Community First in Durango, Colorado
The great outdoors, creative food and passion for the community meet in Durango, Colo.
When you spend time in Durango, the first thing you’ll notice is its deeply rooted sense of community. Whether you’re mountain biking a world-class trail, rafting the beautiful Animas River, skiing at Purgatory or eating at one of the town’s 200-plus eateries, you’ll meet with passionate and inspirational locals focused on the good of the community.
Durango has attracted bright and creative chefs from all over the country. Take El Moro Tavern’s chef Sean Clark. He created the first ever food and beer pairing for the James Beard House. Or Beau and Jenna Black, the creators behind The Bookcase and Barber, the two-chair barber shop that’s back-wall-bookcase opens up into a hidden speakeasy when the secret password is mentioned.
“The culinary scene in Durango has never been better,” says El Moro’s general manager David Woodruff. “Every dish here tells a story.”
El Moro Tavern’s modern rustic dishes certainly do. Creative spins on classics like shrimp and grits and marrow bones tell a story of community. In 2016, a fire broke out at the tavern, closing it for three months. The restaurant group, which also owns Steamworks Brewing Company, rallied to both take care of its employees and turn the tragedy into something good for the community. The employees continued to receive their regular paychecks while the restaurant was closed – the only caveat was that they spend the hours they would have been working volunteering in the community. That’s the ethos of Durango: take care of the locals, welcome the visitors, create a sense of community.
Don’t be surprised when you get swept into the community on your first day in town. From the collective excitement when the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad’s steam engine starts billowing to fundraising events like the Rochester Hotel’s Secret Garden Summer Concert Series, you’ll feel part of the community instantly.
Durango’s heart is the railroad. Founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Co. in 1880, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad attracts approximately 200,000 passengers per year. Find out why this is such a popular attraction by taking the nine-hour round-trip train excursion from Durango to the tiny, historic mining town of Silverton. Or if you have limited time, opt for the Skyway Tour, in which you ride the train one way and a bus the other.
A mix of artisans, outdoor enthusiasts and athletes, today Silverton is home to North America’s most extreme, ungroomed, guided heli-skiing area.
But in the late 1800s, it was a booming mining town. Experience what it was like to be a miner by riding a vintage electric-powered mining train one-third of a mile into the heart of 13,000-foot-high Galena Mountain. Not for the claustrophobic, the tour lasts 50 minutes. Afterwards, pan for copper, silver and gold outside.
After riding the train to Silverton or spending the day hiking, biking or rafting, you’ll understand why so many people flock to Durango. Take a piece of this charming town home with you and make one of El Moro Tavern’s specialties in your own kitchen.
For more information:
Durango Visitor Center
(866) 631-7009
802 Main Ave, Durango, CO 81301
durango.org
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum
(877) 872-4607
www.durangotrain.com
El Moro Tavern
(970) 259-5555
945 Main Ave.
elmorotavern.com
Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour
(970) 387-5444
www.minetour.com
Make El Moro Tavern’s Roasted Marrow Bones Appetizer
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 marrow bones
2 cups parsley leaves, minced
¼ cup capers
4 oz. shallots, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. anchovy paste
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sliced baguette, grilled, for serving
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425-degrees.
Add parsley, capers, shallots, lemon juice and anchovy paste to a blender. Blend on medium speed, slowly adding olive oil. Refrigerate.
Sprinkle marrow bones with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Bake for 11-13 minutes and then cool for 2 minutes. Spread parsley sauce on a plate. Place the marrow bones on top of the sauce and enjoy with a baguette.
Durango & Silverton Railroad by the Numbers
| 135 | Years of service |
| $300,000,000 | Worth of precious metals has been hauled by the train |
| 10,000 | Gallons of water is used each trip |
| 12,000 | Pounds of hand-shoveled coal used each trip |
| 1882 | Year tracks to Silverton were completed |
Source: Durango Area Tourism Office; Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce