Nederland

Located just 17 miles west of Boulder, Colorado, the scenic town of Nederland is perched above Barker Reservoir with breathtaking mountain scenery. Known as the gateway to the Indian Peaks Wilderness, this historic town is also home to unique shops, coffee houses, restaurants and craft breweries.

The bucolic community started as a trading post and small cluster of cabins known as Dayton and later Browns Crossing. It was designated Middle Boulder when the U.S. Postal Service came to town in 1871. A few years later, after the Dutch-owned Mining Company Nederland purchased the nearby Caribou Mine, the town gained its current moniker and was incorporated in 1874.

During the 70’s and 80’s Nederland became home to one of the most unique and successful recording studios, Caribou Ranch. It was here that 45 top ten albums, 18 Grammy awards, and 20 number-one Billboard hits were created. Over the years, more than 150 artists including Elton John, Michael Jackson, Carole King, Billy Joel, and so many others paid a visit to the Caribou Ranch Recording Studio where they had the beautiful scenery and isolation to enjoy along with unrestricted access to the best recording equipment in the industry. It became many iconic artist’s favorite destination for recording their most noteworthy albums.

Today, with a population of around 1500, Nederland offers the advantages of small-town mountain living coupled with the convenience of Boulder less than 30 minutes away and a ski resort just 10 minutes outside of town. Housing stock is limited but varied in this small community. Here, you might find expansive lodge-like properties perfect for large-scale ski weekends, and smaller single-family homes.

• Eldora Mountain Ski Resort: Spanning nearly 700 acres, Eldora attracts thousands of local skiers and snowboarders of every skill level each season. The resort offers about 25 miles of trails, plus multiple lodges, restaurants and retail destinations.
• Festivals & Events: Nederland residents enjoy a wealth of community activities, including the Nederland Jazz & Wine Festival, a thriving farmers market, the charming Holiday Mountain Market, and several bike races and runs. Two of Colorado’s largest music festivals have ties to Nederland, including Frozen Dead Guy Days, which recently located north to Estes Park, and Ned Fest, which has attempted a rebirth after ending its 20-year run in 2019.
• Indian Peaks Wilderness: This 73,931-acre wilderness area jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service provides a limitless network of trails for hikers, mountain bikers and backpackers winding along lakes, waterfalls and seven Front Range peaks.