Best Soil for Gardening in Colorado

Colorado

Colorado has 78 USDA soil survey areas, and they vary considerably in how friendly the ground is for growing things. We ranked every survey area by the percentage of well-drained soil — the single most important soil property for most garden plants.

At the top, Uncompahgre National Forest Area, Colorado, Parts of Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel Counties has 100% well-drained soils — conditions where most vegetables, herbs, and flowers can thrive with basic soil preparation. At the other end, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Parts of Boulder, Grand, and Larimer Counties comes in at 10%, meaning more of the landscape has drainage challenges that may require raised beds, soil amendments, or careful site selection for a productive garden.

Remember that these are area-wide averages. Even in a low-ranking survey area, individual properties can have excellent garden soil. Look up your specific address for exact conditions.

#Survey AreaWell-Drained SoilsDominant DrainageDominant Soil Order
1 Uncompahgre National Forest Area, Colorado, Parts of Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel Counties 100% Well drained Mollisols
2 Denver County Area, Colorado 99% Well drained Entisols
3 Sangre de Cristo Area, Colorado, Parts of Alamosa, Custer, Fremont, Huerfano, and Saguache Counties 99% Well drained Inceptisols
4 Douglas-Plateau Area, Colorado, Parts of Garfield and Mesa Counties 99% Well drained Mollisols
5 Rifle Area, Colorado, Parts of Garfield and Mesa Counties 99% Well drained Mollisols
6 San Miguel Area, Colorado, Parts of Dolores, Montrose, and San Miguel Counties 99% Well drained Mollisols
7 Rio Blanco County Area, Colorado 98% Well drained Mollisols
8 Ute Mountain Area, Colorado and New Mexico 98% Well drained Entisols
9 Las Animas County Area, Colorado, Parts of Huerfano and Las Animas Counties 97% Well drained Mollisols
10 Paonia Area, Colorado, Parts of Delta, Gunnison, and Montrose Counties 97% Well drained Aridisols
11 Aspen-Gypsum Area, Colorado, Parts of Eagle, Garfield, and Pitkin Counties 97% Well drained Mollisols
12 Archuleta County Area, Colorado 97% Well drained Alfisols
13 Elbert County, Colorado, Western Part 96% Well drained Mollisols
14 Cortez Area, Colorado, Parts of Dolores and Montezuma Counties 96% Well drained Mollisols
15 Mesa County Area, Colorado 96% Well drained Aridisols
16 Arapahoe County, Colorado 95% Well drained Mollisols
17 Kit Carson County, Colorado 95% Well drained Mollisols
18 Weld County, Colorado, Northern Part 95% Well drained Mollisols
19 La Plata County Area, Colorado 94% Well drained Mollisols
20 Grand Mesa - West Elk Area, Colorado, Parts of Delta, Garfield, Gunnison, Mesa, and Montrose Counties 94% Well drained Mollisols
21 Rio Grande NF Area, Colorado, West Part, Parts of Archuleta, Conejos, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, and San Juan Counties 94% Well drained Mollisols
22 Fremont County Area, Colorado 94% Well drained Mollisols
23 Ridgway Area, Colorado, Parts of Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, and Ouray Counties 94% Well drained Mollisols
24 Animas-Dolores Area, Colorado, Parts of Archuleta, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Montezuma, San Juan, and San Miguel Counties 94% Well drained Mollisols
25 Elbert County, Colorado, Eastern Part 94% Well drained Mollisols
26 Summit County Area, Colorado 93% Well drained Mollisols
27 Larimer County Area, Colorado 93% Well drained Mollisols
28 Routt Area, Colorado, Parts of Rio Blanco and Routt Counties 93% Well drained Mollisols
29 Piedra Area, Colorado, Parts of Archuleta, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, and Rio Grande Counties 93% Well drained Alfisols
30 Gunnison Area, Colorado, Parts of Gunnison, Hinsdale, and Saguache Counties 93% Well drained Mollisols
31 Adams County Area, Parts of Adams and Denver Counties, Colorado 92% Well drained Mollisols
32 Huerfano County Area, Colorado 92% Well drained Mollisols
