Durango

[Thumbcocker]

Going to be near Durango anything a boolit person should check out? We will hit Mesa Verde but other sites or places could be added. Neat sights, gun shops, restaurants etc.

[Wots]

A good ride. A lot of good information on this site.

http://www.durangotrain.com/ride-us#.VemrubPfiq0

[markinalpine]

Don't know if this is still a problem, but before I visited Durango in the 90's, I was advised to make sure you hid put everything out of sight in your vehicle BEFORE you parked so no one would see you, the place was over-run with hippies.

[Kraschenbirn]

Last time we passed through Durango area was 8-9 years back and the town, itself, was pretty much 'pure tourist industry'. If you're looking for 'scenic', though, the "Million Dollar Highway" (Route 550) up to Silverton is a really fun drive...or, as Wots suggested, you can take the narrow-gauge train up through Animas Canyon. That part of the San Juans was one of our favorite back-country camping/hiking areas. Dunno what the route is like these days but the old wagon trail from the abandoned mines at Ophir over the pass to Silverton used to be a fun ride for a Wrangler or CJ-5. In places the roadway was literally cut into the side of the mountain: barely 8 feet wide, vertical drop on the outside, and no guardrails. One time, we met a herd of sheep coming down from the high meadows and sat in the middle of the trail for almost an hour while the sheep went by, single-file, on both sides.

Bill

[Stewbaby]

Let us know if the Animus River is still EPA yellow... I second the drive to Silverton.

[marlin39a]

Summit Shooting Center, 23858 Road G, Cortez. Indoor Range and Retail Store. Larry and Darlene are good folks.

[fatnhappy]

If you run into Ed Stutety tell him I said hi. I haven't seen him since the Gulf War. That area is beautiful country.

[onceabull]

Anytime I'm in or near Durango,I make time to go check on that feedstore in downtown Pagosa Springs. ..Never have found it ,and am super tired of having to dodge all the tourists just to get across town....Onceabull

[Kraschenbirn]

Anytime I'm in or near Durango,I make time to go check on that feedstore in downtown Pagosa Springs. ..Never have found it ,and am super tired of having to dodge all the tourists just to get across town....Onceabull

Back in the days when Pagosa Springs was the best 'jump off' into the southern end of the San Juans, wife and I drove Wolf Creek Pass a half-dozen times and never did find that feedstore, either. Now, they've dug that darn tunnel and took all the fun out of it. Last time we were out there, we found the Forest Service "Welcome to the San Juan Nat'l Forest - 4-wheel drive recommended beyond this point - Have a Nice Day!" sign at the turnoff from Snowball Road to the old Quentin Mine trail had been removed and the gravel ramp down to the ford bulldozed out. Guess they got tired of draggin' tourists and their broke SUVs out of there.

Bill

[zarrinvz24]

Durango is a beautiful area. I'd imagine the weather is about perfect this time of year for a ride on the narrow gauge railroad.

[starmac]

You can always get a drink out of the Animas while you are there, I hear they have added some spices to it lately. If you do ride up to Silverton, you should go an over red hill to Ouray.

[archmaker]

So when I was out there 20 years ago and not sure if these are still good, but here is a few things I enjoyed when I spent a summer out there.

There is a forest trail behind the town, basically as you are leaving town headed toward Silverton, W32nd street, right on 4th street, Animas Mountain Trail, will wind you through the mountain above Durango and has a nice overlook spot you can see the whole valley.

I found myself spending a lot of my time in the La Plata's there is road just as you cross La Plata river that goes North into the Mountains, Louis L'amour had planned on having a movie lot out in the valley. I spent a little time panning gold in the river. Also you can park at/near Purgatory, cross the highway, and there is a nice trail that goes down to the Animas river, (which might not be a good idea with issue it is having, but may be above the issue).

Valicito reservoir is also a nice place to go, you are on the backside of the Needles and the view is great.

As for the million dollar highway there is for the adventurous the Old Lime Creek road, I took it in my 86 Blazer, and not an issue, and I meet cars on the road, but it is narrow and no guardrail, there was one spot about 1k foot drop and several cars at the bottom.

[Gar]

If you decide to ride up to Silverton, be sure to check out the museum next to the courthouse. It's well worth the time.

[MtGun44]

I have hunted elk, and mountain biked and hiked in the summer, about 15 miles north. I was in a motel there Sept 11th and saw the second plane hit live.

Good train museum there in town, for free. Worth the visit, has a bunch of non-train old stuff, cars and a neat model train layout.

Nice old school western/outdoors store right downtown that has some truly amazing elk heads on the walls. Was through a few months back but didn't really spend much time. You can get a glider ride a few miles north of town, ought to be pretty spectacular in that terrain. Biking, hiking and kyaking in the summer, hunting in the winter. Mesa Verde is not too far away.

Bill

[Thumbcocker]

The river is looking ok. It rained yesterday. Illinois to Durango in two days is a pretty good haul. We got here too late for the train. Going to check out town and Mesa Verde. Really looking forward to Utah.

[waarp8nt]

If your going from Mesa Verde into to Utah, you might want to stop by Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon on the way.

[Dirtdgger]

If you make it up to silverton take the cinnamon pass over to lake city. Great scenery going over the pass might need a four wheel drive to go over.

[Russel Nash]

Yep!

The then girlfriend and I took the Durango to Silverton narrow gauge railroad back in 2004.

I had sprung for the expensive caboose seats.

I learned that burning coal is surprisingly dirty. Soot covered parts on the outside of the train.

It was very. Very scenic.

If I remember right, there was a little airfield around there that had glider/sailplane operations. The only thing neater than taking that train would have been taking a glider up and taking in all the mountain scenery from a few thousand feet up...with just the sound of air wooshing by.

EDIT: just going from Durango to Colorado Springs is like 5 and a half hours.

Doing google maps for Durango to Springfield, IL is 17 plus hours.

I drove back through Kansas at night which is probably about the best way to view Kansas. :)