What is it like to live in Peregrine in Colorado Springs?

Peregrine is a covenant-controlled hillside neighborhood on the northwest edge of Colorado Springs, along Woodmen Road at the foot of the Rampart Range, next to Blodgett Open Space and Pike National Forest. Most homes were built from the late 1980s into the early 2000s, many with walkout lower levels because of the slopes. The Peregrine Master Association and some smaller sub-associations govern the area. It sits in the wildland-urban interface, so wildfire mitigation and insurance deserve a close look. Most addresses are in Academy District 20; verify yours.

Where Peregrine is

Peregrine sits on the far northwest side of the city, west of I-25 and south of the Air Force Academy, where Centennial Boulevard becomes Woodmen Road. The foothills rise directly behind it: Blodgett Open Space is bordered on three sides by Pike National Forest, and the upper part of the neighborhood backs toward Academy land.

Getting around usually means Woodmen Road east to I-25, or Centennial Boulevard south toward Garden of the Gods Road and the west side. Because Peregrine is at the edge of the city, most errands and commutes start with a drive down the hill. Drive times depend on the route and time of day, so drive yours at rush hour before you buy. Commute times by area gives estimated drive times from across the city.

For medical care, UCHealth Memorial Hospital North and Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, both on Briargate Parkway, are across I-25 to the east. Check the drive from the specific home if being close to a hospital matters to you.

The homes

The Peregrine Master Association describes more than 1,000 homes. The neighborhood was built in phases, mainly from the late 1980s through the early 2000s, with no single dominant builder, so styles and quality vary from street to street.

What that means for buyers:

• Mostly single-family homes, including custom and semi-custom homes, ranch plans, and two-story plans, with some townhomes and smaller enclaves such as The Village at Peregrine, a group of 49 ranch-style homes developed in 1997.
• Hillside lots. Many lots are sloped or irregular, and walkout basements are common. Ask about drainage, retaining walls, and how the driveway handles snow and ice.
• Homes that are now 20 to 35 years old. A home with its original roof, furnace, windows, or water heater will need those replaced at some point, so budget for it. Buying an older home in Colorado Springs covers what to look for.
• Check the year built for each home. The El Paso County Assessor's property record shows the year built and other details for any address.

Parks, trails, and open space

The open space is a big part of what sets Peregrine apart:

• Blodgett Open Space, a 384-acre city open space on Woodmen Road, with the Hummingbird Trail leading into Pike National Forest. The city's 2024 master plan adds trails and a second trailhead near the old Pikeview Quarry, including a mountain-bike-only trail. The city warns that the route beyond the designated trails toward Blodgett Peak is hard to follow and has led to serious injuries.
• Ute Valley Park, a regional park to the southeast with trails and mountain biking.
• Neighborhood open space and trails, which vary by filing. Ask what's within walking distance of the specific home.

HOA, special district, and property tax costs

Even a paid-off home isn't free. Taxes, HOA dues, any special district levies, and insurance continue, so I recommend knowing the full monthly cost of any home before you decide.

• HOA. Peregrine is a covenant-controlled community managed through the Peregrine Master Association, with architectural review for exterior changes. Some enclaves also have their own sub-association with separate dues that may cover lawn care, snow removal, or trash. Dues differ by filing, so ask for the documents and dues for the specific home. What to review before buying a home in an HOA walks through the documents.
• Special districts. No city maintenance district or metro district for Peregrine turned up in the city's list of maintenance districts, but district boundaries don't always follow neighborhood names, so check the tax area for each address. What a metro district is explains how.
• Property taxes. Two homes at the same price can still have different tax bills. Why two similar homes can have very different property taxes shows how to compare them.

Schools

Peregrine is in Academy School District 20. School assignments can change and don't always follow neighborhood names, so verify the district and schools for the specific address with the district before you buy. Neighborhoods by school district explains how to check.

Wildfire risk and insurance

Peregrine sits in the city's wildland-urban interface, where homes meet forest and grassland. The Colorado Springs Fire Department says that interface covers about 32,655 acres and that nearly a quarter of the city's residents live in it.

The 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire is part of the neighborhood's history. The city's after-action report shows Peregrine was under mandatory evacuation, the fire reached the upper part of the neighborhood between the homes and Academy land, and fire crews were positioned there to protect homes. Across the city, the fire destroyed 347 homes.

