Touching down at Durango-La Plata County Airport in Durango keeps you central, with Mesa Verde, Silverton, and the San Juan Mountains an easy drive away. Durango is a historic railroad town on the Animas River with a lively Main Avenue of brick storefronts, bike shops, and breweries. It balances old-west character with a college-town energy from Fort Lewis College on the mesa above.

Standout experiences around Durango: - Ride the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad through the Animas canyon - Explore the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, about 45 minutes west - Drive the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton, a mining town frozen in time - Raft or tube the Animas River right through the middle of town - Ski Purgatory Resort or hike its trails in summer, 25 minutes north - Walk Main Avenue and step into the Strater Hotel, open since 1887 - Bike the Animas River Trail, which runs for miles along the water - Sample local beer at Ska Brewing or Steamworks - Soak in the hot springs at Pagosa Springs, an hour east - Stand in four states at once at Four Corners Monument

Durango is the gateway to the San Juan Mountains, Colorado's most rugged range, and the trailheads start minutes from downtown. Chimney Rock National Monument, an ancient Puebloan site, sits on the road to Pagosa Springs, and the Ute Mountain Tribal Park offers guided tours of less-visited ruins near Cortez. Snow stays on the high peaks into June, while the valley warms up for river season by May.