I need some help please. My husband and I want to start looking to buy land now for our retirement years which is about 12 years away. We would like 60 to 100 acres with mountains, mature woods and within 60 minutes or so of a major ski resort. We thought Tahoe area, western Montana, northern Utah, maybe Colorado. We do not want desert conditions at all. We are also considering State Income and Sales tax rates. We also don't want it to be so rural that it's an hours drive to a store. I would like to be able to get to a decent grocery store or a department store such as Target within 30 minutes or so. And lastly, we would like to keep it in the $200,000 price range.
I would appreciate some recommendations for towns/areas where I can start looking for property that would meet these qualifications. I don't mind if I have to wait a year or more to find the actual parcel that we want and would actualy prefer to wait until I find the exact property we want.
It's such a big canvas to choose from that I thought some personal experiences could help narrow it down.
Thank you for all the help!

Wow! I'd also love to know if 60-100 acres within an hour of a major ski resort for $200,000 is available. I'm not kidding.

Sounds like paradise.

It does sound like paradise and it's got to be possible somewhere!!!!!!!!!
I'll keep my fingers crossed!!

If only you had posted 30 years ago... 1/2 acre lots in our town (about 60 minutes to skiing) sell for 400K - when available (rarely).

but Julie, you've got to be quite suburban, true? Half an acre lot at $400,000 is certainly the upper end. I'm considering buying a wooded lot in NY (upstate, way upstate) right now for $80,000 for 18 acres with a stream and a 15 minute drive to a major city! It's adjacent to my current property and I don't want anyone to build on it.
It's hard to believe that there isn't somewhere that you can drive for an hour after you leave a ski resort and end up in a rural area where you can find land in this price range. Maybe I'm wrong. But I'm certainly going to give it a try.

Exactly what major city in New York can you get 18 acres near for $80,000.? (And is it near anywhere you can get a ob?)

In the suburbs here you can get 50 X 100 for about $225,000 - empty - house extra.

I have no idea what land costs, but if you go farther away from Big Mountain (not Big Sky) in Montana you might find it. I read a book about a man who moved to the Yaak area of Montana - way up near the Canada line. But it's remote up here and very rural - not what you're asking. They don't even have electricity.

I doubt you would find this in Colorado.

colorado actually is not my first choice. I really was thinking somewhere in Nevada maybe, Northern utah, western montana, northern idaho maybe. Colorado would do. At a minimum I would want 50 acres. Karen, why do you say Big mountain not big sky becuase I was thinking within an hour of big sky.
Thanks for help too!

Big Mountain is up near Kalispell. Big Sky is near Bozeman and Livingston is not that far away, either. I eliminated Big Sky just knowing that Bozeman and Livingston have attracted a lot of super wealthy people building huge vacation homes. Their presence doesn't seem to indicate the type of affordability that you're looking for. I may be way off base with my assumptions, but that's why I said what I did.

that makes sense Karen, thank you!

Bright,Victoria,Australia.