Off-grid site report
Rio Grande County, CO
37.6722, -106.3581 · 8,134 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Rio Grande County, CO, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
The local rulesRio Grande County, CO
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedRio Grande County adopted a countywide Land Development Code effective January 1, 2020, and its Land Use Department lists camping on vacant land as a top enforcement priority. Incorporated towns (Del Norte, Monte Vista, South Fork) have separate municipal codes not covered here. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedThe county treats camping on vacant land and sheds/containers used as dwellings on vacant land as enforcement priorities, implying RVs or makeshift dwellings on raw land are not allowed outside a permitted structure. Specific tiny-home-on-wheels rules were not confirmed; ask the Land Use office directly. source
Building permits & codes
RestrictedThe county Building Department has adopted 2018 IBC/IRC/IMC/IECC codes and requires a Certificate of Occupancy before a dwelling is occupied; state inspectors, not the county, handle plumbing, gas, and electrical. source
Septic & composting toilets
RestrictedIndividual septic systems require a permit through the county Building Department, implementing the state's Regulation 43 OWTS standards locally. Composting toilet rules were not confirmed. source
Greywater reuse
RestrictedColorado's graywater program is opt-in per county under Regulation 86, and no adoption by Rio Grande County was found, so greywater reuse should be presumed not authorized until confirmed otherwise with the county or CDPHE. source
Rainwater harvesting
RestrictedState Division of Water Resources rules allow limited rooftop rainwater collection for outdoor use only (not drinking water), subject to a state permit; no county-specific rule was found. source
Private wells & water rights
RestrictedWells are state-permitted, but Rio Grande County sits in Water Division 3 (Rio Grande Basin), which has additional court-approved groundwater withdrawal rules effective 2021 on top of the general statute. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Varies locallyNo county ordinance mandating grid or municipal utility connection was found, but the county is drafting new Renewable Energy Regulations that off-grid residents should track. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 5.3 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,757 kWh
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Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 11 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 42 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 9,060 (severe)
- Frost-free season
- Jun 6 to Sep 16
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Rio Grande Hospital - 0.4 mi
- Fire station
Del Norte Fire Department Station 1 - 0.6 mi
- Hardware store
Monte Vista CoOp - 15.1 mi
- Grocery
Lowe's Market - 0.8 mi
From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.
Plan this spot
These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 81132).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Rio Grande County, CO?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.