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An Insider’s Guide to Durango, Colorado’s Most Underrated Western Town

If you’re ready to trade the crowds of Colorado’s tourist-filled resort towns for something a bit more real and rugged, here’s how to eat, drink and explore your way through Durango.

Durango, Colorado, is one of the most underrated slices of mountain country in the American West. I’ve grown up coming to the area every summer, and am lucky to have a family home in a nearby town. My grandfather bought a small cabin in the woods for about $27,000 in the 1970s, and we’ve kept it in the family ever since. This quiet, rugged slice of the San Juan Mountains is my personal refuge, offering the occasional, much-needed escape from Los Angeles. And whenever I find myself needing a break from my ultra-remote retreat in nature, I drive about 45 minutes over to Durango, and remember just how much this former smelting hub has to offer.

As someone who has spent time in Jackson Hole, Aspen, Bozeman, Paradise Valley and Vail, I can’t quite comprehend why travelers continue to overlook Durango. Don’t get me wrong—those places are all stunning, and they admittedly offer more luxurious amenities and traditional resorts than what’s available in La Plata County. 

And yet, those craving a western getaway that’s nicely balanced between adventurous and restorative will find Durango particularly rewarding, thanks to its pristine wilderness and endless outdoor excursions. In the summer, the scenic hiking trails are framed by lush wildflowers and the occasional rogue raspberry bush, whether you’re looking to stroll along the Animas River or get lost among the glimmering aspen trees while discovering epic alpine views. There are lakes for swimming, streams for fishing and whitewater rivers for rafting. In the winter, Purgatory Resort is a mecca for skiers, as the steep cliffs of Million Dollar Highway become blanketed in sparkling snow. While I prefer summer and fall to winter, the Victorian storefronts and railroad heritage are on display all year long, making Durango a quintessential thread in the history of America’s Wild West. If you’re ready to trade the crowds of Colorado’s more famous—and crowded—resort towns for something a bit more real and rugged, here’s how to eat, drink and explore your way through Durango.

An Insider's Guide to Durango, Colorado

The General Palmer Hotel

Hang your hiking boots for an extra night…

Additional mountain munchies…

Steamworks Brewing Company

For another round or two…

Take advantage of the great outdoors

Take the train to Silverton

Pay a visit to Bar D Chuckwagon

Explore the nearby Mesa Verde National Park

721 E 2nd Ave, Durango, CO 81301

The Leland House is a family-owned hotel situated within a charming red-brick building from 1927. All 12 restored guest rooms have been outfitted with mini kitchens or kitchenettes, giving guests a home-away-from-home setup for long or short stays in Durango. The boutique inn is nicely balanced between storied, Victorian-era character and modern amenities like free parking and EV charging, en-suite gas fireplaces and Aveda products in the bathrooms.

699 Main Ave, Durango, CO 81301

Home to one of the world's largest collections of American Victorian walnut antiques, the historic Strater Hotel has been around since the Gilded Age. The 88-room property debuted in 1887, and today, it serves as downtown Durango’s most popular........

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