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Colorado · Central Rockies · #529
Eagle County, Colorado
Cradling Vail and Beaver Creek in the central Colorado Rockies, Eagle County hosts two of the world's most celebrated ski resorts in a county where the gap between the resort economy and the working service economy is perhaps the widest of any mountain county in the American West.
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Office: Eagle County Emergency Management – (970) 328-8755 | eaglecounty.us/emergency
Alert System: CO-WARN; EC Alert; NOAA Weather Radio; Vail/Beaver Creek resort alert systems
Shelter Info: Eagle County Fairgrounds; school facilities; contact OEM; Vail and Avon community centers
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: Central mountain county on the I-70 corridor; Eagle is county seat; avalanche risk (EXTREME – Eagle County has some of Colorado’s most significant avalanche terrain; Vail Pass and the I-70 corridor near Vail are managed by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center with artillery and explosive mitigation; Vail ski area has some of the most technically managed avalanche terrain in the US); wildfire risk (Lake Christine Fire 2018 in neighboring Pitkin/Eagle County; 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire; ongoing high risk in canyon corridor); flooding (Eagle River, I-70 corridor; 2018 mudflow along I-70 after Grizzly Creek Fire); I-70 mountain corridor emergency management (the highway carries enormous traffic and closures can strand thousands)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Eagle County Road and Bridge – (970) 328-3500
Transit: ECO Transit (Eagle County Regional Transportation Authority) – (970) 328-3520; excellent regional bus system including free/subsidized service; Vail transit (free within Vail village); Avon transit; Beaver Creek resort shuttles; Winter Park (via I-70) RFTA connections
Airport: Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE – Vail/Eagle County Airport; American, United, Delta, Southwest seasonal service; one of Colorado’s busiest mountain airports serving the Vail Valley ski resort market)
Notes: I-70 is the lifeline and the defining feature of Eagle County – Vail Pass (10,662 ft) and the Eisenhower Tunnel are the critical chokepoints; I-70 closures from avalanche, accidents, or weather strand thousands in Vail and the valley; ECO Transit is one of Colorado’s finest regional transit systems – heavily used year-round; Vail and Beaver Creek ski resorts drive enormous seasonal traffic; Glenwood Canyon on I-70 (western Eagle County border) is one of the most spectacular (and geologically unstable) interstate highway corridors in the US
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Eagle County Community Development – (970) 328-8730 | eaglecounty.us
Services: Unincorporated county permits; Vail (separate – very active resort development), Avon, Eagle, Gypsum, Minturn, Red Cliff, Basalt (portions) have separate permits
Notes: Eagle County has enormous resort-driven development activity; Vail is one of Colorado’s premier ski resort communities with continuous luxury development; Avon’s commercial and transit-oriented development around Beaver Creek access; workforce housing construction is a critical challenge (the gap between ski industry wages and Eagle County housing costs is among the widest in Colorado); Gypsum is the more affordable community attracting worker housing
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Eagle County Veterans Services – (970) 328-8755
VA Medical: VA Grand Junction (about 70 miles west); VA Denver (about 100 miles east via I-70); telehealth important
Services: Benefits claims; I-70 access to Grand Junction VA
Notes: Both Grand Junction and Denver VA facilities are accessible via I-70; Eagle County’s ski resort economy attracts some veteran employees; workforce housing challenges affect veteran workers in the resort industry
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Eagle Valley Library District – (970) 328-8800 | evld.org
Services: Books, e-books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; bilingual Spanish-English materials (significant Hispanic workforce in the resort industry); ski and mountain heritage collections; maker spaces
Notes: Well-funded library district reflecting Eagle County’s wealth; Spanish-language materials essential for the resort industry’s Hispanic workforce; Vail’s cosmopolitan community drives sophisticated library programming; the library system serves both wealthy resort visitors and residents and the large service industry workforce
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
State/County Parks: Nottingham Lake (Avon – local recreation; Town of Avon); Eagle River (world-class fly fishing; Gold Medal trout fishery in portions); Holy Cross Wilderness (Eagle County portion – spectacular Gore Range wilderness; the Vail Mountain behind the resort extends into the Eagles Nest Wilderness)
