Durango, Colorado, is a lively mountain town nestled in the San Juan Mountains of the state’s southwest corner. Established in 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company, Durango is known for its Old West charm and outdoor adventure. Durango offers historic streets lined with galleries, breweries, and restaurants alongside easy access to outdoor recreation.
Durango has a wide range of things to do, depending on the type of adventure you’re looking for. The most popular activities include riding the Durango-Silverton Railroad, wandering through downtown Durango, soaking in the hot springs, and experiencing the many outdoor activities that Durango has to offer.
I’ve been traveling to southwest Colorado for years, exploring the area and getting to know Durango on a deeper level. While there are countless things to do in the area, I’ve compiled this list of my top 9 recommendations. You can choose to visit for a day or stay for a while and get the full Durango experience. Read on for all of my top picks and tips for having a successful visit to Durango.
The Durango-Silverton Railroad is a scenic train ride taking you through the San Juan Wilderness from Durango to Silverton and back. The railroad follows the Animas River for most of its route, with views of towering mountain peaks above you. This ride is known for being one of the most beautiful train rides in the country.
The train ride from Durango to Silverton is a full-day commitment, requiring about 8 hours. Each direction of the ride is about 45 miles, taking around 3.5 hours each way. Once you arrive in Silverton, you will have a 2-hour layover to explore this small, historic town. If you do not want to commit to the full day of travel, it is common for people to take the bus back to Durango because it is a faster route. This, however, does require an extra cost. The train runs from May through October. Tickets start at ~$117 per person, and increase depending on the desired class and amenities.
As for choosing a train type, the Durango-Silverton Railroad offers a steam or diesel engine. The steam engines are the historic trains that have been in operation since the early 1900s. These trains are a bit slower, making you feel like it’s more of a scenic ride than the diesel engines. The diesel engine trains are newer, making them faster, less noisy, and naturally producing less smoke. The diesel train is also a bit cheaper than the classic steam engines.
You can read our review of riding the Durango-Silverton Railroad in our article The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Our Full Review + Helpful Tips.
White water rafting is a popular summer activity in Durango. As soon as you arrive in Durango, you’ll notice the Animas River running through town. This river offers ease of access for people wanting a white-water experience without having to travel too far. There are two sections of the Animas, the upper and lower. Both of these offer a different experience depending on skill level. The river also changes depending on the month of the year.
The Lower Animas is ideal for beginners or intermediate rafters. This section runs through the heart of Durango, following the riverwalk through town. The Upper Animas is for experienced and expert rafters. The Upper Animas is known for being one of the most difficult, commercially run rivers in the country.
The time of year also heavily impacts the experience you’ll have on the river. Late May to June is the heaviest flow of the Animas River, due to snow melt from the mountains. This is known as the spicy season. After late June, the water drops, and this begins the busy season for rafting. Most companies run from mid-June through September.
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Lake Nighthorse is a reservoir 2 miles from Durango. Lake Nighthorse offers many outdoor recreational activities. The lake is closed during the winter months to protect animal habitats, but it is a popular destination during the summer.
One of the main attractions at Lake Nighthorse is the Wibit Aqua Park. This inflatable, floating park features slides and various obstacles to climb around. There is an additional fee to use the aqua park, but it’s currently only ~$5.
In addition to the aqua park, Lake Nighthorse offers a swimming beach, kayak/SUP rentals, and has fishing opportunities. The lake is stocked with Salmon and trout. There are various educational signs around teaching about the history of the lake and its cultural significance to the local natives. Daily admission is ~$10 per vehicle.
Located at the Library, the Durango Botanic Garden has several outdoor garden exhibits. Each garden represents different types of plants/ecosystems. There is the Pollinator Garden, Wind Garden, and Grass Garden, just to name a few. Each plant has an identification marker, giving you the name and native growing location of each plant. There are various art installations throughout the garden, which encourage you to take your time and admire each work of art. This activity is great for all ages, especially if you are interested in learning about native plants.
The Durango Botanic Garden starts in front of the library and winds around the backside, along the Animas River. This can be combined with a longer walk along the Animas River Trail. The gardens are open 24/7, year-round.
Accessible from the same parking lot are also the Fish Hatchery and Wildlife museum, both of which are free and great for children and families to explore.
Durango’s downtown is located on Main Street. Downtown is filled with 6 blocks of historic buildings, boutiques, unique shops, and delicious restaurants. I’d recommend stopping by the Durango Welcome Center located on Main Street. Here, you’ll find maps and information about various walking tours.
