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Neighborhoods & Schools

What is it like to live in Black Forest, Colorado?

By Weldon Hobbs · Team Hobbs Realty
Published · Last reviewed

Black Forest is a largely rural, wooded area in unincorporated El Paso County, northeast of Colorado Springs, with homes on larger parcels spaced farther apart among ponderosa pines. Most homes rely on their own well and septic system, and wildfire risk shapes insurance and upkeep, so I recommend making sure the home and its systems support the way you want to live, and that you understand the full cost of owning it. Parts of the area are in Academy District 20 and parts in Lewis-Palmer District 38; verify each address.

Where Black Forest is

Black Forest sits northeast of Colorado Springs, generally north and east of the city's Briargate and Flying Horse areas and east of Monument. It's unincorporated El Paso County, not part of the city, so county rules, county roads, and the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District apply rather than city services.

Most trips start on two-lane county roads before reaching Powers Boulevard, Interquest Parkway, or I-25, so drive times depend a lot on where the property sits. Drive your actual routes at the times you'll use them before you buy. Commute times by area gives estimates from across the region.

For hospital care, the closest full hospitals for much of the area are on Briargate Parkway in north Colorado Springs: Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, which has a dedicated pediatric emergency department, and UCHealth Memorial Hospital North. UCHealth also runs a freestanding emergency room on Meadowgrass Drive near Interquest Parkway. Check the drive from the specific property.

The homes and land

Black Forest's homes sit on larger parcels than you'll find in the city, many of them wooded, with homes spaced farther apart. El Paso County's master plan, adopted in 2021, places much of Black Forest in its large-lot residential category. You'll find a wide range of homes, from older cabins and ranch homes to newer custom builds, plus outbuildings, barns, and land set up for horses on some properties.

What that means for buyers:

  • Check the year built and the parcel size on the El Paso County Assessor's property record for any address.
  • Check what the zoning allows before you count on horses, an outbuilding, or a second structure. El Paso County Planning and Community Development can tell you what applies to a parcel.
  • Expect more upkeep. A wooded lot, a long driveway, a well, and a septic system all come with ongoing maintenance that a city lot doesn't.

Wells and septic

Most Black Forest homes have a private well and a septic system instead of city water and sewer. Maintaining your own water and septic can cost more over time than a city utility bill, so it's worth budgeting for that up front.

During the inspection period, you can have the well and septic inspected along with the home, and I recommend doing that. A well inspection can include the water quality and how much water the well produces, and El Paso County has its own requirements for septic systems at the time of sale. Buying a home with a well or septic system in El Paso County walks through what to check, including the well permit and what it allows.

Wildfire risk, mitigation, and insurance

Wildfire is a real part of owning a home in Black Forest. The 2013 Black Forest Fire started on June 11, 2013, burned about 14,280 acres over nine days, destroyed 511 homes, and killed two people. Much of the area has regrown or been rebuilt since, but the risk shapes how homes here are insured and maintained.

  • Mitigation. I recommend wildfire mitigation, such as thinning trees and clearing brush around the home, and your insurance company will likely recommend it too. The Colorado State Forest Service has a home ignition zone guide that explains what to do close to the house and farther out.
  • Help with brush and slash. El Paso County's Black Forest Slash & Mulch Program gives residents a place to drop off tree slash and pick up mulch.
  • Insurance. Colorado now requires insurers to give you a wildfire risk score for your property and to consider mitigation you've done. Get a homeowners insurance quote for the specific property early in your search, not after you're under contract. Why homeowners insurance can vary so much between Colorado Springs houses explains the factors.

Parks, trails, and open space

  • Black Forest Regional Park, an El Paso County park of about 385 acres on Shoup Road, has trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, along with a playground, playing fields, tennis courts, and picnic areas.
  • Black Forest Section 16, a county trail system on former State Trust Land, has a loop trail open to nonmotorized use, including horses. Check the county's current trail information before you go.
  • Fox Run Regional Park, an El Paso County park on Stella Drive at the area's western edge, has about four miles of multi-use trails, a dog park, playgrounds, and picnic pavilions.

Property taxes and special districts

Even a paid-off home isn't free. Property taxes, insurance, and the cost of maintaining a well, septic system, and the land itself continue every year, so I recommend knowing the full yearly cost of any property before you decide.

Black Forest property tax bills include El Paso County, the school district, and the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District, among others. Some newer subdivisions in and around Black Forest are also inside metro districts or have an HOA, while many older properties have neither. Check the tax authorities for the specific address on the El Paso County Treasurer's or Assessor's site, and ask for HOA documents if there's an association. How property taxes work in El Paso County explains how the bill is built, and what a metro district is shows how to check for one.

