- Durango is a town obsessed with the outdoors, as there is quality hiking, fishing, biking, climbing and skiing nearby.
- Durango is one of the more developed towns in southwest Colorado and has a full range of services.
- Telluride is a two hour drive to the north of Durango.
Overview
It could easily be argued Durango is the outdoor sports capital of Colorado, but chances are the down-to-Earth population here isn’t much for titles. Durango boasts impressive conditions and venues for nearly any outdoor sport, and the San Juans can be reached in minutes.
The college crowd keeps downtown lively, and it seems like there is some kind of celebration every weekend.
Location
Durango sits in the Animas River Valley on the outskirts of the San Juan Mountains in the southwest corner of Colorado.
Service/Amenities
Durango is a medium-sized college town with a full range of services and lodging options.
Activities
Durango hosted the first-ever Mountain Biking World Championships in 1990 and the Animas River—which holds gold medal fishing status—runs through town. If you don’t like biking or fishing, there’s good kayaking, rafting, hiking, backpacking, climbing and golfing.
In the winter, there are five ski resorts nearby and endless backcountry terrain.
Attractions
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad was originally constructed in 1879 to haul silver and gold ore out of the mining-rich San Juans, but the train now shuffles passengers 45 miles through narrow canyons under the shadows of 14,000 foot peaks. Several trains leave Durango in the morning and stop in Silverton for a few hours before returning.
Getting Here
To reach Telluride from Durango, take Highway 160 west for 27 miles and look for the right turn onto Highway 184. After about 17 miles turn right onto Highway 145 towards Telluride.
