Douglas County is home to a wide range of agricultural and agricultural recreation uses. If you are interested in hosting agritourism events on your property, Douglas County is here to help you through the process.
Interested in hosting an event? Fill out our Agritourism Contact Form.
“Agritourism” means the practice of engaging in activities, events, and services that have been provided to consumers for recreational, entertainment, or educational purposes at a farm, ranch, or other agricultural, horticultural, or agribusiness operation in order to allow consumers to experience, learn about, and participate in various facets of agricultural industry, culinary pursuits, natural resources, and heritage.
Examples of agritourism are entertainment events, farmers’ markets, fall festivals, pumpkin patches, and more.
Although Agritourism is not a specifically listed use in the Douglas County Zoning Resolution, many of the activities and uses that it encompasses are allowed through a range of approval processes that reflect the intensity of the use.
From Native American cultivators to present-day farming partnerships and new innovators, agriculture has shaped Douglas County’s identity, economy, and sense of place for many hundreds of years. Agriculture in Douglas County isn’t just about the land—it’s about the people, the perseverance, and the patterns of life that have formed a deep connection between community and the countryside. As the County looks to the future, it’s worth stepping back to understand how deeply agriculture runs in the soil of our shared history.
Long before the arrival of Euro-American settlers, the land that is now Douglas County supported generations of Indigenous peoples who cultivated and carefully hunted the region’s natural abundance. Plains and mountain tribes practiced seasonal migration, hunting, and gathering that aligned with the seasonal rounds of the deer, elk, and bison as they traveled to and from regions across the landscape. Along river corridors and sheltered valleys, they also harvested wild plants. Native peoples likely cultivated small gardens of Maize (corn). At other places, native staples such as beans and squash may also have been cultivated.
The roots of Euro-American agriculture in Douglas County were planted alongside dreams of gold. When fortune-seekers surged into Colorado during the 1859 “Pikes Peak Gold Rush”, many passed through what would become Douglas County. Some that came for the gold and the support needed for the prospectors stayed and saw the potential of the land supporting agricultural production. In this earliest chapter, settlers cleared the land, built homesteads, and carved out self-reliant farms on the county’s plains, on ridges, and near streambeds.
By the dawn of the 20th century, agriculture was no longer just about survival—it was about growth, innovation, and community. Farmers adapted to better irrigation techniques, railroads opened new markets, and local Granges flourished. These were the years when ranches and farms expanded, families thrived on multi-generational land, and Douglas County’s name became associated with high-quality livestock and produce. These were the years of trial and transformation, as pioneer families raised hardy livestock, planted staple crops like wheat and potatoes, and some turned to the profitable business of dairy farming and established creameries. The Big Dry Creek Cheese Ranch site, in what today is the community of Highlands Ranch, is a good example of a Dairy Farm from this era.
The decades following World War I brought rapid change to American agriculture—and Douglas County was no exception. Mechanization revolutionized production. New breeds, new crops, and new marketing channels diversified the local agricultural economy. But change also brought challenges: suburban expansion, shifting land values, and economic pressures caused some farms and ranches to consolidate or disappear.
Still, Douglas County’s agricultural identity endured. Over the last century, farming and ranching here evolved—balancing tradition with innovation, conservation with productivity. The site of Cherokee Ranch and Castle is a good example of a ranching property where the owner, Ms. Tweet Kimball, imported Santa Gertrudis cattle—an innovative breed developed in Texas by crossing Brahman and Shorthorn—to test their viability in Colorado’s high-altitude environment.
Agriculture is more than Douglas County’s past—it’s a living, growing part of its future. Whether through seasonal farm stands, vineyard tours, ranch experiences, or historic barn venues, agriculture is alive and well in Douglas County.
Complete the form below to be connected with a staff member who will help you through the approval process.
