Rico, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rico, Colorado
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Rico Town Hall, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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| Motto(s):
"A Slice of Paradise"
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Location of Rico in Dolores County, Colorado.
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  State of Colorado |
| County | Dolores County |
| Incorporated (town) | February 25, 1880 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home rule municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.68 sq mi (1.76 km2) |
| • Land | 0.68 sq mi (1.76 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 8,773 ft (2,674 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 288 |
| • Density | 424/sq mi (163.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
81332
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| Area code(s) | 970 |
| FIPS code | 08-64090 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412550 |
Rico is a small town in Dolores County, Colorado, United States. It was first settled in 1879 because of its rich silver mining opportunities. Today, Rico is known for its history and as a place for tourists to visit. In 2020, 288 people lived there. The town is run by its own local government, which means it can make many of its own rules.
The name Rico comes from a Spanish word that means "rich." This name likely refers to the valuable minerals found in the area.
Contents
Where is Rico Located?
Rico is in the eastern part of Dolores County, in a valley next to the Dolores River. Colorado State Highway 145 goes right through the town. This highway connects Rico to Cortez, which is about 48 miles (77 km) to the southwest. It also leads northeast over Lizard Head Pass to Telluride, about 27 miles (43 km) away.
The town of Rico covers an area of about 0.68 square miles (1.76 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
What is the Climate Like in Rico?
Rico has a special kind of cold climate called an alpine subarctic climate. This means it has very long, cold, and snowy winters. The summers are short and cool. It rains or snows a lot all year because of something called orographic lift. This happens when air is forced up by mountains, causing it to cool and drop its moisture as rain or snow.
| Climate data for Rico, Colorado | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 38.2 (3.4) |
39.9 (4.4) |
43.4 (6.3) |
50.5 (10.3) |
60.7 (15.9) |
70.6 (21.4) |
75.4 (24.1) |
73.2 (22.9) |
66.6 (19.2) |
58.2 (14.6) |
45.8 (7.7) |
39.5 (4.2) |
55.2 (12.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 5.2 (−14.9) |
7.6 (−13.6) |
13.4 (−10.3) |
20.9 (−6.2) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
33.7 (0.9) |
40.3 (4.6) |
39.6 (4.2) |
32.7 (0.4) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
14.8 (−9.6) |
7.2 (−13.8) |
22.4 (−5.4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.48 (63) |
2.15 (55) |
2.44 (62) |
1.81 (46) |
1.65 (42) |
1.31 (33) |
2.78 (71) |
2.91 (74) |
2.31 (59) |
2.13 (54) |
2.01 (51) |
2.27 (58) |
26.27 (667) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 32.1 (82) |
26.5 (67) |
30.8 (78) |
18.5 (47) |
6.0 (15) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.5 (1.3) |
7.6 (19) |
21.5 (55) |
26.2 (67) |
171 (430) |
| Source: The Western Regional Climate Center | |||||||||||||
How Many People Live in Rico?
The word "demographics" means studying how many people live in a place and what they are like. Here's how Rico's population has changed over the years:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 894 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,134 | 26.8% | |
| 1900 | 811 | −28.5% | |
| 1910 | 368 | −54.6% | |
| 1920 | 326 | −11.4% | |
| 1930 | 447 | 37.1% | |
| 1940 | 388 | −13.2% | |
| 1950 | 212 | −45.4% | |
| 1960 | 353 | 66.5% | |
| 1970 | 275 | −22.1% | |
| 1980 | 76 | −72.4% | |
| 1990 | 92 | 21.1% | |
| 2000 | 205 | 122.8% | |
| 2010 | 265 | 29.3% | |
| 2020 | 288 | 8.7% | |
Getting Around Rico
Rico is part of Colorado's Bustang network, which is a system of public buses that connect different towns. Rico is on the "Durango-Grand Junction Outrider" bus line.
A long time ago, Rico was an important stop for the Rio Grande Southern Railroad. This was a famous narrow-gauge railway, meaning its tracks were narrower than standard tracks. It ran from Ridgway to Durango. Trains would stop in Rico to refill their water tanks, which were needed for the steam locomotives. The railroad stopped running in 1952, but the old water tank is still there today.
See also
In Spanish: Rico (Colorado) para niños
