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DURANGO GENERAL INFORMATION
Tourism information
Durango Area Tourism Office
Welcome Center: 802 Main Avenue, Durango, CO 81301
RV/Other: 111 S Camino del Rio or P.O. Box 2321, Durango, CO 81302
970-247-3500, 1-800-525-8855
E-MAIL: info@durango.org
MEDIA CONTACT
Anne Klein, Durango Area Tourism Office
970-749-0991, anne@durango.org
Elevation
6,512 feet above sea level
Climate
Over 300 days of sunshine, Transition zone between semi-arid and mountain
- Summer daytime temps in the 70's/80's, nighttime lows in the 50’s
- Winter daytime temps in the high 30’s, nighttime lows in the 20’s
Annual snowfall
DMR 260 inches, in city 71 inches
Population
Approximately 17,000 in the City of Durango, Approximately 51,000 including La Plata County
City Size
City itself takes up 4.37 square miles, while La Plata County is spread across 1700 square miles
Coordinates
37°16'31 N 107°52'48 W
DMA
Albuquerque
National Forest
Located in San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests
Mountain Range
San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains
Wilderness Area
Weminuche Wilderness Area - 490,000 acres, elevation 8,000 – 14,000 feet, wilderness cut by 80 miles of the Continental Divide Trail & 21 miles of the Colorado Trail, Peaks over 13,000 feet with three towers in the Needles surpassing 14,000 feet
Mayor
Christina Rinderle
City Council
Mayor Pro Tem Doug Lyon (April 2012), Councilor Paul Broderick, Councilor Dick White, and Councilor Sweetie Marbury
City Manager
Ron LeBlanc
County Commissioners
Kellie Hotter, Robert (Bobby) Lieb, Jr., and Wally White
District Representatives
Mark Udall and Michael Bennet (US Congress), Scott Tipton (US House of Representatives), Ellen Roberts (State Senator), J. Paul Brown (State Representative)
Ski Resort
Ski Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort is located 25 miles north of Durango. 1360 acres of skiable terrain served by eleven lifts with an average snowfall of 260 inches and 2,029 feet of vertical drop. Base elevation is 8,793 feet, Summit elevation is 10,822 feet
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.
Newspapers
The Durango Herald, The Durango Telegraph, Fort Lewis College Independent
Local Radio Stations
American General Media (KDGO/KPTE), Four Corners Broadcasting (KIQX/KIUP/KKDC/KRSJ), Four Corners Public Radio (KSUT), Durango Community Radio (KDUR)
Television/Cable Stations
KREZ-TV/KRQE (CBS), KRMU/KRMA (PBS), KTLL-TV, Comcast Cable
Durango Area Awards
- 2012 “Best of the West, Best Historic Hotel,” True West Magazine, General Palmer
- 2012 “Top 10 US Travel Destinations for 2012,” Lonely Planet
- 2012 “Distinctive Dozen,” NTA Courier, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Gold Medal
- 2012 “Ten Great Races in Amazing Places,” National Geographic, Iron Horse Bicycle Classic
- 2011 "Top Ten Western Towns,” True West Magazine
- 2011 “Top 200 Towns,” Outdoor Life
- 2011 “Best Places to Live,” Men’s Journal
- 2011 “Top 'micropolitan' area in U.S.” Policom
- 2011 “Award of Merit,” American Association for State and Local History, La Plata County Historical Society
- 2011 “Life is Better Here,” Outside Magazine, Finest places you’d ever like to call home
- 2011 “An international foodie's annual list of the year's best (and worst) food,” Denver Post, Ore House
- 2010 “Town to Watch,” True West Magazine
- 2010 “The Top 20 Ski Resorts in America,” Aroundme.com
- 2010 “Top Ten Ski Resorts to Down a Local Beer,” Away.com
- 2010 “Governor’s Award,”
- 2010 “Top Small Town for Meetings & Events,” Meetings & Events
- 2010 “Green Power Community” – Environmental Protection Agency
- 2009 “Top 20 Romantic Getaways,” Sunset Magazine
- 2009 “America’s 200 best Hunting and Fishing Towns,” Outdoor Life
- 2009 "The West's 20 Best Small Towns,” Sunset Magazine
- 2009 “Top Ten Train Rides,” Society of American Travel Writers
- 2009 “Best Places to Live in Rural America,” Progressive Farmer
- 2009 “Top 10 Places to Raise an Outdoor Child,” Backpacker Magazine, CBS news
- 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 Resort,” 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
Airport
Durango-La Plata County Airport. Jet service to Denver, Dallas and Phoenix, http://flydurango.com/
College
Fort Lewis College is part of the Colorado State system. Liberal Arts College boasts a top-rated business school, theatre and science programs. Cycling and soccer programs have won NCAA championships.
State Motto
Nil sine Numine, “Nothing without the Deity”
State Bird
Lark Bunting
State Flower
White and Lavender Rocky Mountain Columbine
Year of Statehood
1876, nicknamed “The Centennial State”
Governor
John Hickenlooper
