Salida is the arts-and-river town at the south end of our valley — about 25 miles and a half-hour drive from Buena Vista, where we're based. We manage short-term rentals here with our local team. The one thing to get straight before anything else: Salida runs its own city short-term rental ordinance — separate from both the Town of Buena Vista and unincorporated Chaffee County.
We're Jordan and Carrie Euler, based up the road in Buena Vista. Salida is a different animal from the smaller communities around it — a real downtown, a serious arts scene, and its own set of rules — so here's an honest read on it as a rental market and exactly how the city regulates it.
Salida is roughly 25 miles south of Buena Vista on US-285, about a 29-minute drive, on the Arkansas River. It's the largest town in the upper Arkansas Valley, with a walkable historic downtown that's become one of Colorado's best-known small-town destinations.
Salida's draw is broader and more year-round than the rafting-season towns to the north:
This is where Salida differs most, and getting it wrong is costly. Salida regulates short-term rentals under its own city ordinance (Salida Municipal Code, Chapter 6, Article VI), most recently updated by Ordinance 2026-06, effective March 23, 2026. The parts that matter most:
| City of Salida STR license | Rule |
|---|---|
| License caps | Capped by zone district, including a 99-unit cap in the downtown core |
| How many can you own? | One short-term rental per owner within the city |
| Residency | Chaffee County residency required to apply, except in the Mixed-Use Downtown (MD) and Mixed-Use Center (MC) zones, where out-of-county owners are allowed |
| Lodging tax | $15 per bedroom, per night occupational lodging tax, remitted quarterly |
| Applications | Accepted any time (no longer a May 1–June 1 window) |
Because Salida is its own jurisdiction, none of the Town of Buena Vista's moratorium or the County's 310-permit system applies inside city limits — it's a separate license entirely. We help owners figure out exactly which rules apply to their address. For the full picture across all three jurisdictions, see our Buena Vista & Chaffee County STR license guide.
Salida's downtown cap and one-per-owner rule mean an existing, licensed Salida rental is a scarcity-protected position worth running well — and the lifted downtown residency rule is one of the few open doors in the area for an out-of-county buyer. To be fair, the city is balancing housing and neighborhood concerns like everywhere else. There's no clean answer, just trade-offs — and a well-run rental is a good neighbor.
You get the same full-service management we run across our portfolio: listing and channel management across Airbnb, Vrbo, and our own direct-booking site; dynamic pricing tuned to local arts and river events; 24/7 guest communication; and cleaning, turnover, and maintenance coordinated with our local team. We've managed short-term rentals in the valley since 2019 and have kept every owner we've taken on. We'll be straight about the distance — Salida is about half an hour from our base, not next door — so we run it with reliable people on the ground and the same standards we'd hold for a home in our own neighborhood. Our fee is 20% of the nightly rate; you're paid directly by the platforms, and we invoice separately each month.
Tell us your address and situation and we'll give you an honest, property-specific read — what it can earn, which Salida zone rules apply, and how we'd manage it.
Request a Free Estimate Call 719-626-8755Yes — Salida is part of our service area, about 25 miles and a half-hour south of Buena Vista. We manage with our own local team. Just note Salida has its own city STR ordinance, separate from Buena Vista and Chaffee County.
Salida's own city ordinance (Municipal Code Ch. 6, Art. VI; Ordinance 2026-06, effective March 23, 2026): licenses capped by zone district including a 99-unit downtown cap, one STR per owner, Chaffee County residency required except in the downtown (MD) and Mixed-Use Center (MC) zones, and a $15/bedroom/night quarterly lodging tax. Verify current rules with the City of Salida.
Colorado's largest arts district downtown, the Arkansas River (Gold Medal fishing and Browns Canyon rafting), Tenderfoot "S" Mountain trails, and a real downtown that supports shoulder-season and winter demand.
About 25 miles south on US-285, roughly a 29-minute drive.
20% of the nightly rate for full-service management. You're paid directly by the booking platforms; we invoice monthly for our fee and any additional services.
Sources & further reading: Arts district and town details from Visit Salida and Uncover Colorado — Salida; river details from Colorado Parks & Wildlife — Arkansas Headwaters; Tenderfoot Mountain from Colorful Colorado. STR ordinance details from the City of Salida (Salida Municipal Code, Chapter 6, Article VI; Ordinance effective March 23, 2026). Distance from Travelmath. Market figures from AirROI and AirDNA (2026). Rules change — verify current requirements with the City of Salida before making decisions.