Jackson County is one of Colorado’s most remote and least populated counties, covering 1,613 square miles of the high intermontane basin known as North Park — a sweeping, mountain-rimmed valley near the Wyoming border that sits at elevations between 7,800 and 12,953 feet. With approximately 1,275 permanent residents (61st of 64 Colorado counties by population), Jackson County is defined by its ranching heritage, extraordinary wildlife, and spectacular isolation. The county seat and only incorporated municipality is Walden (~557 residents), dubbed the “Moose Viewing Capital of Colorado” after Colorado Parks and Wildlife introduced a breeding herd of 24 moose into North Park in 1978. The county is named after President Andrew Jackson and was carved out of disputed Larimer County territory in 1909, following years of North Park residents agitating for their own jurisdiction. The headwaters of the North Platte River rise within the county, and the basin is rimmed on the west by the Park Range and Sierra Madre, on the south by the Rabbit Ears Range and Never Summer Mountains, and on the east by the Medicine Bow Mountains.
All landlord-tenant matters are governed by Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) Title 38, Article 12, including the 2024 reforms. No rent control. Jackson County’s conventional rental market is essentially the smallest of any non-Hinsdale county in Colorado: a handful of rental units in Walden serving ranchers, seasonal workers, government employees, and wildlife-focused tourism workers. Evictions are filed in Jackson County Combined Court in Walden (8th Judicial District).
SB 24-094: 72hr begin remedial action; 24hr life-safety
Late Fee Grace Period
7 days; max $50 or 5% past-due rent
Security Deposit Return
30 days; triple damages for wrongful withholding
Court
Jackson County Combined Court — Walden (8th Judicial District)
HB 25-1249
Security deposit cap: 1 month’s rent (effective Jan 1, 2026)
Jackson County Landlord Rules & Colorado Law
CRS Title 38 provisions applied to Colorado’s most remote ranching county — practical considerations for North Park landlords
Category
Details
North Park’s Rental Market: Ranch Country Reality
Jackson County’s rental market is almost entirely confined to the Town of Walden and a handful of properties near the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge and State Forest State Park. The county’s economy rests on three legs: ranching (the foundational industry since the 1890s), wildlife and outdoor tourism (hunting, fishing, moose viewing, snowmobiling), and a small public-sector workforce (county government, schools, law enforcement). Rental tenants in Jackson County tend to be agricultural workers, county employees, wildlife refuge and state park staff, seasonal hunting-and-fishing guides, and the occasional remote worker drawn by the basin’s extraordinary isolation. Vacancy is low simply because the rental inventory is so small — but so is demand, and properties can sit vacant for extended periods if they are not priced for the local income level. Walden’s median household income of approximately $42,344 and 18.7% poverty rate should calibrate rental pricing expectations firmly downward from Front Range norms.
Just-Cause Eviction (HB 24-1098)
Effective April 19, 2024. 90-day written notice required for no-fault non-renewals of tenancies of 12+ months. Valid causes: nonpayment, material lease violations, criminal activity, nuisance, landlord/family occupancy, sale, substantial renovation, or withdrawal from market. Exemptions: owner-occupied SFH/duplex/triplex, sub-12-month tenancies, STRs, employer housing. The employer-housing exemption is particularly relevant in Jackson County, where ranch hands and seasonal staff who occupy housing provided as part of their employment terms are among the most common tenants in the county’s rural landscape. Verify the employer-housing exemption’s specific requirements with a Colorado attorney if using tied employment-housing arrangements.
Habitability at 8,099 Feet & Extreme Isolation
Effective May 3, 2024. Walden sits at 8,099 feet; the surrounding basin and mountain terrain reaches well above 10,000 feet. North Park is known for exceptional cold — wind chill temperatures well below −30°F are possible in January. Heating system failure is a life-safety emergency requiring 24-hour landlord response under SB 24-094. The county’s extreme isolation means that contractors serving Walden may be based in Steamboat Springs (~70 miles west), Fort Collins (~100 miles east), or Laramie, Wyoming — all involving substantial travel time over mountain passes that may close in winter. Landlords must pre-arrange emergency contractor relationships before any tenancy. Mountain highway closures (Cameron Pass, Rabbit Ears Pass) can make Walden genuinely inaccessible for days during severe weather events. Lease provisions addressing minimum heat maintenance during tenant absences and pipe freeze prevention are essential.
STR & Hunting Season Market
North Park’s world-class hunting (elk, mule deer, pronghorn, moose, waterfowl) and fishing (Gold Medal trout waters on the North Platte and its tributaries) generate a seasonal demand for short-term rental accommodations around the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge and State Forest State Park. STRs targeting hunting season guests (typically September through November) and snowmobiling visitors (December through March) represent a meaningful economic opportunity in the basin. STRs are exempt from HB 24-1098’s just-cause provisions. Verify any STR requirements with Jackson County before advertising; the county’s small government has limited regulatory infrastructure, but Colorado’s state-level STR framework applies.
Security Deposits & HB 25-1249
Effective January 1, 2026, HB 25-1249 caps security deposits at one month’s rent. In Walden’s market, where rents for modest housing likely range from $600–$1,000/month, the cap is unlikely to be a practical constraint. Return within 30 days with itemized deductions; triple damages for wrongful withholding. Late fees: 7-day grace; max $50 or 5% of past-due rent. Given the 18.7% poverty rate and the seasonal nature of much of the local employment, late payment risk is moderate to elevated for non-government-employee tenants. Income verification and cosigner requirements are appropriate for any tenant without stable salaried employment.
The Moose & Wildlife Economy
Colorado Parks and Wildlife introduced a breeding herd of 24 moose into North Park in 1978. The herd has grown substantially and North Park now has one of Colorado’s most reliable moose-viewing opportunities — a fact that Walden has branded aggressively as the “Moose Viewing Capital of Colorado.” The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge (established 1967, ~24,000 acres) draws hundreds of hunters and birders annually. The State Forest State Park (est. 1938, ~70,000 acres) is one of Colorado’s largest state parks and a destination for backcountry camping, hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. These assets create a sustained seasonal tourism economy that supports Walden’s small business sector and provides context for the STR opportunities available to Jackson County property owners.
CRS Title 38, Article 12 — statutes, procedures, and landlord rights applicable in Jackson County
⚡ Quick Overview
10
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
10
Days Notice (Violation)
30-50
Avg Total Days
$85
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type10-Day Demand for Compliance or Possession
Notice Period10 days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes
Days to Hearing7-14 days
Days to Writ48 hours after judgment days
Total Estimated Timeline30-50 days
Total Estimated Cost$150-$500
⚠️ Watch Out
HB 24-1098 (2024) increased notice period from 3 to 10 days for nonpayment. Tenant can cure by paying full rent owed. Late fees cannot be charged during the 10-day period. Landlord must accept partial payment if offered during notice period in some cases.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the County Court. Pay the filing fee (~$85).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Colorado eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Colorado attorney or local legal aid organization.
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Underground Landlord
🏙️ Communities in Jackson County
North Park’s only town and unincorporated communities
“Moose Viewing Capital of Colorado” — CPW introduced 24 moose into North Park in 1978. Named for President Andrew Jackson. County formed 1909 after North Park residents split from Larimer County. North Platte River headwaters. Walden at 8,099 ft elevation. Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge (1967). State Forest State Park (est. 1938, ~70,000 acres). Jackson County Courthouse (1913) on Colorado State Historic Register. Population declining: ~1,275 in 2024. 61st of 64 Colorado counties by population.
Jackson County
North Park Landlord Essentials
Rental market: tiny — a handful of units in Walden. Primary tenants: ranchers, county employees, refuge/park staff, seasonal workers. HB 24-1098 employer-housing exemption may apply to ranch-tied housing — confirm with an attorney. Heating: pre-arrange emergency contractor relationships; Cameron Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass can close in winter, cutting Walden off from contractor access for days. STR opportunity: hunting season (Sep–Nov) and snowmobile season (Dec–Mar) around the Arapaho NWR and State Forest State Park. Security deposit: HB 25-1249 cap 1 month’s rent from Jan 1, 2026. Evictions: 8th Judicial District, Walden.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Jackson County, Colorado
Jackson County contains one of Colorado’s most extraordinary landscapes and one of its smallest rental markets. North Park — a high intermontane basin rimmed by four separate mountain ranges and drained by the upper tributaries of the North Platte River — covers 1,613 square miles at elevations ranging from 7,800 to nearly 13,000 feet. Its permanent human population of approximately 1,275 people is outnumbered not only by cattle and elk but, famously, by moose. The county seat of Walden (~557 residents), located in the heart of the basin at 8,099 feet on the banks of the Illinois River, is the only incorporated municipality and the commercial, governmental, and social center for everything in the county. It bills itself, without false modesty, as the “Moose Viewing Capital of Colorado.”
