However, you can also drive up the scenic road yourself, join a guided bus tour, or even take a train to the top! (easiest one, no scary mountain driving haha), and if you can suggest good places to stop and eat? more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Brittany is an award-winning journalist based in Denver where she has lived and worked for more than a decade. briken - Denver to Durango is about 403 mi. Afternoons can be hot and windy though. As far as rafting day trips go, it doesnt get much easier or more fun than this! That made for about a 70-mile loop of incredible mountain views! Not to mention, its known as one of the most treacherous roads in the state. High average elevation of 10,000 feet and a few passes over 12,000 feet. Or, Highway 285 to 160 is more scenic and has mountains but is not scary. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a6e6fde05a476155cc84d0616c8a9c0f" );document.getElementById("b934630cd5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi! Another great activity to do near Denver is driving the, Of course, theres an endless list of things to do and places to see in and around Denver. Driving Distance: 941 miles. Dunes, not to be missed with children. It serves as one of the main routes to Colorado's ski country including Vail, Aspen, Winter Park, Keystone, and Breckenridge. When winter weather strikes, motorists are often advised to avoid taking I-25 from Castle Rock to Colorado Springs, particularly in the Monument Hill area where harsh weather tends to hit the hardest. Regular fuel costs are around $3.96 per gallon for your trip. I will be making this trip next week and look forward to seeing all this. If you drive that route without stops it app.takes 6 hours. All deals One way Roundtrip Tue, Mar 21 DEN Denver DRO Durango $195 One way just found Loveland Pass Summit in Winter. If you intend to make all (or even a few) of these stops, youre likely going to want to find a place to stay to break up the drive. By Jeremy P. Meyer | jpmeyer@denverpost.com | The Denver Post. Back in Durango, drive east on U.S. 160; get your camera ready for breathtaking views of the snow-flecked La Plata Mountain Range. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. You will likely be going over Wolf Creek Pass and if this is a winter trip you will be going over one of the snowiest passes in the state, but it is plowed and maintained. Traffic jam westbound I-70 highway Photo Credit: milehightraveler (iStock). When visiting Colorado Springs, 100% the number one thing to do is check out the Garden of the Gods. Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC), Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Durango, Holiday Inn & Suites Durango Downtown, an IHG Hotel, Denver to Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, Glendale Los Angeles County CA USA to Durango CO USA, Petrified Forest National Park to Durango CO USA, There is a social distancing requirement of 2 metres. Your trip begins in Denver, Colorado. Another route, is to take US285 sw from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Not much to recommend for food along the way. It's said to be one of the most dangerous roads in Colorado. What are the roads like, and what do I need to know about driving in Colorado? Photo Credit: Jerilee Bennett. Aspen vs Vail vs Breckenridge: Which Colorado Town to Visit? It is located between I-70 and Keystone, offering an alternative route to I-70 and the Eisenhower Tunnel. Start early in the day, bring plenty of water and snacks, and be sure to dress in layers. But those in the know, slow down and stop in four . Planning other road trips from Denver? From: 1 traveler 2 travelers 3 travelers 4 travelers 5 travelers 6 travelers. Although its a small mountain town, its bursting at the seams with history, scenery, and adventure opportunities. The reason why it's so long is because there is no direct bus service between the two cities. If youre looking for an all-in-one Colorado destination, Durangos definitely the place to be. Total Distance: 1,098 miles *Time and distance may vary depending on traffic, change in routes, stops along the way, etc. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-75890236', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Pagosa Springs are the only 2 I hit along the route. Roundtrip One-way Multi-city 1 traveler Economy Leaving from Going to Departing Returning Add a place to stay Add a car Direct flights only Cheap Flights from Denver Intl. Colorado is a beautiful state to drive through and the road from Denver to Durango has many places worth stopping to see, even if you're taking the shortest route. Answer 1 of 6: My friends and I are coming from Europe to Denver Airport and we are supposed to go to Durango by car. You can also fly from Denver to Durango, if all this seems to be too much. Now I am thinking of taking another route. Pricing is calculated from the Purgatory Transportation Terminal in Durango, Colorado, and is based on vehicle capacity and mileage as follows: 1-4 passengers $2.50 per mile; 5-10 passengers $3.00 per mile; 11-29 passengers $3.50 per mile. Not far from the New Mexico border, Durango is actually closer to Albuquerque than Denver, with 215 miles between them. This protected archaeological site of San Juan National Forest is best experienced by joining one of the daily guided walking tours offered by the U.S. Forest Service management staff. Durango to Denver drive driving / 2 days / no pets / no RV Durango to Denver road trip planner Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Durango to Denver. The total driving time is 6 hours, 8 minutes. This is the route Google Maps will give you. The Million Dollar Highway is a scenic section of the US-550 highway which runs north to south. The