Florissant, CO

Located close to the center of Colorado, in the shadows of Pike’s Peak, Florissant offers a quintessential small-town getaway from the hustle and bustle of Denver. The town was established in 1870 and served as temporary camping grounds for the miners during the gold-rush of the mid-1800s. 

The word “Florissant” is a French derivative of the word “blossom,” and much like its name, the camping ground for miners has, since then, blossomed to house a tight-knit community in Teller County.

Things to do in Florissant

Florissant is a town with a rich history of geologically significant happenings. Thirty-five million years ago, in the Eocene Period, the lakes witnessed an algal bloom, which later sunk to the bottom of the water body to serve as natural preservation for all flora and fauna of the long-extinct period. These breathtaking fossilized remains can be seen in the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument located just south of the town. 

If you fancy learning more about the history of the place, you can take a trip to the Pike’s Peak Area Historical Museum, which sheds light on the mining past of the town. The museum hosts an impressive collection of fossil remains, mineral samples, and exhibits to give you a glance at the 19th-century mining town.

Mueller State Park, located midway between Park’s Peak and Florissant, is famous among outdoor enthusiasts for its 19 well-defined biking trails and over 50 miles of hiking trails spread over 5,000 acres of land. It also sports camping spots complete with rentable cabins for all the nature lovers to enjoy the calm, tranquil countryside. 

Homes for Sale in Florissant

Florissant’s Climate

Much like the rest of Colorado, Florissant enjoys a mostly cool and dry climate owing to its high elevation. The high temperatures generally cross 70 degrees in July, while the lows can drop lower than 4 degrees in January at nighttime, making it one of the coldest places in the state. With median temperatures of about 50 degrees, June, July, and August are some of the best months to spend time in Florissant.

The town generally receives an average of 15 inches of rain per year and residents enjoy mostly sunny days averaging 247 days annually. On the other hand, its December-January lows result in an average of 84 inches of annual snowfall, giving the town the ideal holiday ambiance during the winters.

Education

The Woodland Park School District provides for the educational needs of students in Florissant who attend public school. The district houses three elementary schools, a middle and a high school. 

Preschool education needs are served by the four preschools spread across the town, while the Lake George Charter School continues to serve its independent educational needs.

With less than 2 hours of driving time from Florissant, the Universities of Boulder and Colorado Springs will be able to serve most, if not all, of the higher education needs in the area.

Apart from those, the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, a glorious new entrant to the nation’s military academics club is also just over a 1.5-hour drive from Florissant.

Transportation

Being located very close to the geographical center of Colorado, Florissant is well connected with most of the major cities in the state. 

Colorado Springs is a mere 1.5-hour drive away by any of the seven different bus routes from the state’s capital, Denver. If you favor public transportation, the Line 3 bus will take you to the 10 Old Man’s Trail, which is 40 minutes away from Florissant by car. 

Apart from that, tram facilities are also available on Littleton/Mineral Avenue, a 1.5-hour drive away from the town via the I-25 North highway. 

Living in Florissant

Florissant houses a tight-knit community in Teller County that encompasses 1.336 square miles. The average median annual household income is $73,454 – enough to lead a comfortable life in the town. 

Median home values in Florissant are valued at $349,990, while rental apartments and properties vary from $1,600 to $1,900. However, most people in the town tend to own their own homes, with average homeownership of 45 percent. ‘