Best Hikes Near Durango, Colorado
Durango is the gateway to the San Juan Mountains and the southwestern Colorado wilderness, with hiking from town day-walks to multi-day Weminuche Wilderness backpacks.
Ice Lake Basin
A spectacular hike to a pristine turquoise alpine lake surrounded by colorful peaks and abundant wildflowers. One of Colorado's most beautiful destinations.
Highland Mary Lakes
A scenic hike through historic mining territory to a series of alpine lakes with dramatic views of the surrounding San Juan peaks.
Engineer Mountain Trail
Steep climb from Coal Bank Pass on Highway 550 to the summit of Engineer Mountain. Wildflowers in July, distinctive layered rock formations near the top, and full San Juan panorama from the summit.
Vallecito Creek Trail
Day-hike or backpack approach into the southern Weminuche Wilderness following Vallecito Creek. Less crowded than the Pine River. Excellent for shorter day-hikes from the Vallecito Reservoir area.
Hermosa Creek Trail
Long valley trail through the Hermosa Creek Wilderness, popular as a backpack or a mountain-bike shuttle. Hikers usually do a 6-10 mile out-and-back from either trailhead. Aspens turn early September.
Hiking in Durango: what to know
Durango hiking spans three distinct categories: in-town trails (Animas River Trail, Animas Mountain Trail), trails on the Million Dollar Highway corridor (Andrews Lake, Crater Lake, Ice Lake Basin), and the high alpine destinations in the Weminuche Wilderness (Chicago Basin, the Needles).
The Animas River Trail is a 7-mile paved trail running through downtown Durango along the river. It connects multiple parks and is used by locals for commuting and casual recreation. The Animas Overlook Trail provides a quick easy hike to a viewpoint of the city and valley.
For a real Durango day hike, the Animas Mountain Trail (about a 6-mile loop, 1,500 feet of gain) climbs to a summit with views down to town. This is the locals' after-work classic.
The Million Dollar Highway (US 550) accesses some of the best alpine hiking in Colorado. Ice Lake Basin (7 miles round trip, 2,400 feet of gain) is the area showstopper: a high-alpine basin filled with multiple turquoise lakes and wildflowers. Trailhead is at South Mineral Campground near Silverton.
For backcountry trips, Chicago Basin in the Weminuche Wilderness is the iconic destination. Access is by the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: the train drops you at Needleton, and you backpack into a high basin to climb the Eolus, Sunlight, and Windom 14ers. Plan 3-4 days for the full trip.
Vallecito Reservoir, 30 minutes northeast of Durango, has shoreline trails and longer hikes into the Weminuche.
Durango sits at 6,512 feet, which makes it a reasonable acclimatization stop for visitors planning the high San Juan hikes (most of the alpine hikes start above 9,000 feet).
Mid-September fall colors in the San Juans are some of the most dramatic in Colorado. The Durango & Silverton train ride during fall colors is justifiably popular.