Teller County covers 556 square miles of the Pikes Peak region in central Colorado, tucked in the mountains immediately west of Colorado Springs. The county was established in 1899 — one of the last counties created in Colorado — and named for U.S. Senator Henry Moore Teller of Colorado, who served in the Senate for over thirty years and was a champion of silver coinage. The county seat is Cripple Creek (~1,200), a legendary gold mining town that produced more gold than any other district in Colorado history during the 1890s boom and which today operates as Colorado’s largest legal gaming destination outside of Black Hawk and Central City. The county’s largest community is Woodland Park (~8,000), a mountain suburb on US-24 approximately 18 miles west of Colorado Springs.
Teller County’s character is a fascinating blend of its extraordinary mining heritage, its identity as a bedroom community for Colorado Springs workers seeking a mountain lifestyle at a lower price point than resort counties, and the casino economy of Cripple Creek. The county offers genuine Colorado mountain living — pine forests, wildlife, clean air, access to Pikes Peak — within a 25–35 minute commute of Colorado Springs. All landlord-tenant matters are governed by CRS Title 38, Article 12. No rent control. Evictions are filed in Teller County District Court in Cripple Creek (4th 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
Teller County District Court — Cripple Creek (4th Judicial District)
HB 25-1249
Security deposit cap: 1 month’s rent (effective Jan 1, 2026)
Teller County Landlord Rules & Colorado Law
CRS Title 38 applied to the Pikes Peak region — practical considerations for landlords in Woodland Park, Cripple Creek, and Colorado’s golden mountain suburbs
Teller County’s rental market is driven primarily by its role as a mountain bedroom community for Colorado Springs. Woodland Park, the county’s largest city, sits at 8,465 feet on US-24 approximately 18 miles west of Colorado Springs — close enough for a reasonable commute while offering pine forest surroundings, lower home prices than comparable Colorado Springs neighborhoods, and a small-town mountain character that appeals strongly to military families, government workers, and professionals employed in the Springs. Rental demand is steady and relatively predictable, driven by the same Colorado Springs employment base that anchors the broader region: Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, the Air Force Academy, NORAD/USNORTHCOM, and a growing technology and defense contractor sector. The county’s conservative, community-minded character makes it a reliable if unspectacular rental market with low vacancy, stable long-term tenants, and modest appreciation.
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 include: nonpayment, material lease violations, criminal activity, nuisance, landlord/family occupancy, sale, substantial renovation, or withdrawal from the rental market. Exemptions: owner-occupied SFH/duplex/triplex, sub-12-month tenancies, STRs, and employer housing. In Teller County’s relatively stable, owner-occupied-dominant housing market, HB 24-1098 introduces compliance requirements that many smaller landlords are still adjusting to. One rent increase per 12-month period maximum.
Cripple Creek: The Last Gold Camp
Cripple Creek is one of the most historically significant communities in Colorado. The Cripple Creek Mining District, discovered in 1890 and developed rapidly through the 1890s and early 1900s, produced approximately $800 million in gold — more than any other mining district in Colorado history — and at its peak supported a population of over 50,000 people spread across the district. The town of Cripple Creek and its neighbor Victor (“The City of Mines”) preserve much of the Victorian-era architecture of that extraordinary era. In 1991, Colorado voters approved limited-stakes casino gambling in Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City; today Cripple Creek’s casino economy — anchored by several full-service casino hotels — is the primary employer and economic driver of the upper county. Casino employment generates LTR demand from casino workers who choose to live in or near Cripple Creek rather than commuting from the Springs.
Pikes Peak & Mountain Character
Pikes Peak (14,115 ft), Colorado’s most famous fourteener and the inspiration for “America the Beautiful,” dominates Teller County’s eastern skyline and is one of the most visited mountains in North America. The Pikes Peak Highway and the Cog Railway (operating from Manitou Springs in El Paso County) bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the peak each year. Teller County properties along the Pikes Peak corridor can generate modest STR activity tied to peak and nature tourism. The county’s climate is characterized by cold winters with significant snow — Woodland Park averages over 100 inches of snow annually — and cool summers. SB 24-094’s habitability requirements are fully applicable; reliable heating and snow management are essential at 8,000+ feet elevation.
Security Deposits & HB 25-1249
Effective January 1, 2026, HB 25-1249 caps security deposits at one month’s rent. At Woodland Park’s rent levels — moderate by Colorado mountain standards — this cap is manageable but represents a meaningful limit on security cushion. Return within 30 days; itemized statement required; triple damages for wrongful withholding. Late fees: 7-day grace period; maximum $50 or 5% of past-due rent. Teller County’s relatively stable military/government tenant base generally produces reliable payment histories; income verification from federal employment is straightforward and reliable.
