Costilla County, Colorado

Wild Horse Mesa

Acreage Range 2.53-4.32 Acres
Price Range $12,000-$15,000

Notes about Purchasing

The page you are currently reading is what we like to call a "master information page" which we create for subdivisions where we have a larger volume of inventory than normal. We provide this as a way to concentrate all of the available information about this region, and the properties within it, into one page where buyers can better learn about the zoning, road conditions, availability of utilities and any of the other salient details we feel a prospective landowner would want to know. We also use this page as a way to present important details about all of the available properties within the region, this way potential buyers won't have to click from listing to listing.

For anyone interested in purchasing land in the subdivision profiled here, we encourage you to read over the information provided to better compare and contrast individual listings and ultimately choose the one that is best for you. While you cannot purchase a specific property on this page, the table of available listings linked below will give you the opportunity to navigate to individual listings pages, where payments options will be presented, and purchases can be made.

Learn More Learn More Learn More

Subdivision Details

Location & Size

 

Wild Horse Mesa is a sprawling and largely undeveloped rural subdivision situated just outside San Luis and within close proximity of the Sanchez Reservoir and State Wildlife Area. It is surrounded by and boasts stunning views of the nearby Sangre De Cristo, San Juan and La Garita mountain ranges.

 

Costilla County, Colorado

See Individual Listing Pages

San Luis

See Individual Listing Pages

81152

Legal Information

 

When we speak of property we typically use an address -- 123 Main Street for instance. 

As most vacant land does not have a physical address, however, county governments will identify it in other ways, such as a "legal description", a parcel number or a tax code. The information provided in the table to the right are the ways in which the various state and county agencies will identify this specific parcel of land. These signifiers are important to have when speaking with these agencies - whether they be the assessor, the zoning office, or even the local utilities - and may prove invaluable when initiating conversations about whatever research a buyer intends to do.

Whenever one exists or has been assigned to the land, the physical address will be included in this table.

See Individual Listing Pages

See Individual Listing Pages

See Individual Listing Pages

See Individual Listing Pages

Access & Utilities

 

Roads & Access: Roads in Wild Horse Mesa are composed mostly of dirt and gravel and tend to be trafficked often enough so as to be easy for most vehicles to navigate. Conditions will obviously be better along the major arterials such as Wild Horse Drive or Overland Way or in areas with greater concentration of development such as closer to the lake. Because of the sprawling and undeveloped nature of the subdivision it's difficult to account for all roads, and thus buyers are encouraged to visit the property in a larger truck or off-road capable vehicle. As always, individual listing pages will include photos of the roads at that exact property.

Power & Utilities: While power lines and some underground utility boxes (telecom) exist in Wild Horse Mesa, they are only found in select pockets of the subdivision and are not located on all or even most parcels. As with the roads, areas that have greater concentrations of development or are closer to the lake are more likely to also have utilities. As always, individual listing pages will include photos of and notes regarding the proximity of the nearest utility easements for that exact property.

It should be noted, the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative services this region and appears to work with land owners to get power to even the more isolated parcels and homes. Anyone interested in learning more about the costs or logistics involved in such an endeavor is encouraged to contact them directly.

Wells & Water Service: Given the elevated nature of the mesa, wells tend to be impractical in all but the properties located closest to the lake in the western part of the subdivision or the valley in the east. Because of this, many land owners tend to haul and store their water in holding tanks. Anyone curious to investigate the feasibility of drilling a well in this region is encouraged to contact well drillers local to the area.

Yes

See Individual Listing Pages

See Individual Listing Pages

See Individual Listing Pages

See Individual Listing Pages

See Individual Listing Pages

By Well or Holding Tank

Septic Or Alternative System

Zoning & Restrictions

 

Zoning: Properties in Wild Horse Mesa are zoned E-R or Estate Residential, a designation which allows for residential areas developed at a higher density and where agricultural use is of incidental value. To learn more about the ER Zoning Designation, please see the attached PDF.

No HOA: The Wild Horse Mesa subdivision has no HOA and there are no annual dues associated with land ownership here.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions: When the Wild Horse Mesa subdivision was created in the early 1970's, the developer drew up a set of covenants and restrictions to run with the land. While most of these are what we like to refer to as "reasonable, good neighbor restrictions" dealing primarily with the disposal of trash and prohibitions on excess noise, there are a few covenants that deal with acceptable structures for the region as well as minimum square footage requirements of those structures. Because of this, anyone considering purchasing the land is encouraged to review the Wild Horse Mesa Covenants and Restrictions document found here.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions, Cont'd: Notable restrictions enumerated in the above linked document include: Minimum square footage requirements are 600 sqft for a one-story dwelling and 800 sqft for a two-story dwelling.

Short-Term RV Use: It should be noted that short-term camping, meaning up to fourteen days per three consecutive months, is allowed within this region. Anything longer than that will require a "long-term camping permit" which can be obtained from the Costilla County Planning & Zoning Department.

