Summer days are filled with activities like riding the famous Narrow Gauge Railroad, visiting Mesa Verde, golfing, horseback riding, rafting and jeeping or fishing and relaxing at Lake Vallecito. In the winter, ski at Purgatory, where nine chairlifts service 70 trails for skiers of all abilities, and ride the Winter Train. At night, eat at outstanding restaurants, see melodramas, western stage shows, listen to honky tonk piano and western swing. Year round activities include shopping at our factory outlets, visiting galleries, soaking at near-by hot springs, and more!

Once a frontier mining town, established in 1881, Durango is set on the Animas River in the afternoon shadows of the San Juan Mountains. Here, at the edge of a great desert mesa, warm breezes meet the cool lush forests of the mountains that frame the community with spectacular scenery. In this mixture of fantastic landscapes, the fun begins. Go from sage and sandstone to the high alpine San Juan National Forest, where 13,000 foot peaks, pine carpeted hillsides and the pristine Animas River create a wilderness playground. In Durango, each season delivers its own kind of fun. There are events, festivals, theater, rodeo, chuckwagon dinners, and simple pleasures like strolling the sidewalks.

Vallecito Lake is located a leisurely 25 miles northeast of Durango as is considered one of Colorado's most beautiful mountain lake resorts. This postcard perfect area offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities and excellent facitlities. With a multitude of cabins, resorts, motels, RV parks and campgrounds, restaurants and stores you're in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in the comfort you desire. Boating, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, jeeping or a little relaxing on the front porch - it's a way of life at Vallecito Lake. Easy access to the San Juan National Forest and Weminuche Wilderness Area puts it all at your fingertips.

Durango Area Chamber Resort Association
Box 2587
Durango, CO 81302
(800) GO-DURANGO
Durango Area Website