Durango is nestled in the mountains of southwest Colorado at an altitude of 6,512 feet. To the south is high desert and to the north are the rugged
San Juan mountains.
As of the 2012 census estimate, there were about 17,000 people residing in the city. La Plata County has a population of about 52,000 The ethnic makeup of the city in 2010 was 78.6% White, 0.6% African American, 6.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian,3.0% other, and 3.0% from two or more ancestries. Hispanics were 12.3% of the population in 2000.Data provided add up to over 100%.
The Animas River runs through downtown and boasts excellent fly-fishing waters, and is popular for whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing. Durango is also popular for outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, rock climbing, hunting, off-roading, year-round fishing,
kayaking and golfing. Durango enjoys two tourist seasons--summer for family vacations and winter for ski vacations. About one-quarter of the economy depends on tourism with the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway the main summertime draw. The Durango Mountain Resort ski area is the largest wintertime attraction. Despite the high number of tourists, Durango feels like a "home town" with a real sense of community. It is great to attend a San Juan Symphony concert and run into many close friends.
Main Avenue cuts through downtown Durango, home to boutiques, restaurants, newsstands, tourist and gift shops, a mall, bars, lounges and other businesses. Many buildings downtown are several stories high and include apartments on the upper levels. Durango's two oldest hotels, The General Palmer and the Strater, are both near the south end of Main Avenue, one and two blocks away from the train station, respectively. It is also home to many restaurants serving a wide variety of cuisines including Mexican, Italian, French, Thai, Indian and Japanese and others serve American favorites. Thousands of tourists walk Main Avenue each week, making it the most popular shopping and relaxing tourist destination in Durango.
Cultural organizations active in Durango include the San Juan Symphony (four concerts per year), Music in the Mountains (a three week summer festival with concerts daily), the UUFD recital series and the 3rd Avenue Arts series of concerts. The Durango Arts Center is a showcase for the visual arts as well as plays and musicals. The downtown area has numerous art galleries. Even long term residents are amazed at the number of events and celebrations in Durango. In addition, the city has numerous volunteer opportunities at non-profit organizations.
Institutions of higher education include:
Fort Lewis College, a four-year liberal arts college enrolling approximately 4,5000 students, contributes a “college town” atmosphere to Durango. In addition to the lively energy that the students bring to the community, there are opportunities to take or audit classes, participate in the Continuing Education program or in the Professional Associates–-a group of community members working to support and enhance college programs. The Community Concert Hall provides a full season of a wide variety of entertainment; the Center of Southwest Studies presents educational programs as well as ongoing exhibits in their gallery; the Art department maintains a gallery featuring student and community artists; the Theater Department provides a full theater season; and the Music Department provides ongoing concerts by faculty and students. The School of Business maintains an
active interface with the community offering education and consultation. The Life Long Learning program offers weekly lectures on a wide variety of topics. In the fall of 2013 four of the ten lectures will be given by UUFD members.
Southwest Colorado Community College, a branch of Pueblo Community College, is located in the Central Business District, on Camino del Rio.
San Juan Basin Technical College, located outside of Cortez, Colorado, 45 miles away, offers EMT certification in Durango.
Additional information about Durango can be found at www.durangogov.org.
San Juan mountains.
As of the 2012 census estimate, there were about 17,000 people residing in the city. La Plata County has a population of about 52,000 The ethnic makeup of the city in 2010 was 78.6% White, 0.6% African American, 6.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian,3.0% other, and 3.0% from two or more ancestries. Hispanics were 12.3% of the population in 2000.Data provided add up to over 100%.
The Animas River runs through downtown and boasts excellent fly-fishing waters, and is popular for whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing. Durango is also popular for outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, rock climbing, hunting, off-roading, year-round fishing,
kayaking and golfing. Durango enjoys two tourist seasons--summer for family vacations and winter for ski vacations. About one-quarter of the economy depends on tourism with the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway the main summertime draw. The Durango Mountain Resort ski area is the largest wintertime attraction. Despite the high number of tourists, Durango feels like a "home town" with a real sense of community. It is great to attend a San Juan Symphony concert and run into many close friends.
Main Avenue cuts through downtown Durango, home to boutiques, restaurants, newsstands, tourist and gift shops, a mall, bars, lounges and other businesses. Many buildings downtown are several stories high and include apartments on the upper levels. Durango's two oldest hotels, The General Palmer and the Strater, are both near the south end of Main Avenue, one and two blocks away from the train station, respectively. It is also home to many restaurants serving a wide variety of cuisines including Mexican, Italian, French, Thai, Indian and Japanese and others serve American favorites. Thousands of tourists walk Main Avenue each week, making it the most popular shopping and relaxing tourist destination in Durango.
Cultural organizations active in Durango include the San Juan Symphony (four concerts per year), Music in the Mountains (a three week summer festival with concerts daily), the UUFD recital series and the 3rd Avenue Arts series of concerts. The Durango Arts Center is a showcase for the visual arts as well as plays and musicals. The downtown area has numerous art galleries. Even long term residents are amazed at the number of events and celebrations in Durango. In addition, the city has numerous volunteer opportunities at non-profit organizations.
Institutions of higher education include:
Fort Lewis College, a four-year liberal arts college enrolling approximately 4,5000 students, contributes a “college town” atmosphere to Durango. In addition to the lively energy that the students bring to the community, there are opportunities to take or audit classes, participate in the Continuing Education program or in the Professional Associates–-a group of community members working to support and enhance college programs. The Community Concert Hall provides a full season of a wide variety of entertainment; the Center of Southwest Studies presents educational programs as well as ongoing exhibits in their gallery; the Art department maintains a gallery featuring student and community artists; the Theater Department provides a full theater season; and the Music Department provides ongoing concerts by faculty and students. The School of Business maintains an
active interface with the community offering education and consultation. The Life Long Learning program offers weekly lectures on a wide variety of topics. In the fall of 2013 four of the ten lectures will be given by UUFD members.
Southwest Colorado Community College, a branch of Pueblo Community College, is located in the Central Business District, on Camino del Rio.
San Juan Basin Technical College, located outside of Cortez, Colorado, 45 miles away, offers EMT certification in Durango.
Additional information about Durango can be found at www.durangogov.org.