Long-Term RV Occupancy: Long-term RV Occupancy, typically done during construction of a permanent dwelling, generally requires both a hookup to an approved On-Site Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) as well as a well permit or cistern installed. The cost for the Long-Terms permit is $350, is valid for 90 days and may be renewed for up to 18 months. It should also be noted that RV inspection is required before this permit will be issued.

None

Yes
PDF

None

None

Title Info

...

Free & Clear

None

None

Yes - Insured Through Allpine Title Company

Warranty Deed

Title/Escrow

Waived

Helpful Links

 

The Hemingway Land Company does our best to represent the properties we list as accurately as possible. Our research, however, will always be limited. 

Because of this, included in the table to the right is a list of the relevant state and county governments, agencies and authorities as well as local utilities (and all their respective websites and contact information) which should help to answer any questions a buyer may have about developing this specific property.

Whenever possible it is best to speak with these agencies first as they will always be a far greater source of information about the local region and the regulations which govern it. 

(719) 937-7670
(719) 937-7668
PDF
(719) 852-3538
(303) 866-3581
PDF

Misc.

 

Sanchez Reservoir And State Wildlife Area: The nearby reservoir and wildlife area is considered an excellent recreation spot as well as the ideal location to see the wild horses for which the local region gets its name. In addition, this area is home to a 2,000 acre lake which provides excellent fishing opportunities for northern pike, walleye, trout, yellow perch and catfish. While there is a boat ramp here, it should be noted that the lake is only a fishing lake and not a place where one might take a speed boat or jet ski.

Wild Horses: The mesa and surrounding area is home to somewhere between 150 and 200 wild horses (mustangs) said to be descendants of horses used by Spanish explorers brought to the region in the 1500s. It is not uncommon for these horses to be found roaming or grazing throughout the subdivision, and many locals have reported friendly appearances on their property from their four-legged neighbors.

Subdivision Stats: The Wild Horse Mesa subdivision is made up of approximately four thousand parcels separated over eight units of land. Roughly 97% of the property here remains vacant while 3% of the lots have been developed with everything from conventional single-family homes to less conventional mobile, modular, shipping containers and other dwelling types.

Unit Map: As noted, the subdivision is broken down into eight Units of land labeled A, B, C, D, E, F, G and K. Units A, B and C sit along the western base of the mesa closest to Highway 159. Units D, E and K are located at the top of the mesa along its western side overlooking the San Luis Valley. Unit F is also found at the top of the mesa but along the east side overlooking the lake and the Sangre De Cristo Mountains. Unit G is along the east side of the mesa closest to the lake.

Common Lot Sizes: The vast majority of land in this region has been subdivided into 2.5 acre parcels. While there are anomalies in the plat making it possible to find larger properties, those parcels are the exception and not the rule. Unit G, closest to the lake, is the only Unit where all the lots are 1 acre in size.

Elevation: Elevation in this subdivision tends to rise from 7,900 feet along the western "valley" at the base of the mesa, to 8,500 feet along the west side of the top of the mesa, to 8,800 feet along the eastern top of the mesa.

Pricing: While the Management of Hemingway Land normally likes to offer uniform pricing within a subdivision, Wild Horse Mesa is unique in that property values here tend to increase as you move from west to east. The parcels in Units A-C, at the base of the mesa, are ones that normally sell on the lower end of the spectrum, and thus are ones we charge the least for. Properties atop the mesa in Units D, E and K tend to sell for more than A-C but less than like-top lots in Unit F. As is to be expected, the parcels closest to the lake in Unit G are always the most expensive despite being half the size of lots in the rest of the subdivision. It should further be noted that prices are also affected by amenities or unique features a property may have. Much as lots with lake views are favored over those without, lots that have power are always favored over ones that don't, and lots atop the mesa that sit along the ridgeline are always favored over ones that can't boast similar views. Whenever possible, financing options are provided to help our buyers afford their ideal property. 

Subdivision FAQ

Only where indicated on the above property list. If we have two or more properties that are next to one another we will always sell them that way as they are normally more valuable than if sold separately. 

No. If they were adjacent, we’d combine them into one listing.

No. If you look at the property list on this page, you’ll see the Legal Descriptions of the properties. These are written logically. Unit 1, Block 1, Lot A would be adjacent to Unit 1, Block 1, Lot B. So on and so forth. If you’re looking at two properties wondering if they’re adjacent - or even close by - simply review the legal descriptions or their locations on the map.

No. This entire area was subdivided over fifty years ago into 2.5 acre lots. While there are anomalies in the plat that might allow for a 3, 4 or 5 acre lot, the standard way to get something larger is to purchase adjacent lots. In the rare circumstance we have adjacent lots totaling larger amounts of acreage it will be clearly indicated on the above property list.

