Calhan, Colorado consists of two distinctly different sections. The first is the actual town of Calhan, the second area is rural Calhan which is outside of the Town limits.
The Town of Calhan is a small town located in eastern El Paso County, Colorado in the 80808 zip code. The town’s population was 762 at the 2020 United States Census.
The town straddles US Highway 24, just west of Simila, and east of Peyton. With an elevation of 6,535 feet above sea level, making it the highest non-mountain town in America. The town has a small-town feel far away from any Metro areas with older homes and small shops along the main street.
The actual town of Calhan consists of a total area of 530 acres according to the 2020 United States Census.
Rural Calhoun on the other hand is a massive area that encompasses the rest of the 80808 ZIP code north to the Douglas County line, and south past hwy 94.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, there are over 9,000 acres of rural Calhoun County, Colorado. This area includes the Paint Mines Interpretive Park and acres of native grass pasture, and lots of pronghorn antelope.
People move to Calahan in order to enjoy a certain lifestyle. Of course, this means having to drive a bit in order to perform tasks like shopping, and other errands. Here are some drive times to popular destinations in and around the Pikes Peak region from Calhan.
| Location | Drive Time |
|---|---|
| Downtown Colorado Springs | 42 minutes |
| Denver Tech Center | 1 hour 22 minutes |
| Colorado Springs Airport | 40 minutes |
| Denver International Airport | 1 hour 44 minutes |
The department of defense is one of the largest employers in the Pikes Peak region. Living in Calhan will certainly require some driving, especially to bases like Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy but Calhan is actually fairly close to Schriever Air Force Base and Peterson Air Force Base. Here are drive times to all of the area bases.
| Base | Drive Time |
|---|---|
| Fort Carson | 50 minutes |
| Peterson Air Force Base | 32 minutes |
| Schriever Air Force Base | 29 minutes |
| Air Force Academy | 47 minutes |
People choose to live in Calhan for different reasons, if they live in the town, you’re probably looking for affordable real estate in a small town setting with tons of character.
If living outside of the town in rural Calhan, you’re looking for acreage and solitude. Calhan is an area where you can still find larger parcels of land at affordable prices with some remarkable views of Pikes Peak. For those interested in raising livestock the area offers good open meadow pasture, beautiful rolling pastures, and an abundance of wildlife.
Calhan School District RJ1 is the primary district for the Calhan area. Because of the area is so big, students in the west half of Calhan attend the Calhan School District while students in the east half attend the Miami-Yoder School District, especially those located at the eastern edge of Calhan.
The Calhan School District is a small rural district that provides Pre-K through 12 education. The school district offers a wide range of programs and specials.
The Miami-Yoder JT60 school district is a small, rural school district serving approximately 316 students in three schools: Elementary (P-5), Middle School (6-8), and High School (9-12). The district is located approximately 38 miles east of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
There are no private or charter schools in the Calhan area. The population density is too low to make this type of school feasible.
There are some great options a short drive to the west on the east side of Colorado Springs. The Grand Peak Academy is close to Woodmen and Black Forest Road, The Rocky Mountain Classical Academy is just off of Marksheffel Rd, and finally, the Mountain View Academy is just off of Highway 24 in the Cimarron Hills neighborhood.
When we look at rural areas and open short grass range land like Calhan the area itself acts as open space. There are some unique open spaces in the Calhan area, the most notable being the Paint Mines Interpretive Park.
The Paint Mines Interpretive Park
The Paint Mines Interpretive Park is one of El Paso County’s most unique open spaces. The Paint Mines are named for their colorful clays that were collected by American Indians to make paint. Areas with more oxidized iron compounds display brighter colors than areas with less oxidized iron compounds.
The Paint Mines Interpretive Park is located just southeast of Calhan north of Judge Orr Road on the Calhan Highway. The park has 750 acres and features fantastic geological formations, including spires and hoodoos that form through erosive action. There are also signs explaining the history of the paint mines, as well as restrooms and trails.
Calhan is also home to the El Paso County Fair Grounds. This large, open-space property is perfect for big events and concerts. The fairgrounds also have a great rodeo arena and host other events throughout the year.
The Calhan/Thomason Park is open to the public for recreational, casual, and group activities, special events, organized athletic programs, and other uses that meet the needs of Town residents and the local community.
The town of Calhan welcomes professional baseball and softball teams to use Thomason Park on the south side of 8th Street. The park’s funding comes from local taxes, improvement grants, park fees, and Colorado Lottery proceeds. Organizers of organized athletic programs should contact the town hall for policies and requirements.
If you travel 10 minutes north on the Calhan Highway you will find Rocky Mountain Roosters. Rocky Mountain Roosters offers introductory pheasant hunts that are perfect for those looking to get out and enjoy a day of hunting without having to join a membership organization. These 3-hour hunts can be hunted in the morning from 8 am to 11 am, or in the afternoon from 1 pm to 4 pm. You have a choice of hunt areas, so you can find your perfect spot on this great pheasant hunt!
Our Red Barn Ranch is a 40-acre ranch of native grass pasture 2 miles south of the town of Calhan, Colorado, with an elevation of 6,535 feet above sea level.
You can learn about the history of Alpacas, and see how their fleece is quality checked and processed from raw wool to finished products like knitwear, blankets, and rugs. You can also experience all the stages along the way to turn renewable fleece into functional, long-lasting, and luxurious final products.
They welcome individuals, and group tours, such as scouts, home-schoolers, FHA, 4-H clubs, civic groups, and private groups to schedule their interactive tours.
There aren’t a lot of options for shopping and retail amenities in the Calhan area. Most of the larger retail is located in Falcon, Colorado, or Colorado Springs.
There is a local grocery store, Woolsey’s Foods Center. Since 1971, the Calhan community has been able to rely on Woolsey’s delicious food to sustain them through tough times. They work hard to ensure that all of their offerings are of the highest quality, so the customer will always feel satisfied. They love interacting with customers because it helps connect on a more personal level.
The Calhan Library is a great local resource for information and a community resource. The library offers a wide range of classes and programs for all ages. The library is located just north of Hwy 24 on Denver St.
Home Owners Associations, Covenants, and Architectural Control are rare in the Calhan area. There are a few smaller subdivisions that do have covenants, and HOA but these are rare in this part of the county.
Rules around livestock and pets are mandated and enforced by El Paso County. So, it’s important to read the guidelines or covenants, if they exist before closing or renting a property in the Calhan area.
There are a couple of different options when it comes to housing in Calhan. While there are a good number of what are known as “stick-built” homes in the area, much of what we see are manufactured and modular homes. Much of this has to do with labor costs and the challenges faced with getting contractors to drive out to the area.
The median home in Calhan has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and is 1,883 square feet in size. The median year built for a home in Calhan is 1998, and the average lot size is 29.47 acres. The lot size average is affected by the size of some of the larger 100+ acre properties. For the most part, we see common lot sizes in the area from 2.5 to 5 acres.
Calhan is a good place to build there are available lots with beautiful rolling pastures and acres of native grass rangeland. Because of the topography, lots in Calhan generally have several building sites. Wind turbines and Solar panels are also popular options for electrical power in new homes in the Calhan area.
There are other rural areas on the eastern plains but Calhan is unique because of its size and features. Other nearby cities include Ellicot, Yoder, Simla, and Kiowa.
If you would like more information about Calhan, Colorado, or any of these nearby cities, please contact one of our neighborhood real estate experts.
