Durango Facts
Visitor Information
Visit Durango
Welcome Center: 802 Main Avenue, Durango, CO 81301
RV/Other: 111 S Camino del Rio or P.O. Box 2321, Durango, CO 81302
970-247-3500, 1-800-525-8855
E-MAIL: info@durango.org
www.durango.org
Media Contact
Theresa Blake, Visit Durango
970-764-7783, theresa@treehousepr.com
Elevation
6,512 feet above sea level
Climate
Over 300 days of sunshine, a Transition zone between semi-arid and mountain
- Summer daytime temps in the 70's/80's, nighttime lows in the 50’s
- Winter daytime temps in the high 30’s, nighttime lows in the 20’s
Annual Snowfall
DMR 260 inches, in-city 71 inches
Population
Approximately 17,216 in the City of Durango (2012), Approximately 52,401 including La Plata County (2012)
City Size
City itself takes up 6.8 square miles, while La Plata County is spread across 1,700 square miles
Coordinates
37°16'31 N 107°52'48 W
DMA
Albuquerque
National Forest
Located in San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests
Mountain Range
San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains
Wilderness Area
Weminuche Wilderness Area - 490,000 acres, elevation 8,000 – 14,000 feet, wilderness cut by 80 miles of the Continental Divide Trail & 21 miles of the Colorado Trail, peaks over 13,000 feet with three towers in the Needles surpassing 14,000 feet
Archaeological Sites
Mesa Verde National Park, Four Corners Monument, Chimney Rock National Monument, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, the Anasazi Heritage Museum, Hovenweep, Canyon of the Ancients National Monument and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park are all within a short drive
Mayor
Melissa Youssef
City Council
Councilor Keith Brant, Councilor Sweetie Marbury, Councilor Dean Brookie, and Councilor Dick White
City Manager
Interim: Amber Blake
County Commissioners
Gwen Lachelt, Brad Blake, and Julie Westendorff
District Representatives
Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet (US Congress),
Scott Tipton (US House of Representatives),
Ellen Roberts (State Senator),
Mike McLachlan (State Representative)
Ski Resort
Purgatory Resort (previously Durango Mountain Resort) is located 25 miles north of Durango. 1360 acres of skiable terrain served by eleven lifts with an average snowfall of 260 inches and 2,029 feet of vertical drop. Base elevation is 8,793 feet, summit elevation is 10,822 feet
Town History
Durango was founded in 1880 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, when they extended their line from Durango to Silverton in order to haul precious metals from high country mines. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad now hauls only tourists. Last year over 200,000 people rode the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Newspapers
The Durango Herald, The Durango Telegraph, Fort Lewis College Independent
Local Radio Stations
American General Media (KDGO/KPTE), Four Corners Broadcasting (KIQX/KIUP/KKDC/KRSJ), Four Corners Public Radio (KSUT), Durango Community Radio (KDUR)
Television/Cable Stations
KREZ-TV/KRQE (CBS), KRMU/KRMA (PBS), KTLL-TV, Comcast Cable
Airport
Durango-La Plata County Airport. Jet service to Denver, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. durango-airport.com/
Colleges
Fort Lewis College is part of the Colorado State system. Liberal Arts College boasts a top-rated business school, theatre and science programs. Cycling and soccer programs have won NCAA championships. Southwest Colorado Community College is a division of Pueblo Community College, offering transfer degree options or career & technical pathways to prepare for transfer to four-year colleges or a career.
State Motto
Nil sine Numine, “Nothing without the Deity”
State Bird
Lark Bunting
State Flower
White and Lavender Rocky Mountain Columbine
Year of Statehood
1876, nicknamed “The Centennial State”
Governor
Jared Polis
