Woody Creek | Pitkin County

Woody Creek is a small community tucked away in the northern part of Pitkin County, about 8 miles northwest of Aspen on Colorado State Highway 82. The tight-knit neighborhood only has about 300 residents that live in a variety of beautiful planned developments, larger luxury homes, quiet cottages, prefabricated trailer homes and affordable condominiums, duplexes and townhouses.

There are fewer than 300 people who live in Woody Creek, and many residents live in gorgeous developments, luxury homes nestled among the trees, and quiet cabins with breathtaking riverfront views. A little further off the beaten path, there are several working ranches with livestock, barns and lush pastures amid the rolling mountains.

Purchasing a residence in Woody Creek is an amazing opportunity for potential homeowners to be close to Aspen and the ski resorts without having to pay the inflated Aspen price tag. While most real estate in Aspen comes at a premium, property in Woody Creek is more affordable. Many of the trailer homes that are permanently positioned at one of Pitkin County's four mobile home parks - including the 58-unit Woody Creek Mobile Home Park - are some of the cheapest living options in the county.

Woody Creek is only a few miles from the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport. The closest ski resort is Buttermilk Mountain, home of the annual Winter X-Games. It is about 3 miles from Woody Creek. Downtown Aspen and the Aspen Mountain gondola are less than a 10-minute drive from Woody Creek. Aspen Highlands is less than 10 minutes away on Maroon Creek Road, while Snowmass Mountain is only about 10 minutes from Woody Creek via Brush Creek Road.

The community of Woody Creek is set just north of the Roaring Fork River, a powerful waterway that originates deep in the mountains to the east of Aspen near the Continental Divide. Riverfront properties near Woody Creek are perfect for anyone who loves to pan for gold, fish, raft, kayak and stand-up paddle board. The crystal-clear waters experience peak runoff during the spring and there's excellent rafting and fishing for most of the summer.

Neighborhood Highlights

• Summers are an ideal time to hike and bike along the Rio Grande Trail that begins in downtown Aspen and extends all the way to Glenwood Springs, more than 45 miles away. The trail runs along the river and Upper River Road just north of Woody Creek.

• Woody Creek is probably best known as the former stomping grounds of noted author Hunter S. Thompson, a staple of the Aspen area who unsuccessfully ran for county sheriff in 1970. Thompson would entertain celebrity friends like Johnny Depp at his Owl Creek Farm just outside Woody Creek, or at Woody Creek Tavern, the neighborhood watering hole.

• Thompson was famously portrayed on film by two legendary actors. Bill Murray portrayed the Gonzo author in 1980's "Where the Buffalo Roam" while Depp played him in two films: the 1998 classic "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" and "The Rum Diary" in 2011.

• Other celebrities known to frequent Woody Creek Tavern include musicians Don Henley of the Eagles, John Oates of Hall & Oates, and Jimmy Ibbotson of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.