Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Chaffee County OEM – (719) 539-6110 | chaffeecounty.org
Alert System: CO-WARN; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Salida Community Center; Buena Vista school facilities; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: Central Colorado mountain county on the Arkansas River; Salida is county seat; wildfire risk (2019 Decker Fire, 2020 Hayden Pass Fire; surrounding forests create ongoing risk); flooding (Arkansas River – the Arkansas River running through Buena Vista and Salida provides world-class whitewater but also flooding risk; 2015 significant flooding); earthquake risk (some seismicity); avalanche risk in winter in the high Sawatch Range; two of Colorado’s highest 14ers (Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado at 14,440 ft, is partially in Chaffee County; Mount Massive, second highest, nearby)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Chaffee County Road and Bridge – (719) 539-6110
Notes: US-285 (north-south – connects to Denver via South Park); US-50 (east-west – connects to Pueblo and Gunnison through the Black Canyon; Monarch Pass on US-50 at 11,312 ft – scenic route through the Sawatch Range); SR-291 (Salida downtown); Salida is a popular mountain town and outdoor recreation hub; Buena Vista is a major whitewater hub; Denver is about 2.5 hours north via US-285
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Chaffee County Planning and Building – (719) 539-6110
Services: County permits; Salida (separate), Poncha Springs, Buena Vista, Moffat (separate)
Notes: Chaffee County has grown significantly as a mountain recreation destination and remote worker haven; Salida’s arts community (the “Banana Belt of Colorado” – known for its mild winters) attracts creative workers; vacation home and residential construction is active; Arkansas River recreational economy drives tourism infrastructure development; rising real estate values are creating affordability challenges for workers
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Chaffee County Veterans Services – (719) 539-6110
VA Medical: VA Colorado Springs CBOC – about 90 miles; Pueblo VA CBOC accessible; Denver VA very distant
Services: Benefits claims; limited local resources; telehealth critical
Notes: Remote mountain county; Colorado Springs and Pueblo CBOCs are the nearest accessible VA facilities; telehealth important for this geographically isolated community
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Chaffee County Public Libraries – (719) 539-4826 | chaffeecountypubliclibraries.org
Branches: Salida, Buena Vista, Poncha Springs
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Arkansas River heritage; Colorado mountain history; local arts and culture collections
Notes: Library system serves a community with growing influx of creative workers and remote workers alongside the traditional agricultural and ranching community; Salida’s vibrant arts scene (the Salida Arts Festival, local galleries) is reflected in library programming; outdoor recreation heritage is well-represented; the Salida branch is a community hub
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Arkansas River Headwaters Recreation Area (Colorado Parks and Wildlife – one of the finest whitewater rivers in the United States; the “Numbers” section above Buena Vista (Class V – expert); Fractions; Browns Canyon National Monument section (Class III-IV – very popular); Pinball and Pine Creek (Class V expert sections); the Royal Gorge section downstream in Fremont County; Chaffee County’s Arkansas River is the most rafted river in Colorado and one of the most rafted in the US); Browns Canyon National Monument (Chaffee County – BLM and USFS; the Arkansas River and canyon designated a National Monument in 2015; dramatic granite walls; one of the finest accessible river canyon experiences in Colorado); Monarch Ski Area (Monarch Pass – US-50 at 11,961 ft; small family ski area with excellent powder); Salida’s arts district (downtown Salida – F Street arts galleries, Café Dawn, Steam Plant Event Center; Salida is widely recognized as one of Colorado’s finest small arts communities); Mount Elbert (14,440 ft – highest point in Colorado; most-climbed 14er in the state given its relatively accessible trail); Collegiate Peaks Wilderness (surrounding the county – excellent high-altitude hiking and backpacking); Buena Vista’s recreation infrastructure (whitewater parks, mountain bike trails, climbing)
Notes: Chaffee County is Colorado’s whitewater capital – the Arkansas River provides every level of whitewater from family-friendly float trips to Class V expert rapids; Browns Canyon NM is one of Colorado’s newest and finest National Monuments; Salida’s combination of art galleries, excellent restaurants, a historic downtown, mild winters (“the Banana Belt”), and stunning mountain scenery makes it genuinely one of the finest small mountain towns in Colorado; Mount Elbert is technically one of the easier 14ers to climb (the trail is well-maintained) and is enormously popular as a result – on summer weekends hundreds of hikers attempt the summit; the Collegiate Peaks (Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, Oxford – a group of 14ers named by students of Harvard Mining School) provide world-class high-altitude wilderness
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Chaffee County GIS – chaffeecounty.org; Arkansas River Recreation Area maps; Browns Canyon NM maps; Colorado Parks and Wildlife hunting unit maps
Notes: County GIS; Arkansas River flood plain mapping; Browns Canyon NM boundary and trail mapping; wildfire hazard zone mapping; avalanche hazard maps for passes and high terrain
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Chaffee County Regional Animal Shelter – (719) 539-6110; Chaffee County Humane Society
Notes: Chaffee County wildlife is exceptional; the Arkansas River corridor supports significant wildlife; bighorn sheep are visible along US-50 and the river canyon; elk herds are large in the Sawatch Range and surrounding mountains; black bear encounters in Salida and Buena Vista are common; mountain lion management through Colorado Parks and Wildlife; the thriving outdoor recreation economy brings pets and their owners in large numbers to the county