How North Park Became Its Own County
North Park’s political history involves a jurisdictional dispute that illustrates the tensions common in Colorado’s early settlement era between remote communities and distant county seats. When mineral prospectors and ranchers began settling North Park in the 1870s, the basin fell within the boundaries of Larimer County — a county whose seat was Fort Collins, separated from North Park by the Medicine Bow Mountains and the formidable Cameron Pass. The residents of North Park had almost nothing in common with Fort Collins and found the distance essentially prohibitive for any practical county government interaction. Both Larimer and Grand Counties claimed North Park, and the Colorado Supreme Court ultimately ruled for Larimer in 1886. Dissatisfied and effectively ungoverned, the residents of North Park organized and lobbied the state legislature for a county of their own. In 1909, the legislature created Jackson County with its current boundaries, naming it after President Andrew Jackson, and designated Walden as the county seat. The 1913 Jackson County Courthouse — built from locally quarried stone at Mendenhall Creek — remains on the Colorado State Register of Historic Places and still serves county government functions today.
The Moose of North Park
North Park had no resident moose population before 1978. In that year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife introduced a breeding herd of 24 moose into the basin as part of a wildlife restoration initiative. The herd has thrived in North Park’s combination of willow-lined river corridors, high-altitude meadows, and protected refuge and state forest lands. Today North Park has one of Colorado’s most visible and reliable moose-viewing opportunities — moose are regularly spotted along the Illinois River, around the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, and throughout the wetlands of the basin. The Arapaho NWR, established in 1967 on approximately 24,000 acres along the Illinois River, draws hundreds of hunters, birders, and wildlife viewers each year. State Forest State Park, established in 1938 on roughly 70,000 acres southwest of Walden and now one of Colorado’s largest state parks, is the primary destination for backcountry recreation in the county. Together these two protected areas form the backbone of Jackson County’s tourism economy and the primary market for STR accommodations in the basin.
Ranching and the Landlord’s Reality
The foundational economy of Jackson County remains cattle ranching, as it has been since the North Park Stockgrowers Association organized in 1899. The basin’s rich native hay meadows, watered by the North Platte tributaries, produce the reliable hay harvests that have supported generational ranching families for over a century. Many of the county’s residential properties are ranch-associated, either as main ranch houses, ranch worker housing, or former ranch structures converted to other uses. For landlords considering ranch-worker or employee housing arrangements, Colorado’s just-cause eviction law (HB 24-1098) includes a specific exemption for employer-provided housing where occupancy is tied to employment — a provision directly relevant to agricultural contexts. The specific requirements of this exemption should be reviewed with a licensed Colorado attorney before structuring any tied-occupancy arrangement.
Jackson County landlord-tenant matters are governed by CRS Title 38, Article 12. Just-cause eviction (HB 24-1098): 90-day no-fault non-renewal notice required; employer-housing exemption may apply for ranch-tied housing — confirm with a CO attorney. Habitability (SB 24-094): 72-hour begin remedial action; 24-hour for life-safety; pre-arrange contractor relationships before any tenancy (nearest contractors in Steamboat Springs ~70mi, Fort Collins ~100mi). Mountain pass closures (Cameron Pass, Rabbit Ears Pass) can isolate Walden for days in winter. Security deposits: HB 25-1249 caps at 1 month’s rent from Jan 1, 2026; return within 30 days. Late fees: 7-day grace; max $50 or 5% of past-due rent. STR opportunity: hunting season (Sep–Nov) and snowmobile season (Dec–Mar). No rent control statewide. Evictions filed in Jackson County Combined Court in Walden (8th Judicial District). Consult a licensed Colorado attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Jackson County, Colorado and is not legal advice. The employer-housing exemption under HB 24-1098 has specific requirements; consult a licensed Colorado attorney before relying on it. Laws change frequently. Last updated: April 2026.
