QUALITY OF LIFE

Our growing, diverse population has brought fantastic cultural and lifestyle opportunities to our quaint western Colorado town!  You'll also find many amenities you'd expect only in a much larger city, including ballet, gourmet dining, art galleries, trendy coffee houses, arts and activities, and much more.

Great for Kids and Families

Kids will find fantastic things to do in Montrose, including an extensive skate park, rated as one of the best in the country. The Montrose Library boasts a new $6.1 million building, completed in 1998 and containing over 80,000 offerings. The Montrose Recreation District manages sports facilities and an extensive year-round sports and recreation program for children and adults, including the Montrose Aquatic Center, home of the Montrose Marlins Swim Team, with indoor and outdoor pools and a 170-foot waterslide open in summer. Montrose residents enjoy one of the few remaining active Drive-In movie theatres in America, and our Fairgrounds annually host the Montrose County Fair, "Little Britches" and regional rodeos, visiting circuses, carnivals and much more. Two annual Hot Air Balloon Festivals are also highlights of the Montrose scene.

Skate magazines rave about the Montrose Skate Park's transfers, lines and jumps and the brushed concrete finish, calling the park a "work of art."

Housing

Many people feel they have bought their dream home in Montrose. Buyers can choose from downtown historic Victorian homes, custom homes on golf courses or with spectacular mountain views, and outlying horse properties with acreage still just a few minutes from town. Moderately priced homes can be found both "in-town" and in rural developments. Click average home price, in Montrose for more information.

Health Care



Montrose Memorial Hospital is a 75-bed regional medical center serving Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel Counties.  MMH has an active medical staff that includes 75 physicians who represent 22 medical specialties. Montrose Memorial Hospital has been featured in the Wall Street Journal as one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the US and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The hospital offers a very comprehensive list of services, including 24-hour Emergency care by Board Certified Emergency Medicine physicians, inpatient and outpatient surgery, rehabilitation services, a full range of psychiatric services and a Cancer Center associated with the University of Colorado Cancer Center. The hospital also features state of the art MRI and CT scanners and a new Cardiac Cath Lab. We are “Friends and Family, Caring for Friends and Family”.

Climate

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Average Number Days of Sunshine	274
Average High/Low Temps for Winter	44 / 20
Average High/Low Temps for Summer	83 / 52
Average Humidity	minimal
Average Annual Precipitation	9.8"

Culture



The Montrose Pavilion, our performing arts center, features a 600 seat theater and 4,000 square foot reception hall. The Pavilion regularly hosts many well-known national artists including George Winston, Michael Martin Murphy, R. Carlos Nakai and principal dancers from the Joffrey Ballet, the American Ballet Theater and the New York City Ballet, as well as local productions, with over 40 events a year for local schoolchildren. Montrose also boasts the Magic Circle Theater, a community theatre now in its 42nd season and winner of the Governors Award for Excellence in the Arts. Magic Circle mounts 5 major productions each year, as well as Theatre for Children and a youth theatre program in conjunction with Colorado State University. Magic Circle has an exchange performance program with the Arena Theatre in Christ Church, England, and hosts annual productions of the nationally renowned Missoula Children's Theatre. Montrose is the home of The Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, as well as the Ute Indian Museum, the Montrose Children's Museum and the Montrose Historical Society and Museum.

Dining

Montrose restaurants offer diverse settings and menus, with everything from casual burgers and pizza to fine dining featuring entrees such as a grilled to perfection, Colorado steak or Alaskan halibut with toasted macadamia nut and crumb topping, garlic crusted New Zealand mussels and Elk Tenderloin with wild mushroom sauce. Fine dining includes in-town restaurants with lush outdoor seating areas and innovative cuisine, and nearby restaurants set in the Colorado mountains with stunning views and creative menus. Unique gourmet coffee houses offer garden spots where you can relax and enjoy fresh roasted coffee or a frozen specialty drink while viewing the works of over 50 local artists.

Recreation

Montrose's natural setting is breathtaking. Snow capped peaks, cascading clear rivers and alpine forests surround us. People travel here from around the world to experience the majestic Rocky Mountains. The stunning San Juan Mountains are just a few miles from downtown Montrose. The newest National Park–the dramatic Black Canyon of the Gunnison–is East of town.

When you're ready to play, the world's most beautiful resort towns are close to Montrose. The spectacular San Juan Mountains, reputed to be the most beautiful in Colorado, are just a few miles from downtown Montrose.

The newest National Park–the dramatic Black Canyon of the Gunnison–is East of town. Telluride is just over an hour away. Vail, Aspen and Crested Butte are all accessible for a day of skiing, golfing or a spa visit.

Or drive the Million Dollar Highway–aptly named for the million-dollar views of mountains, wildflowers and deep blue Colorado skies. Surrounded by alpine country, including three National Forests–the Gunnison, Uncompahgre and Grand Mesa, Montrose offers easy access to the most magnificent playground in the world: the State of Colorado.

Within a few hours are the Colorado National Monument, Moab, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Curecanti Recreation Area.

In the summer, you can hike or bike among wildflowers and watch for wildlife such as deer, elk, big-horn sheep, eagles and pheasants. In the winter, snowshoe, cross-country ski or snowmobile on pristine trails.

Golfers enjoy their choice of first-class courses in the mountains, on mesas, or in the beautiful desert landscape, including Telluride Ski and Golf Company's Championship course, Crested Butte's Robert Trent Jones II-designed links, Ridgway's Fairway Pines course atop Log Hill, and Montrose newest, The Bridges of the Black Canyon.

Anglers can try their luck on a multitude of rivers and creeks, including the Gunnison River, one of Colorado's elite Gold Medal Trout Streams.

You can bike miles of trails in Western Colorado–from alpine trails through National Forests to desert trails with views of dramatic canyons and the Colorado and Uncompahgre Rivers. Well-known trails include the Uncompahgre Trail, Kokopelli Trail, Tabeguache Trail and the Fruita trails. The biking you'll enjoy on a regular day is the biking people travel from all over the country to enjoy.

                           

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