Being a little out of the way is the whole point of living in Wildridge or its gated neighbor, Mountain Star, a five-minute drive (and an elevation gain of 1,650 feet) up Metcalf Road from Avon on the north side of I-70. What awaits are stunning, unobstructed, south-facing, multimillion-dollar vistas of Beaver Creek and the Sawatch Range. Bonus: there’s no highway noise. None. You can’t say that for some of the valley’s tonier communities, including West Vail.

Because of its relative remoteness (without a golf course or bus access to resorts), Wildridge appeals primarily to locals who occupy this hamlet of single-family homes (one, priced at $1.5 million, recently sold for $50,000 over the asking price), townhomes, and duplexes year-round and stroll its rambling streets and trails. Mountain Star, one drainage to the east, cultivates sprawling second and third homes owned by empty-nesters from afar, with 90 homes on three to four acres each, from 6,000 to 10,000 square feet, scattered about 1,300 gated acres. 

“It’s a very peaceful setting up there, with almost airplane views,” says BHHS broker Page Slevin. “People who spend $20 million here don’t need to be in the resort; they’re happy to be in their own private, many-acred location looking at the ski resort.”

Number of active listings on the market, at press time: 14

Median home price of active listings: $7.13M

Number of homes sold in 2020: 45

Median price of homes sold: $1.17

Average number of days on the market: 141