Area Cities
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Fruita Colorado
About Fruita, Colorado
Fruita, Colorado
Tourism
The Colorado National Monument is almost 20,500 acres of semi-arid wilderness, rising more than 2,000 feet above the City of Fruita in the valley below. Native wildlife, such as eagles, bighorn sheep, and mule deer can be seen in the area.
Fat Tire Festival
For the bike enthusiast, races, live music and lots of fun. Every year in Spring.
Mike The Headless Chicken Festival
Fruita is known for Mike the Headless Chicken, a rooster who lived for 18 months after his head was cut off. Lloyd Olsen, the remover of Mike's head, would give him food and water with an eye dropper. He grew to be almost 8 lb (3.6 kg). Mike went on to tour the country as a side show. A festival in his honor is held each May in Fruita.
Fruita Fall Festival
This festival started in 1910 as a harvest festival and has evolved to a major event. There is live music, carnival rides, a parade, vendors selling everything from homemade jams and candles to clothing and jewellery, a wide variety of foods. The Fruita Fall Festival is typically held the last full weekend of September.
Housing Inventory
Fruita continues to be one of the fastest growing municipalities in the Western Slope with an annual growth rate of 7% over the past ten years. There were 377 new residential permits issued in 2005 in Fruita, compared to 171 in 2000, and the growth rate in the market area continues at a similar pace. New housing construction consisted of primarily single family homes $150,000-$300,000; some apartment condominiums $80,000-$100,000, mobile homes $90,000-$110,000 & a retirement community $150,000-$300,000.
The Fruita Community Plan estimates that with this year's rate of new dwelling units we are at a "boom" growth rate. Our total number of housing units is up from 1,582 in 1990 (census) to 2,610 dwelling units in 2000 and 3,800 estimated in 2006. We have added 2,400 housing units since 1990, a 52% increase in our housing supply over 15 years. Our population has increased from 4,042 in 1990 to 6,478 in 2000 (2000 census date), and an estimated population of 9,500 is expected by 2006; the city has seen an increase of 55% over the last 15 years. Fruita (like the rest of the valley) has seen boom/bust cycles before, but we do not see the current growth cycle slowing down until the year 2018-2020.
From mobile home parks to historical homes, working orchards and custom, upper-end homes, they all co-exist in Fruita. It is a separate town with a separate identity, and is only about 15 minute commute from Grand Junction. There are many different roads to take to get to Fruita. First there is the main I-70 freeway going to Utah, if you want to travel fast, then there is the 6 & 50 Hwy which is heavily traveled, then there is the River road which is adjacant to the I-70 freeway, then there are the back roads if you want to miss the traffic.
Fruita is larger than Palisade which is on the opposite end of the valley going to Denver and has been a favorite building spot for new home builders for the last decade. Fruita was one of the fastest growing communities. It ranked 64th in the nation and 3rd fasting growing in Colorado. Colorado Springs being 1st followed by Fort Collins, then Fruita.
Buyers can shoose from multifamily or single-family housing, and both come in a variety of prices. It's also possible to find small acreage parcels in the Fruita area.
Included in the Fruita area is another community called Loma which is just a few miles west towards the Utah border which used to be more of a farming area, however the last few years has warranted a big demand for buyers wanting more space with plenty of irrigation water and parcels with acreage for horses or for those who want georgeous views of the National Monument and the Bookcliffs on the north side.
Schools
Fruita has two elementary schools, a middle school that serves grades 6 & 7, an 8/9 School and a high school that serves grades 10-12
Amenities
Fruita has a brand new hospital nearly completion, a newly remodeled grocery store (City Market) a new recently opened Walgreens store. There is a wide variety of festivals drawing folks to the downtown area, a golf course, new restaurants on both sides of the interstate and miles of walking and biking trails. Fruita is gaining a nationwide reputation for its mountain bike trails, although to give credit where credit is due, some of the "Fruita" trails are in Loma
What makes it special?
Fruita has its own unique identity and has embraced a sense of fun. A beautiful state park at the Colorado River provides a great place for swimming, picnics, fishing and playing. It's also home to the Riverfront Concert Series in the summer, 3 free concerts featuring blues, cajun, rockabilly and other assorted musical acts. Featuring one of the biggest draws is the Country Jam which brings top named country artist as well as Rock performers. People from all over the country come to spend a few days with plenty of RV parking and just a great time.
