Durango is nestled in the Animas River Valley surrounded by the San Juan Mountains. The Animas River - El Río de las Animas Perdidas or the River of Lost Souls - runs through downtown and boasts gold medal fly-fishing waters and is very popular for whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing. Durango is an outdoor activity paradise - Hiking, mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, rock climbing, hunting, off-roading, year-round fishing, kayaking, rafting and golfing - to name just a few.
Durango is one of the most scenic towns in the United States and is a favorite vacation spot both in the winter and summer. The area abounds with mountain and high desert hiking areas, trout fishing and some of the best big game hunting in the United States.
Durango has also become one of the West's latest boomtowns, attracting a large influx of long-distance computerized teleworkers. Combine them with the local population of students from Fort Lewis College and outdoors enthusiasts who come to ride their mountain bikes in the area, and you end up with a town, which has a youthful, energetic buzz.
n the winter, Durango has easy access to five major ski areas, including the Durango Mountain Resort at Purgatory, located just 30 minutes north of downtown. Located 35 miles west of Durango is Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwellings.
Durango was founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1879. The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. By July of 1882 (amazingly, only 9 months after construction began) the tracks to Silverton were completed, and the train began hauling both freight and passengers. The line was constructed to haul silver & gold ore from the San Juan Mountains, but passengers soon realized it was the view that was truly precious.
Although Durango has the charming feeling of a small town community, it is not at all void of culture and entertainment. Music abounds at annual festivals ranging from the internationally-renown classical series Music in the Mountains, to the grassroots Durango Bluegrass Meltdown. Live jazz, blues, swing, Celtic, country and rock - it all can be relished in Durango, Colorado.
Housing Cost
Single family residential homes for sale typically range from $160,000 to $1,000,000 and up. Condominiums and town homes for sale range from $85,000 to $550,000.
Demographics
Estimated population in July 2005: 15,501. Durango covers 6.8 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 6,523 feet above sea level.
Zip codes: 81301 - Area code: 970
Climate
Durango, CO climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 85.10 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 12.10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during summer with a difference that can reach 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Durango is 19.33 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is August with an average rainfall of 2.58 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
s Animas Perdidas or the River of Lost Souls - runs through downtown and boasts gold medal fly-fishing waters and is very popular for whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing. Durango is an outdoor activity paradise - Hiking, mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, rock climbing, hunting, off-roading, year-round fishing, kayaking, rafting and golfing - to name just a few.
one of the West's latest boomtowns, attracting a large influx of long-distance computerized teleworkers. Combine them with the local population of students from Fort Lewis College and outdoors enthusiasts who come to ride their mountain bikes in the area, and you end up with a town, which has a youthful, energetic buzz.