Ski Resorts: Vail Mountain (the largest single-mountain ski resort in the US by acreage – 5,317 acres; famous Back Bowls; iconic Blue Sky Basin; remarkable terrain variety; one of the world’s premier ski destinations); Beaver Creek Resort (adjacent Avon – luxury resort with exceptional grooming, family facilities, and World Cup race course – Birds of Prey; owned by Vail Resorts)
White Water: Eagle River (Class III-IV sections near Minturn; Dowd Junction area); Glenwood Canyon (Colorado River below Eagle County – accessible rafting)
Other: Glenwood Canyon (Eagle County’s western boundary – I-70 passes through one of the most dramatic canyon corridors in the US; the 12-mile Rio Grande Trail through the canyon; the Colorado River; the Hanging Lake access trail – one of Colorado’s most popular and restricted hikes – is in Garfield County but accessible from Eagle County; timed entry permits required); Vail Village (European-inspired pedestrian village; world-class skiing and après-ski culture; Gore Creek running through the village)
Notes: Eagle County is Colorado’s premier ski destination; Vail Mountain is the largest single-mountain ski resort in the US – the Back Bowls alone comprise thousands of acres of legendary powder skiing; the Birds of Prey World Cup race on Beaver Creek’s Raptor trail is one of the fastest and most challenging downhill races in the world; Vail Village’s European design (no cars in the pedestrian village; Bell Tower; Covered Bridge; Bridge Street) creates a genuine resort atmosphere; the Eagle River’s Gold Medal trout fishing is exceptional; Glenwood Canyon’s sheer walls rising 2,000 feet above the Colorado River are among Colorado’s most dramatic geological features
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Eagle County GIS – eaglecounty.us/gis; Colorado Avalanche Information Center mapping; I-70 closure and incident mapping; USFS Holy Cross and Eagles Nest Wilderness maps; flood hazard maps (Eagle River)
Notes: Active GIS; avalanche hazard zone mapping (extensive – the entire Eagle County I-70 corridor has sophisticated avalanche monitoring and control areas mapped by CAIC); Eagle River flood plain mapping; wildfire burn scar mapping (Grizzly Creek 2020); resort development tracking; Vail Mountain terrain maps
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Eagle County Animal Services – (970) 328-7734
Notes: Mountain lion encounters in Vail village and surrounding communities are not uncommon – the resort community’s deer population attracts lions; black bear encounters in resort dumpsters and residential areas are regular; elk herds are large in Eagle County; bighorn sheep on steep rocky terrain; Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages hunting and wildlife; Vail’s pet-friendly culture drives strong animal services demand
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Eagle County ECO Thrift and Recycling – (970) 328-3490; comprehensive recycling programs; resort waste management
Recycling: Eagle County is a leader in mountain county recycling; resort community generates enormous waste volumes; Vail has excellent recycling programs; ECO-Cycle programs
Environmental: Colorado DPHE; Eagle River Watershed Council (community conservation organization focused on Eagle River water quality); CDOT (I-70 corridor management – the Colorado River and Eagle River are adjacent to I-70 through the canyon; hazmat spills are a significant risk); USFS (White River NF – most of the county’s mountain terrain); Colorado River water rights (Eagle County’s Eagle River contributes to the Colorado River)
Notes: The Grizzly Creek Fire (2020) burned through Glenwood Canyon – a spectacular canyon along I-70 and the Colorado River; the post-fire debris flow risk forced I-70 closures for months as the unstable slopes produced repeated mudflows onto the highway; the canyon remains a debris flow risk in years following the fire; the Eagle River’s water quality is important for both local recreation and as a Colorado River tributary; the Eagle River Watershed Council actively monitors and restores the river; resort community waste management is a significant challenge – Vail generates enormous waste volumes from millions of skier visits; avalanche mitigation on I-70 (artillery shots and Gazex exploders maintain the highway corridor) is critical infrastructure management; the resort economy’s large Hispanic workforce lives in affordable communities (Gypsum, Eagle) far from the resort – long commute distances create vehicle emissions from a workforce that often cannot afford to live near where they work
About Eagle County
Eagle County holds a genuine paradox that it navigates with varying success: it contains some of the most expensive real estate in the United States (Vail and Bachelor Gulch luxury properties routinely sell for tens of millions) alongside the service workforce – ski instructors, hotel staff, restaurant workers, retail employees – who make those resorts function and who cannot afford to live within a reasonable commute of their workplaces. The workforce housing crisis in Eagle County has been described for decades without a satisfying resolution, and the commute from Gypsum, Eagle, and Basalt – and increasingly from Garfield County – defines daily life for much of the county’s actual working population.
Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek, both operated by Vail Resorts, are genuinely world-class skiing destinations – the terrain, the mountain infrastructure, and the resort services draw visitors from across the globe and generate tax revenue that funds county services at levels not available to comparably sized rural counties. The Vail Symposium and the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail Village provide summer cultural programming that keeps the resort economy active across multiple seasons. Eagle County has a higher percentage of second homes than almost any other Colorado county, which shapes its political dynamics and its service demands in ways the full-time resident population experiences distinctly.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Colorado assesses residential property at 6.765% of actual value. Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Equalization. Colorado’s senior homestead exemption reduces assessed value by 50% (up to $200,000) for qualifying residents 65 or older with ten or more years of primary residence. Colorado has no estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
SENIOR SERVICES
Eagle County Health and Human Services – Senior Services
551 Broadway, Eagle, CO 81631
Phone: (970) 328-8840
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Eagle County residents.
Senior Services
Eagle County Health and Human Services – Senior Services
551 Broadway, Eagle, CO 81631
Phone: (970) 328-8840
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Eagle County residents.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
500 Broadway, Eagle, CO 81631
(970) 328-8710
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Eagle County District Court, both locations (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
No dedicated Eagle 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.
Where to go
Eagle County has two courthouse locations – file in whichever is more convenient.
Eagle County Justice Center – 885 Chambers Avenue, P.O. Box 597, Eagle, CO 81631. (970) 328-6373. El Jebel Branch – 20 Eagle County Drive, Suite B, Carbondale, CO 81623. (970) 704-2740. Hours (both): Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
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 Eagle County District Court, at either location: 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
885 E. Chambers Ave., Eagle, CO 81631
(970) 328-8500
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
500 Broadway, Eagle, CO 81631
(970) 328-8710
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(970) 328-8840
Human Services
(970) 328-8840
CO Benefits / PEAK
(800) 536-5298
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Eagle County Public Health and Environment – (970) 328-8755 | eaglecounty.us/health
Hospital: Vail Health Hospital (Vail – (970) 476-2451; excellent community hospital with outstanding orthopedic surgery – one of the finest orthopedic programs in Colorado given the ski community demand; the Steadman Clinic (affiliated with Vail Health) is internationally recognized as one of the finest orthopedic sports medicine clinics in the world; where elite athletes and professional sports teams send their most serious knee and shoulder injuries); Eagle Valley Medical Center (Gypsum)
Notes: Vail Health’s Steadman Clinic is internationally famous – it is where countless professional athletes, Olympic competitors, and elite sports figures have had their ACLs reconstructed and shoulders repaired; Dr. Richard Steadman (retired founder) revolutionized sports medicine; the clinic performs over 3,000 surgeries annually; the ski industry’s injury volume (knee injuries from skiing are among the most common orthopedic injuries in mountain resort counties) supports a world-class orthopedic ecosystem; opioid crisis in the resort community (the ski industry’s seasonal worker culture and relative affluence creates unique substance use patterns); behavioral health is in significant demand
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Eagle
Population: 57,000
Area: 1,694 sq mi
Established: 1883
Tier: 4
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Eagle County facilities via Amazon.
