Durango has its deep roots in western history, yet its present-day appeal is universal to every age and interest, from those who partake of everything and anything from the most strenuous outdoor activities to a quiet nap by the river with a good book. The town serves as a gateway to fun in the southwest, with its easy proximity to mountains, desert and waterways, ancient ancestral ruins, historic mining, ranching, lumbering and railroad towns and nearby national parks. Today that railroad’s successor, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, carries new precious material, visitors from around the world who come to ride the classic, turn-of-the-century steam trains. Durango is also home to Fort Lewis College, Colorado’s Campus in the Sky. FLC is a four-year public liberal arts college with twenty-four undergraduate degree programs and an internationally acclaimed Center for Southwest Studies.For the culturally inclined, Durango offers museums, galleries, theater companies, including a live melodrama, musical and dance venues. Here you will also discover a variety of fun restaurants, hot nightclubs, cool outdoor concerts and a multitude of activities. The action and adventure goes on all year long: Snowdown Winter Carnival in February; Iron Horse Bicycle Classic and Cinco De Mayo in May; Animas River Days in June; Durango’s historic Fiesta Days in August; color tours and a wine tasting train trip in the fall; and, holiday activities including concerts and a visit from Santa, who arrives in town riding a caboose pulled by a locomotive. The railroad runs two or more trains a day to Silverton from early May through late October. For skiers, the good stuff starts with Durango Mountain Resort’s opening in November. Golfers take to the greens in all but the snowiest weather. Year-round, soakers love Trimble Hot Springs, north of town on Highway 550. The water is heated by natural springs and there are three outdoor pools waiting to soothe weary travelers. For outdoor enthusiasts, the beautiful San Juan Mountains offer plenty of “wet and dry” sports including wintertime black diamond runs and summertime kayak, canoe, raft and tubing adventures on the Animas and Florida Rivers. Furthering the “western” experience, ten area stables are eager to saddle up “tenderfeet” and experienced riders alike. For airborne inclined adventurers, there are hot air balloon and glider rides. For the younger crowd, Durango Park, located just south of town, has mini golf, go carts and an arcade. The Durango Arts Center on Second Avenue is the home of the Children’s Museum. A special treat for the whole family is the Bar D Chuckwagon, offering hearty barbeque dinners with friendly wranglers who sing up a storm. Newcomers often take the opportunity to use Durango as a starting point to visit other area attractions. Mesa Verde, a World Heritage Site, is only an hour away. The cliff top ruins of the Ancestral Puebloans (formerly known as Anasazi) draw visitors from around the world. Also within an easy drive is the Anasazi Heritage Center near Dolores, which offers two walkable “ruins,” an outstanding museum and interactive displays, especially appealing to children.