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About Edwards

Welcome to Edwards, Colorado

Nestled in the heart of the stunning Vail Valley, Edwards is a small but vibrant community that perfectly blends world-class recreation with an authentic small-town charm. Located just 110 miles west of Denver, Edwards is surrounded by the majestic Sawatch Mountain Range, with the Eagle River flowing gracefully through its center. This unincorporated gem offers visitors and residents alike a diverse range of shopping, dining, lodging, and services, making it a gateway to the exceptional lifestyle of Colorado’s high country.

 A Growing Community with Rich Offerings

Established in 1984, Edwards sits at an elevation of 7,226 feet and is home to approximately 11,250 residents, making it the largest unincorporated community in Eagle County. Its friendly neighborhoods, access to mountain trails, rivers, and open spaces, as well as a thriving commercial center, have turned Edwards into a sought-after destination for visitors and a cherished home for locals. Just 15 miles west of Vail and 5 miles from Avon, Edwards boasts a unique combination of natural beauty and modern amenities.

Eagle County comprises six towns—Vail, Red Cliff, Minturn, Avon, Eagle, and Gypsum—and numerous unincorporated communities functioning as Metropolitan Districts. Edwards stands out as the largest of these, embodying the best aspects of small-town living while addressing the needs of a growing population.

Edwards Metropolitan District (EMD)

As part of this unincorporated area, the Edwards Metropolitan District operates under the Service Plan and Operation Plan, which define its role in maintaining streets, drainage, traffic signalization, parks, recreation, and more. These documents guide EMD’s mission to ensure a high quality of life for residents. You can explore the full plans at Governing Documents.

Originally established as a Water District, EMD evolved in 1984 into a Metropolitan District with expanded powers, including:

  • Streets and drainage
  • Traffic signalization and transportation
  • Parks and recreation (in partnership with Mountain Recreation Metropolitan District)
  • Mosquito control
  • Fire protection services (with Eagle River Fire Protection District consent)
  • Business recruitment, management, and development
Collaborative Governance

As Edwards lacks a municipal government, EMD works collaboratively with Eagle County and other entities to provide essential services. These include police protection, planning and land use, fire protection, water and sanitation, recreation, and health services. EMD also appoints a representative to the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority, which supplies water to the District.

Community Engagement and Vision

Guided by the Edwards Area Community Plan, created in 2003 and updated in 2017, EMD partners with Eagle County and other agencies to address the evolving needs of the community. 

 

The District holds monthly Board meetings on the third Thursday of every month at 12:00 PM in the Community Room at the Edwards Field House (450 Miller Ranch Rd). A Zoom option is available for those who cannot attend in person, ensuring accessibility and engagement for all.

 

Edwards, Colorado, is more than just a place to visit—it's a community that combines natural beauty, modern amenities, and a collaborative spirit to create a truly exceptional place to live, work, and play.

Press & Articles About Edwards 

Click a title below to read the full article.

 Bizwatch: Medical weight loss clinic in Edwards features individual plans for men, women

January 18, 2025

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Core Transit heads toward a cash-free future on buses

January 14, 2025

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Beloved community eatery in Edwards, Etown, celebrates a change in ownership

January 3, 2025

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Water rates are going up for some Eagle County residents in 2025 — and down for others

December 29, 2024

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Eagle County is funding wildfire mitigation efforts throughout the region

November 23, 2024

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Edwards RiverPark revival: After being put up for sale, large project has a new developer

November 21, 2024

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Traffic at the main Edwards roundabout isn’t growing as fast as some believe it is

November 18, 2024

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Eagle County honors its military heroes at Veterans Day ceremony at Freedom Park Memorial in Edwards

November 11, 2024

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Water-saving turf removal program, Beyond Lawn, enormously successful in first year

November 10, 2024

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Walking Mountains’ Sustainable Film Series kicks off with ‘The Scale of Hope’ by Patagonia Films

November 2, 2024

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Edwards Early Learning Center renovations includes building more classrooms

October 31, 2024

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Pop-up art gallery to be featured in Edwards coffee shop

October 14, 2024

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Vail Valley chapter of the Salvation Army finds a new, temporary home in EagleVail

October 14, 2024

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Core Transit plans for more service across Eagle County this winter

October 13, 2024

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Mikaela Shiffrin to skip downhills during 2024-2025 World Cup season

October 12, 2024

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Eagle County students can earn Bookworm gift cards by reading Halloween books

October 11, 2024

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Eagle River Coalition: Celebrating water and education at the Eagle River Water Festival

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Ballots for Eagle County voters go in the mail Oct. 11. Here are eight things you need to know about voting in this year’s election.

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Access issues complicating the last segment of the Eagle Valley Trail

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Edwards neighborhood chipping program helping reduce wildfire risk

Edwards residents reduced wildfire danger to their homes with the neighborhood wood chipping program conducted by Eagle Vally Wildland Fire.

“It’s part of an ecosystem reset to reduce fire danger,” said Hugh Fairfield-Smith, Fire Management Officer for Eagle Valley Wildland Fire.

Homeowners in Edwards contributed 113,250 pounds of vegetation. That’s more than 200 truckloads of chips that were generated during the 4-month the curbside chipping program.

 Materials consisted of branches, trees and brush that reduced the potential wildfire fuels load in and around neighborhoods in Edwards.

Eagle Valley Wildland (EVW) is an intergovernmental partnership between Eagle County, Eagle River Fire Protection District; Greater Eagle Fire Protection District and the Gypsum Fire Protection District to counter the growing wildfire threat within Eagle County. The program was formed in August 2019.

Eagle Valley Wildland also leads the Eagle River Fire Protection District Wildland Division, providing staffing and training functions for the district. In addition to these duties, EVW continues to work closely with its partners in Eagle and Gypsum, as well as the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

The Edwards Metropolitan District contributed $50,000 to the wildfire reduction effort in 2024, and the curbside chipping program will continue in 2025. Read More.

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Letter: Edwards is nicer now

September 21, 2024

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Massive West End development in Edwards gets the green light from Eagle County

September 9, 2024

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30th annual Eagle River Cleanup’s 250 volunteers clean up nearly 40 miles of Eagle County waterways

September 7, 2024

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West Lake Creek Road closures scheduled for Aug. 22, 29

Read more HERE

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Colorado author Jerry Kopack visits The Bookworm of Edwards

August 16, 2024

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Eagle County locals connect with law enforcement, first responders during National Night Out

August 7, 2024

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Eagle County commissioners have more questions for developers of big, complicated West End project

August 6, 2024

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Eagle Valley Land Trust breaks ground on new Conservation Center

August 1, 2024

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Vail Valley’s best hand-rolled bagels at Village Bagel

July 31, 2024

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West End project in Edwards faces its second hearing with county commissioners on Aug. 1

July 28, 2024

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How one woman from Edwards is making it easier to reduce plastic consumption

July 24, 2024

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Mountain Recreation to replace Edwards Field House turf in July

July 22, 2024

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Edwards will have 2 new roundabouts by fall

July 20, 2024

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West Vail, Edwards UPS stores remain open under new owner

July 19, 2024

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Eagle Valley Transportation Authority expands schedule, fare-free zones

May 29, 2024

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