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Chaffee County – (719) 539-6110; Salida city collection
Environmental: Colorado DPHE; Arkansas River Water Conservancy District; BLM (Browns Canyon NM); USFS (San Isabel NF and Gunnison NF); Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area); Browns Canyon NM environmental management; Monarch Pass road management
Notes: The Arkansas River is the defining environmental asset of Chaffee County; the river’s headwaters begin at the Continental Divide and the river collects water from the Sawatch Range’s snowpack; water quality management involves balancing municipal water supply, irrigation, and the outstanding recreational fishery (the Arkansas is a Gold Medal fishery for wild trout in some reaches); the Arkansas River Compact (Colorado-Kansas) governs downstream water obligations; Browns Canyon NM’s environmental management focuses on protecting the granite canyon walls, riparian habitat, and the recreational river experience; the mountain pine beetle epidemic has affected significant portions of Chaffee County’s conifer forests creating large dead timber fuel loads that increase wildfire risk; prescribed burning and timber management are active in the surrounding national forests
About Chaffee County County
Chaffee County is Colorado’s 14er capital and Arkansas River whitewater county – more fourteeners than any other county in the state and Browns Canyon National Monument’s world-class rapids define a mountain community where Salida’s thriving arts scene and outdoor recreation economy have made it one of Colorado’s most celebrated small cities.
Salida (the county seat, population ~5,800) is Chaffee County’s governmental and cultural hub on the Arkansas River, a south-central Colorado mountain city whose whitewater access, Collegiate Peaks backdrop, and arts community anchor its identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Chaffee County Assessor at 104 Crestone Avenue, Salida, CO 81201, phone 719-539-4004. CO assessed at percentage of actual value.
Courts & Legal
Chaffee County District Court at 142 Crestone Avenue, Salida, CO 81201, phone 719-539-2561, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
104 Crestone Ave., Salida, CO 81201
(719) 539-2261
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Chaffee County District Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
No dedicated Chaffee County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Colorado follows the Uniform Probate Code, one of the more streamlined, less court-intensive systems in the country.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – for estates where personal property totals less than roughly $86,000 (twice the “exempt property” amount under C.R.S. § 15-11-403, which adjusts annually for inflation – always confirm the current year’s figure with the court). Available starting 10 days after the death. No court filing required; present the affidavit (Form JDF 999) directly to whoever holds the property.
Summary Administration for small real property – a separate, roughly parallel threshold applies to real property equity. This route does require a court filing.
Informal Probate – the standard path for most estates with a will or clear heirs and no disputes. Handled largely by the court Registrar with minimal hearings.
Formal Probate – required for contested wills, disputed appointments, or complicated estates.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 10 days after the death.
Confirm the fair market value of the decedent’s property (less liens) doesn’t exceed the current statutory threshold, and that no probate has already been opened.
Complete Form JDF 999, Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit.
Present it, along with a certified death certificate, to the bank or institution holding the property – no court filing needed.
If filing for informal or formal probate
File the appropriate application with the Chaffee County District Court: Form JDF 910 (with a will) or JDF 908 (without one). For formal probate, file JDF 920 or the intestate equivalent. Filing fee is $199.
The court (or Registrar, for informal cases) appoints a personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
In informal probate, the personal representative then manages the estate largely independently.
Creditors have 4 months from first publication of notice to file claims.
The estate closes once debts are paid and assets are distributed.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit: no court filing fee.
Informal or formal probate filing fee: $199.
Personal representative compensation: “reasonable compensation” – no fixed statutory percentage.
No Colorado state estate tax or inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
635 Colorado Ave., Salida, CO 81201
(719) 539-2814
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
104 Crestone Ave., Salida, CO 81201
(719) 539-2261
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(719) 539-2596
Human Services
(719) 539-2597
CO Benefits / PEAK
(800) 536-5298
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Chaffee County Public Health – (719) 539-6689
Services: Immunizations, WIC, STI testing, environmental health, vital records; behavioral health; outdoor recreation injury prevention; wildfire smoke health monitoring
Hospital: Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (Salida) – (719) 530-2200; strong community hospital for a mountain town; nearest Level I trauma in Colorado Springs or Denver
Notes: Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center is well-regarded for a rural mountain hospital; Salida’s outdoor recreation culture creates a significant orthopedic and trauma volume (whitewater accidents on the Arkansas, rock climbing injuries, mountain bike accidents); behavioral health services in demand; telemedicine important for specialist access
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Salida
Population: 22,000
Area: 1,012 sq mi
Established: 1879
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Chaffee County County residents.
