Planning

Welcome Aboard

The Durango Bluegrass Train is a 3.5-hour moving musical experience featuring three consecutive evenings of live bluegrass aboard the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Six artists perform in vintage train coaches as the steam-powered train travels through the dramatic canyons of the San Juan National Forest. Each band performs in its own coach, and passengers are free to move from car to car to listen, dance, and explore. Four coaches offer seating, while two open coaches encourage dancing. Enjoy award-winning craft beer and wine while taking in the scenery of the famous train featured in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The journey culminates along the iconic Highline, where the train hugs sheer cliffs nearly 400 feet above the Animas River, delivering unforgettable sunset views on one of the most scenic railways in the world.

Outdoor Recreation

From the stunning Animas River Valley to towering San Juan peaks, adventure in Durango is everywhere. Enjoy 300 days of sunshine in the locale known for premiere mountain climbing, biking, fishing, and more. Explore local trails out your hotel door in Horse Gulch or “Test Tracks” trail system or make a day out of it and take a drive up the scenic Coal Bank, Molas and Read Mountain Passes with abundant trails surrounding. Inflate your raft and hit the roaring Animas River “town run” for some whitewater or catch the river further up for some mellow stand-up-paddleboarding.

History & Historic Downtown

Durango is a historic railroad town, filled with Victorian-era buildings, mining relics and relics and more. Additionally the town sits on the ancestral homelands and territories of the Ute, Jicarilla Apache, Pueblos of New Mexico, Hopi, and Navajo Nations with rich Indigenous history surrounding including the iconic Mesa Verde National Park.

  • Railroad & Mining History - Stop by the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot to see the fascinating history of railroading, transportation and mining with people from around the world in 12,000 square foot museum. Admission is free.

  • Historic Downtown - Downtown Durango are home to dozens shops, restaurants, galleries, and entertainment options. Take a stroll down Historic Main Avenue and savor the view of the mountains and feel the heritage still alive in the historic buildings.

  • Mesa Verde and Indigenous History - Mesa Verde is located just 35 miles west of Durango Mesa Verde National Park is a World Heritage Site that offers visitors a unique view into the lives of 27 pueblos and tribes.

2nd Street Deli & Sprits

Welcome to 2nd Deli & Spirits. Co-owners Zach Williams and Colin Brunson have been close friends over the past 8 years and decided to roll the dice and go all in on their new deli/bar venture. Colin has lived in Durango for over 15 years while Zach is approaching 9 years. The two of them are both very personable, comical, and motivated people that together have created a great downtown hangout for the community of Durango. They both enjoy skiing, snowboarding, fishing, camping, golfing,rafting…you get it. It’s Durango. Their new favorite pass time however is making tasty cocktails and sandwiches. “At 2nd Deli & Spirits we wanted to create an atmosphere that offered both fast and convenient take out for downtown co-workers as well as a laid back and enjoyable bar atmosphere. With delicious and affordable cocktails, wine by the glass, and a lengthy list of canned and draft beers the bar has something for everyone. Come on down and join us for a sandwich and if you feel like, a cold one.” -Williams & Brunson

Ska Brewing Co.

Somewhere out in Colorado, in the year nineteen hundred and ninety-five, two guys named Dave and Bill learned that while they loved gulping down good beer, they weren’t yet old enough to buy it. They figured an answer to their quandary would appear if they drank enough and listened to enough thinking music, also known as Ska. On the second Skaturday of Skatember it hit them. If they brewed their own beer they’d have all the beer they could ever want. And while they were at it, why not brew the most magnificent suds ever quaffed in their neck of the woods…or any other neck for that matter.

Our onsite kitchen, built from re-purposed shipping containers, serves hand-crafted brick oven pizzas, gourmet sandwiches, salads and kids options. The menu features the freshest, local-est ingredients we can get. Ska’s flavor-packed beers can be found in the recipes too.

Carver Brewing Co.

Carver Brewing Company was founded by Jim and Bill Carver, two brothers from Wisconsin that got their start in a traditional German Bakery. They became early risers, as they worked at the bakery throughout their high school years in the 1970’s. Jim moved out to Aspen in 1975 as an 18-year-old ski bum and continued his livelihood as a baker, Bill followed soon after. Together they opened Carver Brother’s Bakery at the base of the Winter Park Ski area in June of 1983 and brought traditional German baking to the mountains of Colorado.

In 1986, the brothers moved to Durango and opened Carver’s at its current location in the historic downtown. In 1988, Carver Brewing Company became the first brewpub in the Southwest and second in Colorado since prohibition. In the decades that followed, Carver’s has become one of the most medaled breweries on the Western Slope, expanded to create Durango’s largest outdoor Beer Garden, and has donated over $600,000 to community organizations. Carver’s is one of the most-loved local institutions in Durango, winning over the hearts (and stomach’s) of locals and visitors alike.

About the Train

You don't have to be a bluegrass fan to enjoy yourself, the train itself is an amazing experience! The town of Durango 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 the San Juan Mountains, but passengers soon realized it was the view that was truly precious.

This train has been in continuous operation for over 130 years, carrying passengers behind vintage steam locomotives and rolling stock indigenous to the line.

Join us for a magical weekend of bluegrass on the historical Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.