Durango

The railroad is not an attraction bolted onto the town; it is the reason there is a town. William Jackson Palmer's Denver and Rio Grande laid Durango out through the Durango Trust to sell the lots, and the whole exercise existed to get ore out of the San Juans. The same Palmer had founded Colorado Springs on the other side of the state, which means two of Colorado's distinctive towns were drawn up by the same railway man for the same reason.

The line to Silverton opened in 1882, the Denver and Rio Grande having reached the mining town on July 10 of that year, and it runs on 3-foot narrow gauge. It follows the Animas River into the narrow Animas Canyon, between steep granite walls, for 45.2 miles. It is a National Historic Landmark District, designated July 4, 1961, listed on the National Register in 1966, and named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1968. Its own reference entry says the line has run continuously since 1881, while also recording that narrow-gauge operations ended on October 5, 1980 and the present railroad was formed after acquiring the line in March 1981 — the two statements sit side by side without being reconciled, so “continuous” is a claim to treat carefully.

One thing has changed, and it is the thing a visitor is most likely to assume has not. The locomotives are steam, but they are no longer coal. The railroad's own site describes the trip as travelling “by an oil-fired, steam-powered locomotive or historic diesel locomotive.” Coal-burning engines were suspected of sparking the 416 Fire in June 2018, and the owner planned to spend several million dollars replacing coal firing with oil because of the wildfire risk. The railroad's FAQ now states that all of its steam locomotives have been converted to oil-burning as of 2024.

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is the anchor, and it is the stop that most changes the shape of a day: 45.2 miles each way up the Animas Canyon on three-foot track, to a mining town at the top. This is not a short ride between other plans. The round trip is the plan.

*Fees subject to change, please check durangotrain.com for updated information.

*Fees subject to change, please check fs.usda.gov for updated information.

The Strater Hotel at 699 Main Avenue has been hosting gatherings in Durango since 1887 and still runs as an 88-room hotel with three of the town's long-standing rooms inside it: the Diamond Belle Saloon, the Mahogany Grille and the Office Spiritorium, the last of which hosts live music. It sits on the same street as the railroad depot, which is the practical reason it works for a train day. We were unable to confirm the current opening hours for any of the three — the hotel keeps them on a separate menus-and-hours page rather than its front page, so check there before planning an evening around one. The telephone number is 800-247-4431.

5 brewpubs within 10 miles of Durango, all with a kitchen.

Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)

The team to follow in Durango is Fort Lewis College's Skyhawks, covered above. This is one of the more genuinely remote stops on the route — there is no interstate close by, and US 160 and US 550 are the roads that serve it.

18 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Durango in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.

• Arches National ParkUtahabout 130 mi
• Colorado National MonumentColoradoabout 130 mi
• Grand JunctionColoradoabout 130 mi
• MoabUtahabout 130 mi
• Dinosaur JourneyColoradoabout 140 mi
• TaosNew Mexicoabout 140 mi
• Rabbit Valley Trail Through Time and Mygatt-Moore QuarryColoradoabout 150 mi
• Santa FeNew Mexicoabout 150 mi
• Glenwood Canyon rest areas and recreation pathColoradoabout 160 mi
• Glenwood Hot Springs ResortColoradoabout 160 mi
• Hanging LakeColoradoabout 160 mi
• Sego Canyon Rock Art Interpretive SiteUtahabout 160 mi
• AlbuquerqueNew Mexicoabout 170 mi
• Camp Hale-Continental Divide National MonumentColoradoabout 170 mi
• Green River State ParkUtahabout 170 mi
• John Wesley Powell River History MuseumUtahabout 170 mi
• Rifle Falls State ParkColoradoabout 170 mi
• Goblin Valley State ParkUtahabout 180 mi

Durango is remote, and the mileage understates it. There is no interstate nearby; US 160 and US 550 are mountain highways, and winter weather governs both. Plan arrival times generously.

The train is the day. A Silverton round trip is 45.2 miles each way. Trying to fit Mesa Verde into the same day is how people end up doing neither properly.

The town is at 6,532 feet and the passes north go far higher. The Million Dollar Highway crosses several of them, which matters for anyone who has driven up from the desert that morning.

Book ahead in summer. The railroad says to reserve early for best availability on any excursion, Mesa Verde's ranger-led cliff dwelling tours require a reservation that the park says fills up early, and Chimney Rock takes reservations for its guided tour while general entry is first-come, first served.

11 public campgrounds within 25 miles of Durango, 10 of them bookable ahead. Public campgrounds run by federal agencies. State-park and private campgrounds are not included.

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

What it is

3 ft narrow-gauge railroad, 45.2 miles between Durango and Silverton through the Animas Canyon

Status

National Historic Landmark District (designated July 4, 1961); National Register 1966; ASCE National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark 1968

Motive power

Oil-fired steam or historic diesel — confirm which is scheduled for your date

Fares and timetable

Journey about 3 1/2 hours each way, with a layover of nearly 2 hours in Silverton; the railroad's 2026 Standard Class coach adult fare is $118^* (all-in pricing, including an 8% historic preservation fee), with higher-priced classes listed above that; the railroad says fares and schedules are subject to change without notice

Link

durangotrain.com

*Fees subject to change, please check durangotrain.com for updated information.

We checked seasonal opening, opening hours, fees, operating status and reservations on 2026-10-12. These change without notice — confirm with durangotrain.com and nps.gov the week you travel.

Straight-line distance from Durango, not drive time.

• Durango La Plata County (DRO) — 11 miles
• Cortez Municipal (CEZ) — 41 miles
• Four Corners Regional (FMN) — 42 miles