Highly unlikely. But if it’s that important to you we’d encourage you to subscribe to our weekly newsletter or YouTube channel. New properties debut on our site every Friday and are announced in those platforms first. By subscribing to either, you’ll be among the first to know should we ever have a listing like that.

No. That’s what the website, the email blast and the YouTube channel are for. 

Yes.

Roads in Wild Horse Mesa are in good condition or are trafficked often enough so as to be easy to navigate in most any vehicle type. As always though, we recommend a larger truck or off-road capable vehicle when scouting land for the first time. 

Yes, they are linked on this page as well as each property's individual listing page under the Zoning and Restrictions tab.

This region is zoned ER or Estate Residential. For more details on what this entails as well as acceptable uses for land in this region, please see the Zoning and Restrictions tab on either this page or any of the individual listing pages for properties in this region.

Both are acceptable but only for fourteen days at a time in a three month period.

RVs can not be used a permanent dwelling.

If you have a building permit, however, you can RV on the land for longer periods while you’re constructing your permanent residence.

For specific questions about zoning, building plans or the permitting process, buyers are encouraged to contact the Costilla County Planning & Zoning Department.

There is but not up and down each road and not on every parcel. For notes on the presence (or lack thereof) of power on a given property, please refer to that property's individual listing page and check the Access & Utilities tab.

Drilling on top of the mesa is likely unrealistic and buyers are encouraged to consider alternative forms of water supply such as holding tanks.

Drilling in some of the lower elevations such as closer to the lake or the western valley of the subdivision may be more feasible.

Our recommendation is to speak with local well drillers about the cost, logistics and viability of drilling for water in this region.

Having no first-hand experience with it ourselves, we can’t speak to this issue directly. That being said, we’ve had our photographer as well as a number of buyers scout properties in this region, and no one has ever reported any problems using their smart phones to locate the lots. 

Yes. Please do. We encourage anyone who’s going to buy from us to view the land they’re interested in prior to purchase.

No. We’re investors, not realtors. Additionally, we have no office in Colorado nor staff on standby waiting to give people guided tours.

It’s easy. Each listing page will have an interactive map you can study to locate both the property as well as the best route to take to access it. In addition, there are a number of mapping apps which can help with locating vacant land or land which doesn't have a formal address. LandID (formerly MapRight) is one our photographers use all the time and recommend highly. 

In addition, anyone purchasing from us will be provided with GPS coordinates for the four corner points and center of the parcel. While these are not a substitute for having the land professionally surveyed, they can provide a reasonable sense of the property's location.

No.

Not recently and not by us, no.

This entire region was platted out years ago. Stakes or pins may have been used to mark property boundaries but it’s questionable they still exist or can be found. While they may be there, we’re not making that guarantee to our buyers.

The GPS coordinates we give you to locate the lots are fairly accurate and should get you to a location that will give you an excellent sense of precisely what chunk of land it is that you’d be buying. For a specific sense of where the lot begins and ends, it is ultimately best to hire a local surveyor.

Three reasons:

1 - For our purposes of creating listings, we have software that tells us everything we need to know about the property’s size, shape and location.

2 - We never know if our end buyer will want or require a survey.

3 - If the survey costs us $1,000 we’re simply going to goose the price of the land $2,000. Hence, it’s ultimately cheaper for the buyer to pay for the survey themselves.

Plat Maps for each property are provided on their individual listing pages. As these are only the Unit Maps which provide few insights into lot dimensions or street names, however, it’s unlikely you’ll get much from reviewing them. For anything more specific than this, such as a particular Block or Lot, you’ll have to contact the County Clerk’s office directly and request a plat of that specific region. If such a plat is available, it’ll likely provide more detail than what can be found on the Unit maps. That said, it’s doubtful such maps exist, have been digitized, or that anyone in the County will go out of their way to retrieve and email them to you.

No. And even if we could create such a thing it would require updating on an all-too-frequent basis to be convenient for us.

Simply click the ‘Buy Now’ button at the top of the listing page of the property that interests you most. All properties can be purchased with a credit or debit card and some properties are offered with affordable financing options.

Yes. Anyone who wants to close through a title company is welcome to do so. 

Please Note: Anyone electing to fund and close their purchase this way will be required to make a NON-REFUNDABLE $500.00 Earnest Money Deposit.

For more on the Buying process please visit our How It Works - Buying From Us page.

Yes, though not on all properties.

To see if a specific parcel is being sold with a financing option, it is best to view that property's listing page. All purchasing options will be presented there.

Only if you pay it off as slowly as humanly possible.

Our contracts contain only pre-payment incentives and no pre-payment penalties.

Additionally, every contract will come with some sort of X Number of Days Same-As-Cash provision. For instance, 90 Days Same As Cash.

If you pay us all the money at once, it will be deeded into your name immediately. If you elect to finance the land, we will not deed it into your name until such a time as all the payments have been made. Until that time, the land contract will be the document that demonstrates your equitable interest in the property.

As soon as you give us money, it’s yours to do with as you please.