33 Willow Creek Pass Area, Colorado, Parts of Grand and Jackson Counties 92% Well drained Inceptisols
34 Flat Tops Area, Colorado, Parts of Eagle, Garfield, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt Counties 90% Well drained Mollisols
35 Custer County Area, Colorado 90% Well drained Mollisols
36 Phillips County, Colorado 89% Well drained Mollisols
37 Otero County, Colorado 89% Well drained Aridisols
38 Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah 88% Well drained Entisols
39 Ouray Area, Colorado, Parts of Gunnison, Hinsdale, Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel Counties 87% Well drained Mollisols
40 Cochetopa Area, Colorado, Parts of Gunnison, Hinsdale, and Saguache Counties 87% Well drained Mollisols
41 Castle Rock Area, Colorado 86% Well drained Mollisols
42 Bent County, Colorado 86% Well drained Aridisols
43 Costilla County Area, Colorado 85% Well drained Aridisols
44 Kiowa County, Colorado 85% Well drained Aridisols
45 Pueblo Area, Colorado, Parts of Pueblo and Custer Counties 85% Well drained Aridisols
46 Golden Area, Colorado, Parts of Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, and Park Counties 85% Well drained Mollisols
47 Teller-Park Area, Colorado, Parts of Park and Teller Counties 84% Well drained Mollisols
48 Prowers County, Colorado 84% Well drained Entisols
49 Washington County, Colorado 83% Well drained Mollisols
50 Grand County Area, Colorado 83% Well drained Mollisols
51 Routt National Forest Area, Colorado, Parts of Grand, Jackson, Moffat, and Routt Counties 81% Well drained Mollisols
52 Jackson County Area, Colorado 81% Well drained Mollisols
53 Cheyenne County, Colorado 79% Well drained Alfisols
54 Wet Mountains and Spanish Peaks Area, Colorado, Parts of Custer, Fremont, Huerfano, Las Animas, and Pueblo Counties 78% Well drained Mollisols
55 Taylor River Area, Colorado, Northeastern Part of Gunnison County 78% Well drained Mollisols
56 Lincoln County, Colorado 77% Well drained Mollisols
57 Moffat County Area, Colorado 76% Well drained Mollisols
58 Georgetown Area, Colorado, Parts of Clear Creek, Gilpin, and Park Counties 76% Well drained Mollisols
59 Sedgwick County, Colorado 74% Well drained Mollisols
60 Logan County, Colorado 74% Well drained Mollisols
61 Rio Grande County Area, Colorado 74% Well drained Aridisols
62 Conejos County Area, Colorado 73% Well drained Aridisols
63 Baca County, Colorado 73% Well drained Entisols
64 Boulder County Area, Colorado 72% Well drained Mollisols
65 Morgan County, Colorado 71% Well drained Entisols
66 Crowley County, Colorado 70% Well drained Aridisols
67 Weld County, Colorado, Southern Part 70% Well drained Entisols
68 El Paso County Area, Colorado 69% Well drained Mollisols
69 Saguache County Area, Colorado 67% Well drained Mollisols
70 Yuma County, Colorado 61% Well drained Mollisols
71 Chaffee-Lake Area, Colorado, Parts of Chaffee and Lake Counties 59% Well drained Mollisols
72 Alamosa Area, Colorado 46% Well drained Aridisols
73 Holy Cross Area, Colorado, Parts of Eagle, Garfield, Mesa, Pitkin, and Summit Counties 45% Somewhat excessively drained Mollisols
74 Estes Park Area, Colorado, Parts of Boulder and Larimer Counties 45% Somewhat excessively drained Mollisols
75 Pike and San Isabel NF, Colorado, Northern Part, Parts of Chaffee, Clear Creek, Fremont, Jefferson, Lake, Park, and Saguache Counties 30% Somewhat excessively drained Mollisols
76 Pike National Forest, Eastern Part, Colorado, Parts of Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, and Teller Counties 19% Somewhat excessively drained Mollisols
77 Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest Area, Colorado, Parts of Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand, Park and Larimer Counties 12% Somewhat excessively drained Mollisols
78 Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Parts of Boulder, Grand, and Larimer Counties 10% Somewhat excessively drained Inceptisols

See also: national gardening soil rankings | Colorado drainage rankings | all Colorado survey areas