COME TO LIFE | Durango, Silverton, Pagosa Springs Southwest Spirit of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Day 1 Spending just a few days in Durango, Silverton and Pagosa Springs will give you a taste of the glories of true Southwest living, inspiring ancient monuments and plenty of ways to get the heart racing. In Durango, historical buildings housing art galleries, eateries and breweries line Main Avenue. Cyclists zip through town and the toot-toot of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad sounds. Durango was named one of Outside Magazine’s best adventure hubs for its access to skiing, whitewater, fishing, hiking, byways and mountain-bike trails. Visit the welcome center to find out how to access it all. The train has been operating continuously for nearly 140 years, and a ride on its rails is a must. The tracks roll through parts of the San Juan National Forest that are impenetrable by car. There’s a stop (and combo packages available) at Soaring Tree Top Adventures, an ecotour on 27 ziplines that zooms over the Animas River and through aspens and ponderosas. Or stay on the train to visit Silverton, a storybook mining village with well-preserved splendor. The entire town is a designated 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 sites, including the Mayflower Mill, Old Hundred Gold Mine and Silverton Museum and Jail. If you extend your stay here, you have plenty of options for enjoying the surrounding San Juans, including rafting, horseback riding, epic day hikes up to the waterfalls 112 1-800-COLORADO MATTHEW HAHNEL.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2023: Page 112
