For over 700 years, the Ancestral Pueblo people built thriving communities on the mesas and in the cliffs of Mesa Verde. Today, the park protects the rich cultural heritage of 26 Pueblos and Tribes and offers visitors a spectacular window into the past. This World Heritage Site and International Dark Sky Park is home to over a thousand species, including several that live nowhere else on earth.

Historic Downtown Durango is the heart of the community. Filled with over 200 unique shops, stores and restaurants, Downtown Durango has something for everyone. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is located in Downtown, and has daily excursions plus a FREE museum. The Strater Hotel is also in Downtown and has been in operation since the 1800's. We have wonderful restaurants, from fast food to fine dining, and everything in between. Plus there are amazing shops with unique items, including nearly a dozen world class art galleries.

The Animas River Trail (ART), a hard surface shared-use path, is a very enjoyable paved trail great for all ages and skill levels. Running through the heart of Durango, it is the centerpiece of Durango’s overall trail system and a transportation backbone for the community.

The concrete/asphalt trail stretches over 7 miles through town along the beautiful Animas River. It provides easy access to a variety of parks, open spaces and natural surface trails as well as the community recreation center, the public library, downtown Durango, neighborhoods and schools. It crosses 8 bridges, 4 underpasses, and 1 tunnel to the south end of the city limits without crossing a single street. Future plans call for a multi-use hard-surface trail extended along Highway 160 on the south end of town.

The Animas River Trail is perfect for casual walkers and runners, as well as quick in-town bike rides or family cruises. The Animas River Trail also provides easy river access for fishing, rafting, or kayaking.

Purgatory Resort is a family-friendly, four-season resort offering a variety of activities for all ages. In the winter, enjoy alpine skiing and snowboarding, snow shoeing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, Nordic skiing, snowmobiling and more. Summer and fall offers hiking, mountain biking, Alpine Slide rides, zipline, scenic chairlift, disc golf, bungee trampolines, climbing walls, miniature golf and more.

If you travel through Albuquerque, you'll be right on time for the International Balloon Fiesta! This year's fiesta takes place October 5-13, 2024. Even if you don't purchase tickets for the actual fiesta, you'll be able to see balloons all through Albuquerque in the mornings, as long as the weather is agreeable.