WWingAwayWEEKENDSFly to lunchDestination guide 228
Colorado · Couples · Two nights

Durango & Mesa Verde

Steam trains and cliff dwellings.

Durango grew up around the railroad, and its 1882 narrow-gauge line still runs coal-fired steam trains 45 miles up the Animas River canyon to the mining town of Silverton. Land at Durango–La Plata County, stay at the Victorian Strater Hotel, ride the train through the San Juans, and save a day for Mesa Verde National Park, where the Ancestral Puebloans built whole villages into the cliffs eight centuries ago.

Steam trainNational parkWestern town
See the weekend itineraryFlight & arrival details
A Durango & Silverton narrow-gauge steam locomotive
A Durango & Silverton steam train.
YOUR ROUTEKMYR to KDRO
STRAIGHT-LINE DISTANCE~1420 NM
ILLUSTRATIVE FLIGHT TIME~9 hr 40 min
WEEKEND STYLETwo nights · Rental car or shuttle

Time illustration: direct distance at 150 KTAS plus 15 minutes for departure and arrival, matching the discovery page. Use ForeFlight for your actual flight plan.

01 / Aviation & getting around

Land at Durango–La Plata County.

KDRO, Durango–La Plata County, is a non-towered airport at 6,689 feet with a 9,201-foot runway, about 20 minutes southeast of downtown.

The FBO

Avflight Durango

Durango–La Plata County Airport, Durango, CO

970-259-7400

Long runway but high elevation; summer density altitude is significant. A landing fee applies. Animas Air Park (00C), closer to town, is a small alternative. No live fuel price is shown.

Mountain flying: high density altitude on summer afternoons, mountain wave and strong winds over the ridges, afternoon thunderstorms from July to September, and winter snow and icing. Consider a mountain-flying course before you go. About 1420 nm from Myrtle Beach: two long days each way with several fuel stops. Plan a week, or overnight on the way out and back.

02 / Where to stay

Victorian hotels on Main Avenue.

Rates and availability need travel dates. Book summer train weekends early.

03 / Where to eat

Steaks and brewpubs.

Reserve weekend dinners.

04 / Things to do

Rails and ruins.

Reserve train seats and Mesa Verde cliff-dwelling tours ahead.

01

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Steam trains up the Animas canyon to Silverton.

D&SNGRR
02

Mesa Verde National Park

Cliff Palace and Balcony House on ranger-guided tours.

NPS
03

Animas River Trail

A paved path along the river through town.

Visit Durango
04

Silverton

A high mining town at the end of the line.

Visit Durango
05 / What’s happening

Sometimes the season is the reason to fly.

This prototype links to the local visitor site. It does not yet match events to your travel dates.

Concerts, festivals & local happenings

Check the local calendar when choosing a weekend, and confirm dates and tickets with the organizer.

Browse Durango events
06 / Suggested itinerary

Friday in. Sunday home.

A sample Durango weekend. This is a two-day flight each way; plan a week. No bookings or availability confirmed.

DAY 1

Arrive

  1. Arrival

    Land at KDRO, subject to weather, density altitude and your actual flight plan.

  2. Afternoon

    Walk Main Avenue and the river trail.

  3. Evening

    Dinner at Steamworks.

DAY 2

Explore

  1. Morning

    The steam train to Silverton.

  2. Afternoon

    Lunch in Silverton, then back by train or bus.

  3. Evening

    Dinner at the Ore House.

DAY 3

Morning & home

  1. Morning

    Mesa Verde, then fly home from Durango.

  2. Before leaving

    Compute takeoff performance for the morning temperature and allow time at the FBO.

  3. Fly home

    Mountain afternoons bring wind, turbulence and storms; leave early.

07 / Good to know

Keep the weekend easy to change.

These details make the difference between an appealing list and a usable getaway.

Book in this order

Train seats, hotel, then Mesa Verde tours.

Very long flight

About 1,420 nm: two days each way.

Altitude

Mesa Verde and Silverton are higher still; take it easy.

Best seasons

May to October.

Reviewed · Destination 228

Reviewed November 6, 2026.

Picks and links reviewed by WingAway Weekends. Hours, prices, menus and availability change often, so confirm directly with each place before booking.

WingAway Weekends helps you discover the destination. Use ForeFlight and current official aviation information for route, performance, weather, NOTAMs and preflight decisions. Flight planning and PIC responsibility stay with the pilot.