Vail Memorial Park in Vail, CO

Vail Memorial Park in Vail, CO is a more than 11,000-acre park located in Vail, a town of 5,000 residents. It's a place where past residents and those who once lived in the valley can be memorialized. Even those whose only connection to Vail is emotional are invited to purchase a memorial inscription.

The park is located southeast of the East Vail exit from I-70. There's a hiking path that lasts a quarter of a mile to the Circle K. Ranch. The Circle K. Ranch was once part of the Katsos Ranch, but was purchased as an open space by Vail town leaders in 1977. Prior to purchase, years of study had to be completed and approved for the property to be used as part of a memorial park.

There are several types of memorials available. They are as follows:

·    Memorial inscriptions on stone benches and sometimes trees (With trees a flagstone marker is placed at its base.)
·    Memorial inscriptions on stones in low dry stacked walls
·    Memorial inscriptions on flagstone slabs along pathways of crushed stone
·    Memorial inscriptions on native boulders that are displayed in clusters

Those who do not wish to purchase a memorial have the option to have their ashes scattered in designated areas. Biodegradable urns can also be placed behind the memorial walls or under memorial stones.

Prices for memorials vary and typically cost from $2,000 to $9,000 depending on the type of memorial and the location of the person being memorialized. Out-of-towners pay significantly more. The price includes up to 30 characters to describe the person's connection to Vail. This is in addition to the name inscriptions and pertinent dates.