CRS Title 38, Article 12 — statutes, procedures, and landlord rights applicable in Teller 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 Teller County
Woodland Park, Cripple Creek, Victor, and the Pikes Peak corridor
Established 1899; named for Senator Henry Moore Teller. County seat: Cripple Creek (~1,200) at 9,494 ft — produced ~$800M in gold; now Colorado’s largest casino destination outside Black Hawk/Central City. Victor — “The City of Mines.” Largest city: Woodland Park (~8,000) — Colorado Springs mountain suburb; 18 mi west on US-24. Pikes Peak (14,115 ft) — most visited fourteener in North America. 100+ inches annual snowfall in Woodland Park. 4th Judicial District.
Teller County
Woodland Park & Cripple Creek Landlord Essentials
Woodland Park: target military (Ft. Carson, Peterson SFB), government, and defense contractor employees — stable, verifiable income. Colorado Springs commuter demand is reliable. Cripple Creek: casino workforce LTR demand. 100+ inches snow in Woodland Park: ensure robust heating; pre-arrange contractors. HB 24-1098: 90-day no-fault notice. HB 25-1249: 1-month deposit cap Jan 1, 2026. Evictions: 4th Judicial District, Cripple Creek.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Teller County, Colorado
Teller County covers 556 square miles of the Pikes Peak region in central Colorado, occupying a distinctive geographic and economic position between the sprawling Colorado Springs metro area to the east and the remote high country to the west. The county was established in 1899 — one of the last of Colorado’s 64 counties to be created — and named for Henry Moore Teller, a Colorado U.S. Senator who served from 1876 to 1909 and was a passionate advocate for silver coinage and Western economic interests. The county seat, Cripple Creek, sits at 9,494 feet in a volcanic caldera on the southwest slope of Pikes Peak; the county’s commercial center, Woodland Park, occupies a lower valley on the east slope at 8,465 feet along US-24.
Cripple Creek: The World’s Greatest Gold Camp
No county in Colorado has a more dramatic origin story than Teller. The Cripple Creek Mining District was discovered in 1890 when cowboy Bob Womack found gold float in Poverty Gulch, and within a decade it had become one of the richest gold mining districts in the history of the Americas. The district produced an estimated $800 million in gold between 1890 and 1961 — more than any other Colorado mining district and more gold than was mined in the entire California Gold Rush. At the district’s peak in the late 1890s, more than 50,000 people lived and worked in the towns spread across the caldera, including Cripple Creek, Victor, Goldfield, Altman, Independence, and dozens of smaller communities. The labor history of the district is equally significant: the Cripple Creek miners’ strikes of 1894 and 1903–1904 were major events in the history of American labor organizing and the Western Federation of Miners.
Today Cripple Creek preserves much of its Victorian-era character on a dramatically reduced scale. Colorado’s 1991 voter approval of limited-stakes gambling in historic mining towns transformed Cripple Creek into a casino destination, and several full-service casino hotels now operate on the town’s main street. The casino economy is the dominant employer in the upper county and generates year-round demand for worker housing. Victor, Cripple Creek’s smaller neighbor known as “The City of Mines,” retains an even more authentic frontier character with relatively little tourist development.
Woodland Park: Colorado Springs’ Mountain Suburb
Woodland Park is the county’s largest and most economically active community, and its identity as a bedroom community for Colorado Springs employment defines the rental market. US-24 connects Woodland Park to Colorado Springs in approximately 25–35 minutes under normal conditions, making it a practical commute for workers at Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, the Air Force Academy, NORAD/USNORTHCOM, and the expanding technology and defense contractor sector in the Colorado Springs metro area. The appeal of mountain living — pine forest surroundings, cool summers, wildlife, clean air, and a small-town community feel — at prices below comparable Colorado Springs properties drives steady residential demand and a rental market that, while not large, is reliably occupied.
For landlords, Woodland Park’s military and government employment base is a significant asset. Active-duty military personnel, federal civilian employees, and defense contractors represent one of the most payment-reliable tenant segments in Colorado. Colorado’s HB 24-1098 requires 90-day notice for no-fault non-renewals of tenancies of 12 months or more; the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides additional protections for active-duty military tenants that federal law imposes on all landlords. HB 25-1249, effective January 1, 2026, caps security deposits at one month’s rent. Woodland Park receives more than 100 inches of snow annually, and SB 24-094’s habitability requirements include timely response to heating failures — pre-arrange contractor relationships accordingly. Evictions are filed in the 4th Judicial District courthouse in Cripple Creek.
Teller 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 may qualify for the employer housing exemption. Active-duty military tenants: additional SCRA protections apply federally. Habitability (SB 24-094): 72-hour begin remedial action; 24-hour for life-safety; Woodland Park receives 100+ inches of snow annually; ensure adequate heating and contractor pre-arrangements. 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% past-due rent. No rent control. One rent increase per 12 months maximum. Evictions filed in Teller County District Court in Cripple Creek (4th 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 Teller County, Colorado and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always consult a licensed Colorado attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
