Ancient dwellings once inhabited by the Ancestral Puebloans at Mesa Verde National Park, Chimney Rock, and Hovenweep long to be explored. To the southwest lies the premier archeological center for the United States. To the north the San Juan National Forest awaits with its myriad of hiking, fishing, camping, and hunting opportunities. Only tourists travel the historic line these days, evidenced by the 200,000 people who rode it last year.ĭurango is loaded with exciting activities. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad was blasted through the deep canyons to the remote mining camps. The central location was ideal as a supply depot for the mining towns to the north and as a transfer point for shipping the rich ore to processing plants to the south and east. Humidity is characteristically low and provides an all around zone of comfort.ĭurango was founded in 1880 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. Summer daytime temps are in the 70's and 80's, nighttime lows in the 50's.

This wonderful elevation is a transition zone between semi- arid and mountain. To the south and west rest the high plateaus and desert areas of the four corners region.ĭurango lies at 6,512 feet above sea level. The town is along the Animas River which drains the San Juan Mountains to the north. Phoenix, Arizona is just under 400 miles to the south. Albuquerque, New Mexico is about 175 miles to the southeast. Surrounding La Plata County hides around 44,000 people in the rugged canyons and mountainsides.ĭurango is located in the southwestern portion of Colorado. A typical house value for the same year was $185,200. The median resident age is a young 29.2 years with a median household income for 2000 rated at $34,892. Males slightly outnumber females by a respectable 51% to 49%. Durango is worth the time to explore and experience the future and the past, all wrapped up in one place.ĭurango is a growing city evidenced by its bubbling population growth: from an estimated 13,922 in 2000, to well over 15,000 in 2006. The boundaries of its city limits exhibit a modern city of the new millennium but, yet, maintain the roots of its historic importance protected in its old town main street, shops and rail center. This growing seat of La Plata County gives entry to the rugged San Juan mountain range to the north and access to the arid deserts hiding the ruins of ancient civilizations and cultures to the south.

In the southwestern corner of Colorado is a magical town called Durango.

All animals on durango wild lands