The Best of Durango, Colorado

Durango, Colorado is a little slice of heaven located in the Southwest corner of Colorado. It is not far from other hot spots such as Telluride, Silverton, Ouray, Ridgway, Monument Valley and Mesa Verde National Park. Almost all of these attractions are within an hour or two driving distance. The main attraction for vacationers is the centralized location and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Durango was established in 1879 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad company. The people of Animas, an old neighboring town, did not want a railroad to be built through their town. So, Durango was founded and the Railroad was built around Animas. The railroad served as transportation for people, goods, and silver and gold from the miners in Silverton.

Today the Durango & Silverton Railroad is still in operation just like it was over 100 years ago; although the only purpose now is for giving tours to people. Even today the scenery remains unchanged from the “Old West”. You are in for the treat of a lifetime with some of the best views you will ever see in your life.

The next biggest attraction is really not an attraction at all. Durango is home to Fort Lewis College. There are about 4,500 students that go to Fort Lewis College full-time. The reason many students are attracted to FLC is because of the panoramic views seen from on top of the campus. FLC is also the nation’s best school for cycling. Students come from all over the world to join the cycling team, and there are many cycling events every year that anyone can join. I warn you though, it’s not easy!

Durango has a ton of excellent hiking and mountain biking trails as well. Durango is the end point of the Colorado Trail. The Colorado Trail extends all the way from Denver to Durango – now that’s a hike! There are a plethora of other things to do as well.

You can visit James Ranch for some of the freshest beef and eggs you will ever find. Honeyville is also a huge attraction. You can buy hundreds of honey products but they are best known for their Honey Wine which stems from medieval England.

Downtown Durango is also home to some of the best restaurants you will ever eat at. There are several local brewery companies that brew very unique beers, and the townspeople of Durango just love them. So make sure when you are out and about you get a good sampling of what Durango has to offer.

There are several golf courses located in Durango. You can take in the genuine scenery while enjoying a nice round of golf. In the winter the Durango Mountain Resort is home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding known on this side of the slope.

We cannot forget the ancient ruins at Mesa Verde National Park. Come see how the Pueblo Indians lived over 500 years ago. There are several tours to choose from and they are very cheap. Unfortunately you will not be able to complete this task all in one day, so find yourself a nice Durango vacation rental and stay a little while.