Durango Area Tourism Office
111 S Camino del Rio
P.O. Box 2321
Durango, CO 81302
(970) 247-3500
1-800-525-8855
E-MAIL: info@durango.org
www:durango.org
Anne Klein Barney, Public Relations Consultant
970-749-0991, anne@durango.org
Elevation
6,512 feet above sea level
Climate
Transition zone between semi-arid and mountain
Summer daytime temps in the 70's/80's, night time lows in the 50’s
Winter daytime temps in the high 30’s, night time lows in the 20’s
Population
Approximately 16,000 in the City of Durango
Approximately 50,000 including La Plata County
National Forest
San Juan
Mountain Range
San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains
Town History
Durango was founded in 1880 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, when they extended their line
from Durango to Silverton in order to haul precious metals from high country mines. The Durango &
Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad now hauls only tourists. Last year about 200,000 people rode the
Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Durango Area Awards
2009 "The West's 20 Best Small Towns", Sunset Magazine
2009 “Top 20 Romantic Getaways”, Sunset Magazine
2009 “America’s 200 best Hunting and Fishing Towns”, Outdoor Life
2008 "Top Ten Western Towns", True West Magazine
2008 "7 Great Mountains to Ski with Your Kids", Ski Magazine
2008 "Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation", Colorado Historical Society
2008 "Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community", The League of American Bicyclists
2008 "Colorful Colorado Award", Governor’s Award for Downtown Excellence
2008 "Top 10 Christmas Towns", HGTV
2008 "Top 20 Resorts", Conde Nast Traveler
2007 "America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations", National Trust for Historic Preservation
2007 "Next Best Places to Ski, Live, Invest and Retire", Ski Magazine