This is the special mountain home you’ve been waiting for! Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac on 3.86 acres, just 20 minutes east of Salida, this property is the perfect rural homestead with acreage, ditch rights, public land access, garden, orchard, pasture and more. The 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath home is spacious and charming. Its primary suite is filled with natural light and features a sitting area by the windows where you can cozy up with a book and watch the birds and deer browse in the backyard. A country kitchen awaits you with a kitchen island, electric cooktop, antique cast iron stove and a wall mounted oven, as well as a small dining nook. It opens out to a beautiful living space filled with warm character from the wood floors, high ceilings with wood beams, fireplace, and tall windows, and even a vintage wet bar! Enjoy serene views of the garden, pasture and Arkansas Hills beyond. The attached sunroom leads to a private deck surrounded by mature blue spruce, and looks out to the forested BLM land right outside your door. Store all your cars and toys in the 4-car garage, with an attached workshop heated by a potbelly stove. Outside, you will find a barn, chicken coop, woodshed and fenced animal enclosures. Two garden and pasture areas are irrigated by the Allen Ditch which runs through the property. This is a truly beautiful setting: lilacs, native pines, aspens, and blue spruce surround the lush grassy areas, and the ditch adds an enchanting creek-side ambiance in summer. The fenced garden includes an orchard with walnut and fruit trees and a small greenhouse. This location is peaceful and quiet, yet offers the benefits of close neighbors and the community of Howard with a post office, camp store, fire station and community center. The nearby Arkansas River features world class fishing and rafting, and the area is a hiker’s delight with the 100-mile Rainbow Trail and several alpine lakes in the nearby Sangre de Cristo wilderness. Don’t let this gem get away!