# Walden, Colorado

Walden is the Statutory Town that is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only incorporated municipality in Jackson County, Colorado, United States. It is situated in the center of a large open valley called North Park. People from Walden and the surrounding area refer to themselves as "North Parkers". The town population was 606 at the 2020 census. The town sits at an elevation of 8,099 feet (2,469 meters). It was established in 1889 and was incorporated December 2, 1890. Mark A. Walden, an early postmaster, gave the community his name.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km$^2$), all of it land. The town has declared itself the Moose viewing capital of Colorado.

### Climate

Due to its elevation, Walden has a semi-arid climate (BSk), closely bordering on a subalpine climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc). The hottest temperature recorded in Walden was 94 °F (34 °C) on July 6, 1989, August 1, 2000 and July 15, 2002, while the coldest temperature recorded was −48 °F (−44 °C) on January 12, 1963, February 2, 2011 and January 6, 2017.

## Demographics

Climate data for Walden, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 56 (13) | 54 (12) | 70 (21) | 74 (23) | 84 (29) | 92 (33) | 94 (34) | 94 (34) | 89 (32) | 78 (26) | 66 (19) | 58 (14) | 94 (34) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 43.6 (6.4) | 45.9 (7.7) | 56.5 (13.6) | 66.2 (19.0) | 75.4 (24.1) | 82.1 (27.8) | 86.9 (30.5) | 85.0 (29.4) | 80.2 (26.8) | 70.8 (21.6) | 57.1 (13.9) | 46.4 (8.0) | 86.9 (30.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 26.7 (−2.9) | 29.6 (−1.3) | 38.6 (3.7) | 47.4 (8.6) | 58.1 (14.5) | 68.8 (20.4) | 76.1 (24.5) | 74.1 (23.4) | 66.4 (19.1) | 52.9 (11.6) | 38.3 (3.5) | 27.7 (−2.4) | 50.4 (10.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 14.3 (−9.8) | 17.0 (−8.3) | 25.8 (−3.4) | 33.7 (0.9) | 42.9 (6.1) | 51.7 (10.9) | 57.3 (14.1) | 55.2 (12.9) | 47.9 (8.8) | 36.8 (2.7) | 25.1 (−3.8) | 15.4 (−9.2) | 35.3 (1.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 1.9 (−16.7) | 4.4 (−15.3) | 13.1 (−10.5) | 20.0 (−6.7) | 27.6 (−2.4) | 34.5 (1.4) | 38.4 (3.6) | 36.3 (2.4) | 29.4 (−1.4) | 20.7 (−6.3) | 11.8 (−11.2) | 3.2 (−16.0) | 20.1 (−6.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −22.2 (−30.1) | −19.7 (−28.7) | −8.4 (−22.4) | 4.9 (−15.1) | 15.5 (−9.2) | 27.5 (−2.5) | 32.4 (0.2) | 28.9 (−1.7) | 17.4 (−8.1) | 2.1 (−16.6) | −10.4 (−23.6) | −21.2 (−29.6) | −28.9 (−33.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −48 (−44) | −48 (−44) | −34 (−37) | −16 (−27) | 2 (−17) | 17 (−8) | 21 (−6) | 19 (−7) | 5 (−15) | −28 (−33) | −32 (−36) | −39 (−39) | −48 (−44) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.58 (15) | 0.64 (16) | 0.72 (18) | 1.14 (29) | 1.53 (39) | 1.21 (31) | 1.34 (34) | 1.27 (32) | 1.34 (34) | 0.98 (25) | 0.75 (19) | 0.62 (16) | 12.12 (308) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 9.3 (24) | 9.0 (23) | 7.7 (20) | 10.1 (26) | 3.8 (9.7) | 0.5 (1.3) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.0 (2.5) | 6.0 (15) | 9.5 (24) | 10.2 (26) | 67.1 (171.5) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.9 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 9.4 | 10.3 | 7.7 | 9.9 | 10.6 | 8.3 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 102.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 8.3 | 8.5 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 7.3 | 8.8 | 53.0 |
| Source 1: NOAA ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service ||||||||||||||

## Transportation

* State Highway 14
* State Highway 125
OATS (Older Americans Transport Service) provides seniors with transportation to Laramie, Wyoming or Steamboat Springs, CO and to Denver International Airport.