Paonia

Community Description
(See community links below for additional information.)

Paonia is a mountain town on the North Fork of the Gunnison River. Paonia offers a reasonable cost of living and boasts a two block main street with no traffic jams. Orchards, small ranches, homes and horse farms cover the mesas, and a drive up any one of them guarantees spectacular views of the Ragged Mountains, Mount Lamborn and the valley below.

Demographics

• Paonia is located in Delta County in western Colorado.
• The town has a population of 29,947.
• Delta County has a population of 29,947.

History

• Paonia was founded in 1882 by Samuel Wade.
• He brought the first fruit trees into the valley on horseback.
• He named the town after the Latin word for the peony flower.
• Original stock from Samuel's peonies still grow in the Town Park.

Education

• Delta County School District serves the area with public education for K-12th grade.
• The closest institutions of higher education include Western State College (47 miles) and Colorado Mountain College (48 miles).

Agriculture

• At an altitude of 5,645 and cupped in the high mountains, the Paonia area has become famous for it apples.
• Other fruits benefit from the rich soil, plentiful water and the "million dollar" pre-dawn breeze which keeps late frosts at bay.
• Paonia's natural air conditioning moderates temperature extremes - at night warm air flows up from the lower valley, and by day cool air flows down from the mountains.
• Peaches, apricots, prunes, sweet and sour cherries, pears, and grapes are produced on farms ranging from one to a hundred acres.
• Climate also favors livestock production, bringing summer pastures into successive use, as cattle and sheep follow spring to the mountain meadows.

Local Attractions

• The town park is the crown jewel of Paonia and is one of the reasons that Paonia makes the Tree City USA selection year after year; the park occupies a whole block and is home to many picnic tables and shelters nestled under a tall canopy of various species of trees.
• Paonia is located in a glacial valley-canyon which has exposed seams of one of the nation's largest coal reserves.
• Most of the coal is shipped out of the valley by train. Some is sold locally, supplementing natural gas and the electricity supplied by our local co-op.
• One of the first public radio stations in western Colorado began broadcasting out of a garage in Paonia.
• Paonia is also home to a nationally known environmental newspaper.
• The town has two parks, tennis courts, skateboard and roller-blade court, an active downtown retail community, 20 churches, a library, a busy chamber of commerce and an active senior citizens group.
• Paonia is also central to outdoor fun and exploration.
• The Gunnison River offers rafting, kayaking, gold-medal fishing and hiking in a dramatic canyon setting.
• The newly-designated National Park, "The Black Canyon" of the Gunnison is only 30 minutes from Paonia.
• Public land is close by and accessible for horseback riding and hiking.
• Bikers and bicyclists, can tour the back roads between Paonia and nearby towns. In the winter, skiers can alternate between cross-country trails close to town or downhill runs at nearby ski areas.
• Snowmobilers have wide choices for exploratory trips.

Location

• Paonia is 70 miles east of Grand Junction 150 miles southwest of Denver.

Community Links

HEALTHCARE IN PAONIA

HOSPITALS
Delta County Memorial Hospital (27 miles)
Montrose Memorial Hospital (44 miles)
Locate a Doctor
        
CLINICS
North Fork Medical Clinic

LIFESTYLE IN PAONIA

DEMOGRAPHICS
http://www.city-data.com/city/Paonia-Colorado.html
           
SCHOOLS
http://www.deltaschools.com/

EMPLOYERS
List of Local Businesses
List of Employment Opportunities in and around Paonia
           
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
http://www.paoniachamber.com/

COUNTY
http://www.deltacounty.com/

REAL ESTATE – View homes for free before you do a site visit!
Go to Zillow.com to learn about all the homes for sale in Paonia.

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS
http://www.hcn.org/

TOURIST AND RECREATION WEBSITES
Mountain Harvest Festival
Orchard Valley Farms
Gunnison River
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Mount Lamborn
North Fork Valley Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival
North Fork Pool, Park and Recreation District
(970) 872-6122

TOWNS NEARBY
Hotchkiss (10 miles)
Crawford (12 miles)
Cedaredge (23 miles)
Olathe (32 miles)
Montrose (33 miles)

AIRPORT
North Fork Valley Airport
Montrose Regional Airport (33 miles)         

SKIING IN COLORADO, FROM PAONIA
Powderhorn Resort (69 miles)
Aspen/Snowmass (99 miles)
Crested Butte (116 miles)