Durango, County seat in La Plata County, Colorado, United States.
Durango is a county seat in southwestern Colorado, situated at 1988 meters elevation within the San Juan Mountains. The town is surrounded by extensive forest lands and serves as a starting point for hiking and mountain excursions.
The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad founded the town in 1881 as a supply center for mines in the San Juan region. The rail line to Silverton carried ore and miners through the mountains and shaped the settlement's development.
Every October, musicians and storytellers gather at the Cowboy Gathering to share songs and tales from the frontier. The event shows how closely the town remains tied to its ranching and cowboy traditions.
The narrow-gauge railroad to Silverton runs daily and offers travelers views of canyons and mountain peaks. Many visitors use the town as a base for trips to nearby national parks and hiking areas.
The archaeological sites at nearby Mesa Verde National Park date from the Anasazi, who lived there between the 6th and 13th centuries. Chimney Rock National Monument also holds remains of pre-Columbian settlements.
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