Schools

Black Forest spans more than one school district. Parts are in Academy School District 20 and parts are in Lewis-Palmer School District 38, and some outlying properties may fall in another district. District boundaries don't follow the Black Forest name or zip code, so verify the district and schools for the specific address with the district before you buy. Neighborhoods by school district explains how to check.

Weather on the north side

Weather can differ a lot across the region. In my experience, the north side tends to get more winter weather: it can be snowing in Black Forest and Monument while the south and east sides of Colorado Springs stay dry. If you'll be driving every day, plan for long county driveways and roads that may be plowed later than city streets.

Check every home, every time

Every home is different, and every neighborhood is different. The HOA, insurance, special districts, the age of the home, and the age of its systems all matter, so it's worth checking each one every time. In Black Forest, that list also includes the well, the septic system, and the trees around the house.

The Colorado contract builds in time to do that. Under the standard Colorado purchase contract, you have deadlines to:

  • inspect the home, including the well and septic (§ 10.3),
  • review the HOA documents, if there's an association (§ 7.4), and
  • confirm you can get insurance you're comfortable with (§ 10.5).

By each deadline, you can end the contract if you're not satisfied, in your sole subjective discretion, and your earnest money is returned when you terminate on time. How earnest money works explains the protection.

What could change the area

Black Forest is always evolving, with new projects being proposed and approved around it. El Paso County has planned intersection improvements where Baptist Road, Hodgen Road, and Roller Coaster Road meet, and it's designing an extension of Briargate Parkway east of Black Forest Road. Growth in Monument and north Colorado Springs continues nearby.

Many residents value the area's rural, wooded character and have pushed to keep it. During the county's 2021 master plan update, residents' groups such as Friends of the Black Forest asked for larger minimum lot sizes in timbered areas. If a nearby parcel is undeveloped, it's worth checking with El Paso County Planning and Community Development whether anything has been proposed for it.

How to decide whether Black Forest fits

It's really a lifestyle choice. Start with what you want day to day, then make sure the property and its systems support it, along with the overall cost.

  • If you want wooded land and more space between homes, Black Forest has it. Budget for mitigation, the well, the septic system, and a longer drive.
  • If you'd rather have city water, sewer, and services, compare a Black Forest home with homes in nearby city neighborhoods before you decide.
  • If insurance is a concern, get quotes on specific properties early, and ask what mitigation would improve the property's wildfire score.
  • If you plan to keep animals or build an outbuilding, confirm the zoning and any HOA covenants first.

If you're weighing a Black Forest property against homes in town, let's look at the full yearly cost of each together.

What could change the answer

  • The condition, permit, and water production of the well, and the condition of the septic system.
  • The property's wildfire risk score, mitigation, and the insurance quotes you get.
  • Whether the property is in a metro district or HOA, and what its covenants allow.
  • The exact school district for the address.
  • Development proposed on nearby parcels.

When to talk with a professional

Get a homeowners insurance quote before you're under contract. Hire an independent home inspector, a well inspector, and a septic inspector. Check zoning and anything proposed nearby with El Paso County Planning and Community Development. Verify schools with the district. Ask the Black Forest Fire/Rescue Protection District or the Colorado State Forest Service about mitigation for the property. And work with a local real estate professional who knows rural properties and can compare the full yearly cost with homes in town.

About the author

Weldon Hobbs is a Colorado Springs REALTOR® and co-founder of Team Hobbs Realty. He is a member of The Platinum Group, REALTORS®, Colorado Springs' #1 independent brokerage, which pairs deep local expertise with premium marketing exposure. A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and retired Air Force veteran, he and his family made more than 10 military moves. Since 2006, he and his wife, Kristen, have bought and sold their own homes, managed a portfolio of rental properties, and guided others through their own real estate decisions. He has also helped both family members and clients downsize, where the decisions are often complex and the process can feel overwhelming. Drawing on his background as a PMP® (Project Management Professional), he helps people break those decisions into clear, manageable steps.

Since beginning his real estate career, he has ranked in the top 7% by sales volume among the more than 4,000 members of the Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS®. He works with military families, seniors and downsizing clients, luxury and premium home sellers, and people relocating to Colorado Springs. He developed the Life → Wealth → Real Estate™ method, hosts the national YouTube channel Life & Real Estate After 50™, and holds an MBA along with the SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist®), MRP (Military Relocation Professional), and Certified Financial Coach credentials. More about Weldon

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