Compare Cheap Hotels in Durango

An Old West city nestled in the Las Animas valley and surrounded by the majesty of the San Juan Mountains, Durango is within easy driving distance of five major ski resorts, including Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort. The city is known for its Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway where trains travel a scenic route between Durango and nearby Silverton, Colorado.

Key facts

Visitors often enjoy a trip to the cliff dwellings at nearby Mesa Verde National Park where the Pueblo natives carved condo-style dwellings into the rock face. A portion of the main highway that connects Durango to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Highway 550, has been nicknamed the "Million Dollar Highway" because of its hairpin curves and the fact that it passes over three mountain passes including the summit of Red Mountain Pass.

Hints and tips

Durango was founded in 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. Travelers should expect cool winter temperatures and warm summers. The average daily temperatures range from 40 degrees in January to 85 degrees in July. Visitors often dine and shop along Main Street, which features many eclectic boutiques, cafes and fine eating establishments. Visitors who arrive in the winter months enjoy the city's annual Snowdown Festival, which is held on the last Friday of January and features fireworks, a parade and a host of events. In the summertime, the air becomes alive with sounds of world-class musicians during the annual Music in the Mountains summer festival.