Durango and Silverton Adventure

Well, we did it! Mike and I got away for an adventure! Lisa went to cheer camp at the U of U and we decided to go somewhere we had never gone before! It had to be a quick trip because we only had a few days before picking Lisa up from camp.

We threw out a few ideas and then I remembered that the lady that does my hair told me that the Durango and Silverton Adventure was a must!

Here’s a little history about the area. Durango, Colorado was founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1879. The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. By July of 1882, the tracks to Silverton were completed, and the train began hauling both freight and passengers.

The line was constructed to haul silver & gold ore from Southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, but passengers soon realized it was the view that was truly precious.

This historic train has been in continuous operation between Durango and Silverton since 1882, carrying passengers behind vintage steam locomotives and rolling stock indigenous to the line. It is a family-friendly ride sure to create memories that will last a lifetime while offering a view of Colorado’s mountain splendor inaccessible by highway. Relive the sights and sounds of yesteryear for a spectacular journey on board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

We were so excited when we arrived in Durango! We didn’t know what to expect because neither of us had ever been in this part of Colorado. It’s beautiful!! For those of you from Utah, it reminds me a little of Park City. We wanted the whole experience so we stayed in the Historic Grand Imperial Hotel. I felt like we had gone back in time! The town was so charming and has fun stores to shop in and great food!

The next day, we headed to the station to experience the train! It’s a beautiful ride! It does take about 5 hours to get to Silverton and it’s a pretty bumpy ride. There were several kids in our car and it seemed to be too long of a ride for them. My suggestion if you are taking kids, take snacks and activities for them to do.

Once we arrived in Silverton, we felt like we were in a different century! Dirt roads and such a small town! When we booked our excursion, the girl that was helping us that didn’t know much about the experience, so we decided to stay the night in Silverton. We stayed at the Strater Hotel. It is the cleanest hotel I have ever stayed in! It smelled so fresh when we opened the door.

After we checked into the hotel, we wandered around and enjoyed the hometown flavor and the fun shops along the main street.

We walked to the local museum, The San Juan County Mining Heritage Museum. It was so fun to see and experience the history of the town.

For such a little town they had amazing food! We ate at 3 of the restaurants and wasn’t disappointed once! We ate at the Thee Pitt’s again! It’s family-owned and is award-winning. It was even featured on the Food Network!

There are only about 900 people that live in this town in the Summer. So when it hits 6 pm the town rolls up their streets and it becomes a ghost town! Super nice people! My advice if you are planning on visiting Durango and Silverton. Get on the train in Durango in the early morning and then ride the bus back, and stay in Durango. Many more things to experience unless you plan an off-road trip in Silverton.