What that means for buyers today:

• Insurance first. Get a homeowners insurance quote for the specific home early in your search, before your insurance deadline in the contract. Some insurers price wildfire risk partly by area, so homes west of I-25 can carry that cost even when the lot itself is well mitigated. Colorado now requires insurers to give you a wildfire risk score for your property and to consider mitigation you've done.
• Mitigation. Defensible space, ember-resistant vents, and the roof material all matter. The HOA site has a wildfire mitigation section and a neighborhood chipping program, and the fire department offers wildfire mitigation resources for homeowners.
• Evacuation routes. Know the routes out of the neighborhood, and sign up for local emergency notifications.

Why insurance varies so much between Colorado Springs homes explains the factors.

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 I recommend checking all of them every time.

Colorado's standard purchase contract builds in time to do that. By separate deadlines, you can review the HOA documents, complete your inspection, and confirm you can get insurance. If something you find isn't acceptable, you can end the contract by that deadline, in your sole discretion, and your earnest money is returned. How earnest money works in Colorado Springs explains that protection.

What could change the area

• Blodgett Open Space trail work. The new trails and trailheads from the 2024 master plan bring more visitors and parking along Woodmen Road. Ask how close the specific home is to a trailhead.
• Fire mitigation and insurance rules. Mitigation work and the state's new wildfire scoring rules can change what insurance costs over time.

For the wider picture of the northwest and west side, see what it's like to live on the west side of Colorado Springs.

How to decide whether Peregrine fits

• If living next to open space and trails matters to you, Peregrine's location is a real draw. Check the specific home's distance to Blodgett Open Space and the trailheads.
• If insurance cost is a deciding factor, get a quote before you fall in love with a home, and ask the seller about any mitigation work.
• If you're comparing a Peregrine home with a newer home elsewhere, compare the full monthly cost and the cost of updates you'd want, not just the price.
• If you'd rather avoid hills and steep driveways, look closely at each lot's slope and the drive in winter.

What could change the answer

• The insurance quote and wildfire risk score for the specific home.
• The HOA and any sub-association, and their dues and rules.
• How updated the home is, and the age of its roof and major systems.
• The lot's slope and drainage.
• The exact school district and schools for the address.

When to talk with a professional

Get a homeowners insurance quote early, and ask the agent how the wildfire score and any mitigation affect it. Hire an independent home inspector, and consider a drainage or structural review on a steep lot. Read the HOA documents before your deadline. Check the property's tax districts with the El Paso County Assessor or Treasurer. Verify schools with the district. And work with a local real estate professional who can compare Peregrine homes with others in your price range, including the full monthly cost.

Sources

• City of Colorado Springs, Blodgett Open Space: https://coloradosprings.gov/blodgett
• The Gazette, "Contentious Colorado Springs open space master plan gains first vote of approval" (April 2024): https://gazette.com/2024/04/05/contentious-colorado-springs-open-space-master-plan-gains-first-vote-of-approval/
• The Gazette, "Expanded trails, future destinations among this year's plans for Pikes Peak region" (January 2026): https://gazette.com/2026/01/12/expanded-trails-future-destinations-among-this-years-plans-for-pikes-peak-region/
• Peregrine Master Association: https://peregrinehoa.com
• The Village at Peregrine HOA: https://www.villageatperegrine.com/
• City of Colorado Springs, Waldo Canyon Fire Final After Action Report (2013): https://cdpsdocs.state.co.us/coe/Website/Data_Repository/Waldo%20Canyon%20Fire%20Final%20After%20Action%20Report_City%20of%20Colorado%20Springs.pdf
• Colorado Springs Fire Department, wildfire mitigation partnership with the USDA Forest Service: https://csfd.coloradosprings.gov/node/161321
• City of Colorado Springs, Special Improvement Maintenance Districts: https://coloradosprings.gov/SIMD
• Colorado General Assembly, HB25-1182 (wildfire risk scores in homeowners insurance): https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1182
• Colorado Division of Real Estate, Contracts and Forms (Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate): https://dre.colorado.gov/real-estate-broker-contracts-and-forms
• El Paso County Assessor (property records): https://assessor.elpasoco.com
• UCHealth Memorial Hospital North: https://www.uchealth.org/locations/uchealth-memorial-hospital-north/
• Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs Hospital: https://www.childrenscolorado.org/locations/colorado-springs-hospital/
• Academy District 20: https://www.asd20.org