One of the most popular walking tours is the Ghost Walk Durango. They walk you through town, telling ghost stories and taking you to the historic buildings where these stories take place. This 1.5-hour walking tour takes place at 7pm nightly. Prices start at ~$24 per person.
One of the many things that this region of Colorado is known for is its hot springs. Durango houses the Durango Hot Springs Resort and Spa. This Hot Springs Resort has 32 tubs, some are adult-only, while others are for the whole family to enjoy. There is also a swimming pool and 2 cold plunge pools. Rates start at ~$39 for 2 hours. Your soak can be reserved 2 months in advance or same-day.
Other than the hot springs pools, they also offer spa services like massages and hot oil treatments.
Located 30 minutes from Durango, Purgatory offers ease of access for thrill seekers and families alike. This resort gives you access to the backcountry of the San Juan Mountains. Puragtory Resort is most commonly known for its winter sports opportunities, but it has year-round activities that anyone can enjoy.
During the winter, the resort comes alive with people seeking snowy recreational activities. Purgatory offers many different tours, like snowshoeing, hellcat, and snowmobile tours. They also have Nordic skiing, a tubing hill, and a mountain coaster, which is open year-round.
During the summer, you’ll find an alpine slide, a scenic chairlift, and hiking trails. The property also houses Twilight Lake, where you can rent paddleboards or kayaks. Purgatory offers summer bundles where you get 5 or 10 tickets to enjoy any of the activities the resort has to offer at a discounted price.
Located only 35 miles west of Durango, Mesa Verde National Park is an easy attraction to add to your Durango trip. Mesa Verde National Park is a unique park, housing ancient cliff-dwellings in the alcoves of red rock canyons. I highly recommend booking a tour to visit the cliff-dwellings up close; there are also hiking trails and scenic drives within the park.
There are multiple tour options in the park, each one taking you to a historic dwelling.
Reservations for tours are available through recreation.gov, which are released 14 days in advance. Tours are offered from May through October and start at ~$8 per person.
If you are not able to participate in a tour, you can still see a lot of amazing scenery and dwellings in the park via the scenic loop roads. Cliff Palace Loop Road is about 6 miles long. This is a great option if you aren’t able to book a tour of Cliff Palace and Balcony House. From here, it’s a short walk to the Cliff Palace overlook, and a 1.2-mile round-trip hike on the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail to see Balcony House. Mesa Top Loop Road is a self-guided tour of the park. On this drive, you’ll learn about the ruins in chronological order. For the full experience, you can stop at the first stop, grab the brochure, and read about each stop as you go. On the loop, you’ll see pithouses, vast canyon views, and various dwellings.
While you’re visiting, be sure to check out the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum. This small museum is one of the oldest in the national park system (built in 1922), and was constructed from the same sandstone that was used to build the cliff dwellings. An orientation film is shown every half hour, providing an overview of the history of Mesa Verde.
Durango has many yearly events that draw in travelers and locals alike. The residents of Durango know how to host really cool events. Some of the honorable mentions are:
Animas River Days: A multi-day event featuring the Animas River that usually takes place in late May. Animas River Days brings out the quirky and entertaining crowd of Durango. There are various events during the celebration, like watercraft races, a river parade, a beer garden, and live music. The viewing party takes place at Santa Rita Park, where you can watch people compete, dress up, and get a little wild on the river.
Snowdown: This 40-year-old tradition was created to bring something bright and fun to the darkness of winter. Snowdown is a 5-day festival hosting over 200 events, like beer plunges, follies, a light parade, and a chili cook-off. Some of the events require tickets, while others are free. The Snowdown typically takes place in January or February.
Polar Express Train: From late November through early January, the Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad turns its steam engine train into the Polar Express. During your visit, you’ll enjoy a 65-minute round-trip train ride to the North Pole, where an impressive light show awaits you. On the return trip, you’ll get a gift from Santa and enjoy hot cocoa while listening to the Polar Express book being read.
Other popular events in Durango include Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, Rocky Mountain Uke Fest, Durango Celtic Festival, Durango Cowboy Gathering, and Durango Oktoberfest. Check out the Durango City Website for more information.
Durango is only about 7 miles long. There is a main road running through town that connects to US-550 called Camino Del Rio. This is the road that you will take coming from the south in New Mexico or heading north towards Silverton.
The other major road to know is Main Street. Main Street is home to historic downtown Durango. This is where a majority of shops and local restaurants are. Main Street is located 2 blocks from US-550, in the heart of Durango.