cheapest way to get from Denver to Durango is to drive which costs 75,000-120,000 and takes 6h 33m. At just under four hours, the stretch from Creede to Colorado Springs is the longest drive of this trip. Heading back to Denver takes one last straight-shot drive of one hour and 20 minutes along I-25 N. Just 70 miles along that highway and youll be back in the city at journeys end! Travel along this high alpine road is strongly discouraged amid snow, freezing temperatures, and blowing snow. Photo Credit: Christian Murdock; The Gazette. For more information, see our privacy policy. Only United Airlines operates multiple direct flights a day from Denver International Airport (DEN) and Durango La-Plata County Airport (DOR), which is just 15 miles from downtown Durango. I'd judge the least "scary" of the three to be I-25/US160. Can you please describe the San Juan Skyway/Million $ Hwy/Red Mtn. There are some different ways to approach a stop at the Great Sand Dunes, as visitors are generally welcome to simply take in the views of the dunes from the comfort of paved roads and maintained public areas, or they may strike out on foot and hike on the sands of the national park. After hiking the perimeter trail, take a load off and relax in Ourays Hot Springs. If you are headed to the mountains on the weekend, plan ahead for more traffic than usual. Our next recommendation is to take a guided tour at Mesa Verde National Park. Alpine travel often gets a little sketchy along Loveland Pass, an 8.7-mile road that soars high into the mountains at nearly 12,000 feet. So, pack your bags, fasten your seatbelts, and get ready to hit the road on this Denver to Durango loop road trip! Travel in the winter months can be nerve-wracking along Red Mountain Pass. As the name would suggest, this steep 3-mile hike takes you up to a gorgeous viewpoint overlooking the town and valley beyond. Colorado, United States. Jan 31, 2006. The quickest flight from Denver Airport to Durango Airport is the direct flight which takes 1h 19m. Drive from Denver to Durango 336.1 miles $60 - $90 Fly to Durango, shuttle 5h 22m Fly from Denver (DEN) to Durango (DRO) DEN - DRO Take a shuttle bus from Purgatory Plaza to Durango Transit Center $233 - $570 Fly to Telluride Regional, shuttle 6h 32m Fly from Denver (DEN) to Telluride Regional (TEX) DEN - TEX From Sand Dunes, head west on US160 over Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa. If you'll have the time try to visit both Colorado Springs (Pike's Peak, Garden of the Gods etc.) You might think about adding handicap information for some of the stops. This is the route Google Maps will give you. Lots of good food in Durango. The drive time from Ouray to Durango is approximately one hour and 45 minutes. North Americas largest sandbox contains some 5 billion cubic meters of sand and stands out against the striking backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Avalanches often trigger temporary closures, leaving portions of the road buried under several feet of snow. Then, head toward Ignacio on CO Hwy. There was an error processing your request. If you hit the turn too fast you will go right off the edge. Talk about a flexible experience! Adds about 2.5 hours to the "boring" way, and is incredibly varied and constantly changing. The shorter one (US285 south and US160 west), more scenic, has more mountains. The direct drive from Denver to Durango is 382 mi (614 km), and should have a drive time of 7 hrs 21 mins in normal traffic. There is no direct connection from Denver to Durango. I drive the 285>160 route almost weekly for the last few months. A Google mapping exercise will offer you two routes, one about a half-hour longer than the other. Take a tour from Durango and let someone else drive! Use this list as a springboard to get ideas for stops ranging from national parks and monuments to natural hot springs and quirky tourist attractions that youll find along the way. Drive to Colorado Springs on Interstate 25 and on through Pueblo to Walsenburg where you'll take Hwy 160 west. This trail is close to town and extends to a decent length of 4.3 total miles long. This is a beautiful and quicker drive. It is a 7 hour plus drive, not counting any stops. And as this road trip tends to take only about six to six and a half hours, its easy to pull off in a single day with plenty of time for some stops near the highway. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-13327901', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Denver, then N to I-70E direct to airport. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Another route, is to take US285 sw from Denver toward Buena Vista and then south to Great Sand Dunes. Whichever option you choose, you find incredible scenery unlike anything else in Colorado. Click here to see their availability, Private Rental If its a private vacation rental that youre after in Durango, youll find that there are countless options to choose from. Denver airport - 407 miles - about 7 hours drive depending on weather conditions Albuquerque airport - 244 miles - about 4:10 hours depending on weather conditions There are Greyhound buses that travel between the city of Albuquerque and Durango, but once again self-drive will be the easiest way to get there. It takes approximately 12h 2m to get from Denver to Durango, including transfers. Hwy-347 turns off north from US-50 toward the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park 8 mi (12.8 km) east of Montrose, but this town also marks the start of one of the best-loved roads in the country, the Million Dollar Highway, a classic stretch of two-lane blacktop that forms a swirling ribbon through the San Juan Mountains, the wildest . The train route links Silverton and Durango, and you can even book a seat in a private car.