Things to Do in Durango, Colorado

A Brief History of Durango CO

Like nearby Mesa Verde National Park and neighboring Cortez, Colorado, the Durango area and La Plata County was home to Ancestral Puebloan people until their migration south somewhere around 1300 AD.

Two hundred years later, the hunter-gatherer Utes arrived. They were likely attracted to the area by the natural resources of the surrounding mountains and fertile Animas River Valley, as well as the elk, deer and other game that came here for the same reasons.

The first Anglo-American settlement in what is now the Durango area was slightly north of modern-day downtown Durango. Animas City was founded on the banks of the Animas River in 1876 (the same year that Colorado achieved statehood) as a basecamp town for prospecting gold and silver miners. The fertile land gave rise to successful agriculture and the town looked primed to boom until the railroad skipped Animas City to build the town of Durango just 2 miles south.

1880 saw the establishment of the town of Durango as the new town to support local mining operations. It is said that the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company bought plots of land under different names to avoid paying higher prices that may have been charged if land owners had realized that they were planning to build a railroad town. The railroad was built to transport gold, silver and other minerals from the mining operations in the San Juan Mountains.

The Train! The Train!

The Durango Silverton train began operations in 1881, completely bypassing Animas City. Industry and tourism followed by the turn of the twentieth century. And in 1948 Animas City was officially annexed into Durango.

How Did Durango, Colorado Get Its Name?

The former territorial governor of Colorado, AC Hunt, happened to be traveling through Durango, Mexico around the time that the railroad was establishing the new town and history reports that the topography of the Mexican town reminded him of the landscapes the new town in Colorado.

By the way, Durango is based on a word meaning "town by the water", which is appropriate since the Animas River flows through here.

Fun Things to Do in Durango, Colorado

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - The number one tourist attraction in Durango and the reason for our visit. The Durango and Silverton railroad has been a popular passenger train experience since the completion of the rail line between Durango and Silverton in 1882! No trip to Durango is complete without a ride on this historic railroad.

Mesa Verde National Park - While this fascinating historical, cultural national park is not IN Durango, it sits only 36 miles west of the town. This makes Durango (along with Cortez CO to the west of the park) a perfect basecamp for exploring the hikes, museums, scenic drives and ranger programs in the national park.

The Durango Farmers Market - This seasonal weekly market is a fantastic source of local produce and meat. As back in the 1800s, this area is still an agricultural power house producing amazing fresh local food. You'll find the farmers market just a block or so off of Main Avenue in historic downtown Durango.

Old Hundred Gold Mine - Unfortunately, we missed this during our visit in October (it had just closed for the season during our stay). This 1872 Silverton mine welcomes visitors during the summer.

Bar D Chuckwagon Supper - A seasonal Old West chuckwagon supper with an outdoor music and comedy show. This is another attraction we hope to catch on our next visit to Durango.

Checking the Train Schedule

Have a drink, meal or snack at one of the many unique restaurants, breweries or historic hotels (we're looking at you Strater Hotel and General Palmer Hotel!) in downtown Durango.

Enjoy a rafting tour of the Animas River or a Jeep Tour of the San Juan National Forest or the ghost towns of La Plata Canyon via one of several local outfitters.

Relax in the natural hot springs of the Durango Hot Springs Resort.

Free Things to Do in Durango CO

Animas Museum - This free community museum is housed in the early 1900s schoolhouse from the town of Animas City. Be sure to set aside several hours to explore all three stories of this very well done historical tour.

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Museum - Another free museum that shares local history, you'll find the Durango and Silverton railroad museum in the back of the Durango train depot. It is home to not only railroad exhibits and history, but also military, automobile, and local stories plus, the first airplane in Durango.

Durango State Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Museum - Colorado's oldest state-owned fish hatchery is open to the public year round. The accompanying wildlife museum is open seasonally during the summer.

Enjoy the architecture of the historic buildings, unique shops, art galleries, Mom/Pop restaurants, breweries and more as you stroll through historic downtown Durango.

Take in a parade or festival! We were lucky to be in town during the Durango Cowboy Gathering Parade, the largest non-motorized parade in Colorado.

Enjoy a bike ride or walk on the Animas River Trail, running alongside the Animas River into town.

Take a self-guided walking tour of historic Durango.

Take a drive on the scenic San Juan Skyway.

Scenic Drives Near Durango, Colorado

This entire area is a scenic drive! But if you'd like to spend a day enjoying more of the landscapes, consider these drives...

Million Dollar Highway - take the drive up to the old mining town of Silverton to pick up the famous Million Dollar Highway north to Ouray. (But leave the RV in Durango.)
San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway - this 235-mile loop includes the Million Dollar Highway and loops through Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, and Cortez.
Historic Hot Springs Loop - this HUGE route connects 23 hot springs across the state of Colorado. Stops include Durango, Steamboat Springs and Glenwood Springs.
Tracks Across Borders Byway - based on the historic Denver and Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Railroad San Juan Extension of the 1880s, this 125-mile byway connects Durango with Chama, New Mexico.

Places to Eat in Durango CO

During our visit to Durango, we enjoyed meals at...

Serious Texas BBQ (owned by Texans... this is the real deal, y'all!)

Fired Up Pizzeria

Diamond Belle Saloon

Steamworks Brewing Company

Switchback

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (their original location!)

Lone Spur Cafe (unfortunately, the Lone Spur has closed)

We would also like to try...

Durango Diner

11th Street Station

Oscar's Cafe

Eating Our Way Through Durango

Tips for Visiting Durango, Colorado

Start your visit at the Durango Welcome Center on Main Avenue (Durango's Main Street). This is a great source of information for attractions in the city of Durango and the surrounding area.

Plan for a variety of weather. Our visit during late September / early October brought cool weather with some sunny days and several days of rain. Be prepared with layered clothes and good walking shoes for exploring.

Metered parking is available downtown. We had no trouble finding parking during our visit, but summer might be a bit more challenging. The Durango Silverton train excursion has a parking lot next to the train depot. We recommend paying for parking when you order your train tickets online for faster parking.

If you have children or grandchildren traveling with you, check out the Powerhouse Science Center.

While everything is open during the summer months, we really enjoyed our fall visit to Durango. We did miss a few seasonal attractions, but it was nice to be able to explore without crowds.

In the winter, skiiers may want to check out the Purgatory Ski Resort.

Durango Welcome Center

Where is Durango, Colorado?

You'll find Durango in Southwest Colorado at the intersections of US Highways 160 and 550. This Western Slope mountain town sits just outside of the Colorado Plateau.

What Makes Durango CO Special?

The scenic beauty and railroad history of Durango is matched by it's love for food. Locals say Durango has more restaurants per capita than San Francisco!

Like Moab UT, Durango CO is a small town and travel destination all rolled into one must-visit location. Outdoorsy adventurers, nature lovers, history buffs, railroad enthusiasts and foodies will love spending time here.