Buying Land in Teller County, Colorado

Two Land Markets in One Small County

Case-by-case / verify locally

Teller County has roughly 24,700-25,000 residents spread across a mountainous, mostly forested landscape. The county splits functionally into the Cripple Creek-Victor mining district in the south (county seat Cripple Creek, population around 1,150-1,200) and the Woodland Park-Divide corridor in the north, which sits along US-24 and functions as a Colorado Springs-adjacent community -- Woodland Park's own population is modest (roughly 8,000-8,100) and growing only slowly (population estimates put annual growth near 0.3-1%), not the explosive Front Range growth pattern seen elsewhere. Confirm which of these two areas a parcel actually sits in before assuming either the mining-district rules or a suburban-growth narrative applies -- they're genuinely different markets under different pressures.

County Zoning: A-1 Agricultural District, 35-Acre Threshold Since 2008

Generally favorable

Unincorporated Teller County is governed by its own Land Use Regulations (originally adopted December 2007, amended repeatedly since, most recently in 2024-2025), administered by the Planning/Zoning Division. In the A-1 Agricultural District, no lot, parcel, or tract smaller than 35 acres has been permitted since May 22, 2008 -- a clean, well-documented threshold, though smaller pre-existing residential zones exist elsewhere in the county, so confirm a parcel's actual zone rather than assuming A-1 applies. A separate "New Community (1041) Permit" is required outside specified boundaries before any new subdivision into five or more lots.

Cripple Creek Mining Overlay District

Case-by-case / verify locally

Teller County maintains a Cripple Creek Mining Overlay District (CCMOD, documented as Appendix A of the county's Land Use Regulations) covering land in and around the working mining district, with its own use and dimensional-limitation rules layered on top of base zoning. If a parcel is anywhere near Cripple Creek or Victor, ask the Planning/Zoning Division directly whether it falls inside the CCMOD boundary and what that overlay specifically restricts or requires -- this is a real, active-mining-district overlay, not a generic historic designation.

Active Gold Mining: New Owner, Documented Discharge History

Case-by-case / verify locally

The Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine is a real, currently operating open-pit gold mine, not a historical relic -- Newmont sold it to SSR Mining in a deal that closed in December 2024, and SSR's own technical disclosures describe roughly 12 more years of mining and stacking ahead of it. Separately, the mine has a documented history (tracked by CDPHE and referenced by EPA and independent reporting) of discharging zinc and cyanide into Fourmile Creek and its tributaries, Cripple Creek and Arequa Gulch, reportedly within state-permitted limits. If you're evaluating land near the mining district, ask the county and CDPHE directly about current permit conditions, monitoring data, and any subsidence or reclamation obligations tied to a specific parcel -- don't rely on the mine's history as a blanket assurance either way.

Limited-Stakes Gambling in Cripple Creek

Could not confirm

Cripple Creek has run legal limited-stakes gambling since October 1, 1991, under the same 1990 constitutional amendment (Amendment 4) that authorized it alongside Black Hawk and Central City (Gilpin County, covered elsewhere on this site). The original $5 single-bet cap was raised in 2008 when voters passed Amendment 50, adding roulette and craps, allowing bets up to $100, and extending casino hours. This shapes the city of Cripple Creek's own core and tourism economy but has limited direct bearing on raw land outside the gaming district -- relevant mainly if you're evaluating property inside city limits.