026).
  • Pine and Buffalo Creek. Pine is 75 minutes without traffic at 6,823 feet, Zillow typical value $653,000; Buffalo Creek is 69 minutes at 6,746 feet (Aug 2026).
  • Bailey. 65 minutes without traffic; 7,746 feet; Zillow typical value $548,000 (Aug 2026). Bailey is in Park County; the others are in Jefferson County.

Jefferson County Public Health: "If you live in the mountains, water is generally supplied via wells."

What are the I-70 mountain towns closest to Denver?

  • Idaho Springs. 44 minutes and 32 miles without traffic; 7,527 feet; Zillow typical value $481,000 (Aug 2026).
  • Georgetown. 60 minutes without traffic; 8,518 feet; Zillow typical value $471,000 (Aug 2026).
  • Floyd Hill construction. CDOT is rebuilding 8 miles of I-70 from Idaho Springs to County Road 65; the whole project finishes in 2029 (CDOT).
  • Traction Law. Every Sept. 1 through May 31, CDOT's Traction Law applies on I-70 from Dotsero to Morrison (CDOT, 2025).

Which towns are on the Peak to Peak Highway?

  • Black Hawk and Central City. Black Hawk is 56 minutes without traffic, ZIP 80422 typical value $551,000; Central City is 55 minutes, $393,000 (Zillow, Aug 2026). Casino gambling became legal in both in 1991.
  • Nederland. 70 minutes without traffic; 8,233 feet; Zillow typical value $666,000 (Aug 2026).
  • Allenspark. 99 minutes without traffic; 8,493 feet; Zillow typical value $487,000 (Aug 2026).
  • Estes Park and Lyons. Estes Park is 102 minutes without traffic, $685,000; Lyons is 63 minutes, $756,000 (Zillow, Aug 2026).

CDOT lists the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway at 55 miles, established in 1918 as Colorado's oldest scenic byway.

Where do Woodland Park and the ski towns fit?

  • Woodland Park. 104 minutes and 83.7 miles from downtown Denver without traffic; 8,480 feet; Zillow typical value $531,000 (Aug 2026). US-24 runs 17 miles from Woodland Park to I-25 in Colorado Springs (CDOT).
  • Summit County. Silverthorne is 86 minutes without traffic; Breckenridge is 106 minutes. Zillow typical values run $822,000 (ZIP 80435) to $1,187,000 (Breckenridge), Aug 2026.
  • Winter Park and Fraser. 100 and 105 minutes without traffic; Zillow typical values $773,000 and $776,000 (Aug 2026).
  • Vail, Aspen, Steamboat. Vail is 122 minutes without traffic, Zillow typical value $1,732,000; Aspen $3,438,000; Steamboat Springs $1,314,000 (Aug 2026).

This site covers the Front Range mountain towns in depth and the resort towns in summary.

What should I check before I pick a town?

  • Water by address. District water is verified only for Genesee, Kittredge, parts of Evergreen, and inside Golden, Morrison, Lyons, Nederland and Georgetown limits. Confirm every other address.
  • Fire district. Each town page names its fire protection district. Call the district for its wildfire mitigation guidance before you write an offer.
  • Insurance quote first. Get a homeowners quote before the inspection deadline. The Colorado FAIR Plan covers homes that three standard insurers declined (Colorado FAIR Plan).
  • Drive at rush hour. Every drive time on this site is without traffic. Drive the route at the hour you will commute before you buy.

Call or text the Kenna Real Estate Group at 303-955-4220 to ask what is for sale in the Colorado mountain towns near Denver now.

Questions

Quick answers.

What is the closest mountain town to Denver?

Golden: 14.8 miles and 24 minutes from downtown Denver without traffic (OSRM route, Sept. 24, 2026). Morrison is 25 minutes and Genesee is 29 minutes.

Which mountain town near Denver has the lowest home values?

Central City: Zillow typical home value $393,000 in August 2026, 55 minutes from Denver without traffic. Georgetown is $471,000 and Idaho Springs $481,000.

How far is Evergreen, Colorado from Denver?

28 miles and 42 minutes to downtown Denver without traffic (OSRM route, Sept. 24, 2026).

Are mountain homes near Denver on wells?

Jefferson County Public Health says: "If you live in the mountains, water is generally supplied via wells." Genesee, Kittredge, parts of Evergreen, and Golden, Morrison, Lyons, Nederland and Georgetown inside town limits have district or town water; confirm by address.

Do I need snow tires to live along I-70?

CDOT's Traction Law applies on I-70 from Dotsero to Morrison every Sept. 1 through May 31: 3/16-inch tread on winter, all-weather or M+S tires, or 4WD/AWD, or chains.

Sources

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