A visit to Durango can last anywhere from 2 to 5 days, depending on what kind of experiences you are looking for in the area. Keep in mind that most tours and excursions take anywhere from 2 to 8 hours each, with the average being about 4 hours long. If you’re visit is mostly sightseeing and walking around town, 2 days should be plenty.
Durango is a fairly easy town to navigate. Most businesses are located on the main stretch of road that you drive in on, or they are on Main Street in downtown Durango. Driving on Main Street can be a little overwhelming because there are often a large number of pedestrians and cars around.
Finding parking is relatively easy downtown, though. Most of the parking is metered and varies between 30-minute parking and 10-hour parking. You’ll want to double-check the signs before paying for your meter. If you are planning on parking all day or have a larger vehicle, like an RV, the train depot at the beginning of Main Street has $5 all-day parking.
Durango also has an amazing public transportation system. There are several buses and trolleys that run all throughout town. They’ve even started adding shuttles to popular trail heads and stops along the Animas River for people who are interested in exploring outdoor recreation in the area. Many visitors choose to ride the trolley through Durango, which goes down Main Street and all the way to the end of town before turning around. This ride is $1 each way and takes between 20 and 40 minutes total.
Elevation: The elevation of Durango is 6,512 feet. The surrounding area increases in elevation from there. If you are not used to higher elevations, you need to be aware of elevation sickness. Drink plenty of water and eat snacks.
Weather: Durango gets an average of 266 days of sunshine each year. Because of the location, though, Durango’s summers are known as monsoon season. During this time, afternoon thunderstorms are likely. Use caution while hiking and participating in outdoor activities during this season. It’s best to start your days early.
How to get to Durango varies based on your starting location and mode of transportation. I highly recommend driving or renting a car when you arrive in the area. This will give you the freedom to explore other popular destinations nearby.
Because of the proximity to the Four Corners, Durango can be reached by many different routes. This allows a choose-your-own-adventure for driving to Durango. Moab is a popular starting point, which is 2.5 hours or about 150 miles away from Durango. Colorado Springs is a 5.5-hour drive, or about 315 miles away. Denver is 6 hours, or a 338-mile drive. Albuquerque is 3.5 hours, or about 215 miles away. Regardless of the direction that you choose, you will be rewarded with mountain views and incredible scenery.
If you want to fly into Durango, you’ll arrive at the Durango-La Plata County Airport. They offer direct flights from Denver, Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix.
For an authentic Durango experience, stay at one of the historic hotels in the area. The Strater Hotel and the General Palmer Hotel are both highly rated, give you a unique hotel experience, and are located on Main Street.
The Strater Hotel, established in 1887, makes you feel as though you just walked back in time. Even a stroll through the lobby leaves you in awe of the architecture and historical displays around every corner. The Strater Hotel has 88 rooms, each with a unique Victorian style. Check out their website to read about the history and book your stay.
The General Palmer Hotel (book here), established in 1898, offers 39 rooms ranging from classic hotel rooms to luxury suites. They have kept their original Victorian style, with rooms lined with interesting wallpaper and dark wood accents.
If you’re looking for a campground near Durango. I recommend Junction Creek Campground. This campground is nestled in the wilderness, at the end of a neighborhood street. It’s located only 15 minutes from downtown Durango, giving you the peace of camping amongst the trees while being close to town. Junction Creek Campground is open from the beginning of June through October. Throughout the season, they offer a mixture of reservable sites and first-come, first-served sites. Sites range from ~$30-82, depending on whether you need electric or not.
Rupert’s Durango is a local favorite spot. They are known for their unique takes on Eggs Benedict. Rupert’s also offers classic egg dishes, breakfast burritos, as well as French toast and pancakes. If you are planning on eating here, be prepared to be put on a waitlist, even on weekdays.
Located inside the historic Strater Hotel, The Diamond Belle Saloon is one of the most unique experiences in Durango. Staying true to the history of the hotel, the saloon waitstaff wear vintage cabaret outfits while a ragtime piano man plays on the main floor. They have a full restaurant and bar, serving up American fare and specialty cocktails.
Durango is just the beginning of cool things you can do in Colorado. You can go on an Epic Colorado Road Trip in just 7-14 days. Colorado has four national parks, including Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes, and Mesa Verde! Plus, there are amazing mountain towns like Aspen, Vail, and Telluride (just to name a few), as well as stunning train rides, too! Check out our articles and YouTube videos for tips on how to make this trip happen for yourself. If you really want to make planning your trip easy, check out our travel guides! Hope you make it to Colorado soon.
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