With so much to see and do in Durango, you could spend weeks here and not get it all in. But even if you only have a few days to spend in our mountain paradise, you can still experience the best that Durango has to offer!
With the help of Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours, we’ll let you in on the best ways to see the most of Durango in just three days.
Day 1:
Kick off your adventure on one of Durango’s oldest icons- the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, where you’ll take a winding journey along the Animas River, through the San Juan Mountains between Silverton & Durango. Step back in time as you ride the historic steam train on this picturesque route.
The best way to ride the train is to take the coach bus along the San Juan Skyway from Durango to Silverton. This will get you to Silverton before the crowds from the morning train arrive in this small mountain town. Take your time and explore Silverton, tour a museum, and grab some lunch before you board the train back to Durango. Riding the train back to Durango in the afternoon provides better light for photos and the train travels a bit faster, ensuring you arrive back in Durango on time.
Click here to learn more about the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Day 2:
By your second day in Durango, you’ll have seen almost the full length of the Animas River from the train; now it’s time to get on it!
You’ll start by rafting through town, and learn about the history of Durango from your guide. After a trip through the always exciting whitewater park, you’ll head south of town into the more scenic and remote portion of the trip. Keep an eye out for wildlife as you work your way out of town. As the water levels get lower through the season, the river becomes more technical, allowing you to bump and spin through the water as you float downstream.
You can choose to paddle along with your guide, or sit back and let them do the work while you soak in the scenery and sunshine. Mild to Wild’s half-day trips are perfect for all ages 4 and up. For even more on-the-water adventure and your own hands-on experience, try an inflatable kayak trip! You’ll be in your own kayak, with an instructional guide leading you through the river. This is a great way to increase the adventure level when the water levels are low.
A half-day rafting trip on the lower Animas River is fun the whole family will enjoy, and Mild to Wild’s professional guides and staff create a relaxing, informative, and safe atmosphere. With the best equipment and highest-trained guides, you can be certain your trip is in the right hands.
After your river trip, spend the rest of the day browsing the boutiques and galleries lining historic Main Avenue, then head out to the Bar D Chuckwagon, a Durango mainstay where you’ll get a western themed “Chuckwagon” dinner and show.
Click here to learn more about rafting and kayaking on the Lower Animas River
Day 3:
On your last day in Durango, have an authentic Southwest Colorado adventure on a guided jeep tour. You’ll ride past wildflowers, waterfalls, wildlife and abandoned mining towns as you crawl through canyons, surrounded by high peaks and stunning valleys!
Mild to Wild offers two distinct jeep adventures, both of which are amazing in their own right:
The Durango Jeep Tour travels through beautiful La Plata Canyon (located 10 minutes west of Durango). Your tour will follow the La Plata River to La Plata City, a former mining town. See the last signs of life left here as you pass an intact chimney and the ruins of old mining cabins. Your tour will continue to the top of Kennebec Pass (12,000 feet in elevation), where you’ll be able to see all the way to Cortez and Telluride.
The Silverton Jeep Tour takes you to some of Colorado’s best-preserved mining sites and high mountain vistas. You’ll ride high into the mountains above Silverton, a former mining town itself, along rugged trails and steep drop-offs. Surrounded by some of the best scenery in all of Southwest Colorado, you’ll see beautiful views, flowers, waterfalls, and (if you’re lucky!), maybe even one of Silverton’s resident moose. Explore the mining history of the region and imagine what life was like here in the Wild West.
Click here to learn more about Colorado Jeep tours
After your jeep excursion, head back to town and wind down with live music on one of Durango’s newest outdoor patios, 11th Street Station. Let each family member pick from any of their five resident food trucks, featuring everything from pizza to sushi, Thai to sliders. Watch the sun set behind Hogsback Mountain and start planning your next epic Durango adventure.
For more information about everything Mild to Wild offers, including legendary multi-day raft trips go to www.Mild2WildRafting.com.
