If it was me, I'd head to Larkspur and check out "the hidden forest". Big time deals to be had on gorgeous homes nestled in towering ponderosa pines with nothing but wildlife around you. No traffic, hidden, just the sound of wind in the trees. Awesome place with some SWA pilots that live there. I heard the elementary school is top notch. I think the middle/high school would be in Castle Rock.

The Hidden Forest in Larkspur