Where snowcapped peaks meet the desert Southwest, Durango, Colorado, pulses with natural, historical, and cultural riches. From art galleries to restaurants, 300 days of sunshine to 300 miles of trail, you’ll find college in Durango, Colorado, to be learning like you never imagined.
With 1000-year-old Ancestral Puebloan structures tucked into canyon alcoves, 500-year-old Spanish colonial missions, and 150-year-old mining equipment dotting the landscape of the Four Corners region, Durango is the seat of some of the nation’s most prized archaeological and historical treasures.This is evidenced in the many national parks and monuments honoring the people who have shaped the Southwest.
It doesn’t stop with historical artifacts; Durango's human spirit thrives today. Downtown is full of art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, and local businesses and community organizations.
By day, the city offers cozy delights, like a bustling farmers’ market in the fall. While by night, it buzzes with music and the glow of restaurant windows.
You'll always have fresh terrain with three ski resorts close to Durango, Colorado. Rather than hitting the same slopes every day, you can choose between resort skiing at Wolf Creek, Telluride, and Purgatory, heli-skiing in Silverton, night skiing in Hesperus, and all the backcountry you can imagine.
If skiing is your priority, you’ll find FLC is one of the best colleges near ski resorts anywhere in the Lower 48. What's more, first-year students receive free passes to Purgatory ski resort.
Ride on hundreds of miles of trails leaving right from town. Hit alpine or desert trails for year-round mountain biking within an hour’s drive. People have lived here for years without riding all the trails.
From the canyons of Utah to the tallest peaks of the San Juan Mountains, there’s no shortage of day hikes or backpacking options from Durango—including the Colorado Trail.
Year-round opportunities keep the climbing community busy. From crack climbing in Moab, Utah, to sport and bouldering options in Durango and ice climbing in Ouray, Colorado.