Apr 10
21
Durango Colorado
View of Durango From Animas Mountain
Durango, Colorado is the ultimate mountain town and is a wonderful starting point for touring southwest Colorado. Start off the day by having breakfast at the Brickhouse Cafe on Main Ave. and then it’s off to a stroll along the Animas River Trail.
After a short stroll on the river trail, either hike the Animas Mountain located on the north end of Main or grab some inner tubes for a nice float down the river or take a guided raft trip with one of many companies located in town.
If it’s still a little chilly or the river is a little too wild for you, there are options for golf, horseback riding, fly fishing or renting a bicycle. For art lovers there are several galleries to explore and if shopping is your bag then you won’t want to miss all the stores and boutiques in the downtown area.
By now you probably need a little break and the patio at Cypress Cafe or Ken and Sue’s is perfect for a mid day meal or beverage. If you’re still ready to go, think about heading to Durango Mountain Resort north of Durango for some fun activities like the Alpine Slide, chairlift rides, mountain biking and more.
For those adventurers and thrill seekers check out this once in a lifetime experience with Soaring Tree Top Adventures you can glide through the treetops on a zipline canopy tour course. After all the days excitement head back to Durango for a scrumptious dinner at one of Durango’s fine restaurants.
Getting Here
Durango, La Plata County Airport serves the Four Corners area with daily flights on United Express, Frontier and US Air. There are major car rental companies such as Budget and Hertz located in the Durango airport terminal if you need to rent a car.
With several daily flights to choose from, it is a cinch to get to Durango. Highway 160 runs through Durango and most of the southern half of Colorado from I-25 in the east to Cortez in the west. Highway 550 runs right through Durango and can be accessed from I-70 to the North around Grand Junction or from Albuquerque to the South.
Durango Hikes
Durango hiking opportunities abound. There are hikes in town Durango and hikes nearby. Durango hiking trails include beginner level hikes on up to advanced hikes that are steep and long. Whatever your ability or desire, there is a Durango hiking trail for you.
Durango Activities
Do you go for the adrenalin producing thrill? Try white water rafting, zipline adventure, glider soaring or mountain biking. If you prefer something a little more laid back, try hiking, horseback riding, jeep tours, fly fishing, bicycling, alpine sliding, golf or riding the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
These are just a few of the possibilities open to you when you visit Durango . You can stroll along the Animas River Trail and relax on one of the benches strategically located for viewing the gurgling river as it passes by. If you’re lucky, you may spot a bald eagle fishing for lunch.
An easy day trip from Durango is Mesa Verde National Park where visitors can go and experience what life may have been like for the Ancestral Puebloans. You can walk, drive or take a bus tour through the park. It can get fairly warm here so I would recommend getting an early start during the summer months to avoid the heat of the day.
Just 22 miles northeast of Durango; beautiful Vallecito Lake offers many recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, hiking and horseback riding. A great family hike starts at the north end of the lake and follows the Pine River for several miles with nice flat terrain and stunning mountain views.
For Winter skiing, check out Durango Mountain Resort. It’s a great family ski area with some nice terrain for all levels of skier. I’ve found that Liftopia offers good deals for lift tickets depending on what time of year your visiting. Go here to see what lift ticket prices are for DMR
