Durango is a mountain town of about 19,000 people on the Animas River in southwest Colorado, at about 6,500 feet, ringed by the San Juan Mountains. It grew up around the railroad in 1880 to serve the silver mines, and its brick Main Avenue still runs straight to the old depot. Spend the first day settling in on foot, with downtown in the morning, the river trail after lunch and a relaxed dinner close to your room.
Walk Main Avenue
Where to eat: Coffee and a breakfast burrito at a cafe on Main Avenue.
Start on Main Avenue, the long, lively street of brick and stone buildings from the 1880s and 1890s that runs from the train depot north through downtown. Look into the outfitters, bookshops, galleries and candy stores, and step into the lobby of the Strater Hotel, built in 1887, with its dark wood and red wallpaper. The street is easy and flat, and the mountains show at the end of every cross street.
The Animas River Trail
Where to eat: Lunch at a brewpub near the river.
After lunch, walk to the Animas River Trail, a paved path of about seven miles that follows the river through town past parks, bridges and cottonwood groves. Pick a stretch and walk it slowly, watching rafters and anglers on the water. In summer you can rent a tube or join a rafting outfitter for a calm float, or simply sit by the river with a cold drink and the sound of the water.
Up to the mesa for the view
In the late afternoon, drive up to the mesa above town, home to Fort Lewis College, where an overlook looks across the whole valley, the town and the mountains beyond. It is a quiet place to watch the light change over the rooftops and the river. If you prefer to walk, short trails on the edge of the mesa offer views without much climbing once you reach the top.
An evening downtown
Where to eat: A drink in an old saloon before dinner.
Come back down for an unhurried dinner on or near Main Avenue, where restaurants serve Southwestern food, local trout and Colorado beef. After dinner, stroll past the lit-up storefronts and the depot, where the steam trains sit ready for the morning. If you want music, look for a small show in one of the old saloons, then walk back to your room under a clear mountain sky.
Where to eat and stop
- Breakfast · A breakfast burrito on Main Avenue — A cafe downtown Why here: An easy start a short walk from your room.
- Lunch · A brewpub by the river — Near the Animas River Trail Why here: Casual food and local beer close to the water.
- Dinner · A slow dinner downtown — Main Avenue Why here: Southwestern dishes and trout; reserve ahead in summer.
- Quick stop (snack): A drink in an old saloon — Main Avenue Why here: A quiet hour in a historic room.
Durango-La Plata County Airport is about fifteen miles southeast of town. Downtown and the river trail are flat and easy on foot, so park once and walk; the mesa overlook is a short drive up the hill.
Where to stay
- A historic hotel on Main Avenue — Durango's Victorian-era hotels on Main Avenue put you a few steps from the train depot, the shops and dinner, with period rooms and old saloons downstairs for a quiet drink.
- A small inn near the river — Inns and bed and breakfasts on the quiet streets near the Animas River sit within walking distance of downtown and the river trail, with gardens and calm nights.
Dinner: An unhurried dinner on Main Avenue, a short walk from your room.
Tomorrow: Ride the narrow gauge steam train up the Animas canyon to the old mining town of Silverton, high in the San Juan Mountains.
Bad-weather plan
If afternoon storms roll in, spend more time in the shops and the railroad museum by the depot, and save the river walk for a dry hour in the evening.
Main Avenue · The Animas River Trail · The mesa overlook · An evening downtown
Good to know: Summer afternoons often bring short thunderstorms; plan outdoor walks for the morning or evening and carry a light rain jacket.
