COME TO LIFE / Spirit of the Southwest SPIRIT OF THE SOUTHWEST: DURANGO, SILVERTON & PAGOSA SPRINGS COLORADO In southwest Colorado, everything seems a little more: higher mountains, bluer skies and so many activities you’ll have a hard time choosing. Spending just a few days will give you a taste of the glories of true Southwest living. DAY 1 In Durango, historic buildings housing award-winning restau-rants, craft breweries and art galleries line Main Avenue and surrounding blocks, cyclists zip through the streets and you hear the toot-toot of the departing Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (2) . The train has been operating continuously for 135 years, and a ride on its rails is a must. Opt for a one-way ride with a motorcoach return trip to afford more time to explore the historic mining town of Silverton. The tracks take the steam-powered train through parts of the San Juan National Forest that are impenetrable by car. If you’d like to experience the wilderness rather than just watching it rush by, you can use the train to access the Weminuche Wilderness (1) . It makes two stops along its route, where adventurous travelers can disembark or board the train for a convenient way to explore some of the most pristine and remote wilderness in the state. Once in Silverton , enjoy the storybook mining village’s well-preserved splendor. The entire town is a designated a National Historic Landmark and an archetypal example of a mining town that reinvented itself after the ore disappeared. There are shops and restaurants to explore, as well as historical 1 4 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: WEMINUCHE WILDERNESS, KENNAN HARVEY; ICE LAKES BASIN, KENNAN HARVEY; THE SPRINGS RESORT AND SPA, @RAYYYRAY14; ROCHESTER HOTEL IN DURANGO, ERIC LINDBERG; DURANGO & SILVERTON NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD, KENNAN HARVEY. 2 3 @rayyyray14 5 QUICK TIP 124 / Visit durango.org/crafted-beverages for a Crafted Beverages of Southwest Colorado tour, which leads past nearly 30 independent and unique breweries, distilleries, wineries and cideries in this part of the state. COLORADO.COM
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2018: Page 124
