Denver vs Durango

Durango dude. Disregard all other replies

Durango hands down. Great running there.

Omg hands down Durango. I have lived in Denver for four years, love it, can't imagine living anywhere else. However, based on your criteria, down even think about Denver, Durango all the way...

If running is your top priority go to Durango. Trail running and mountain biking there is world class. In Durango you'll have amazing access outside your door. In Denver you'll probably have to drive 30 to 45 minutes. Both have even more spectacular options within a few hours drive. If you had said Boulder, that might change things a bit.

If you go to Durango make sure to spend day trips in Moab / Cayonlands and Ouray. Run the Chesler loop in Canyonlands.

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2012/07/the-list-11-best-american-day-hikes/

Housing costs will not be equal. Durango is more expensive. But Durango will be worth the added cost.

D-U-R-A-N-G-O by far.

Wow, seems like Durango is the place to go. Thanks for the replies. My only concern with Durango is getting in tempo work - I'm assuming most trails out there are single track and pretty hilly. I'm going to need to get in long tempos every week - is there a flattish, well-kept trail in Durango that'd allow me to do that?

bump

I dont specifically know if there us a flat trail you speak of but surely there would be a dirt road suitable for that somewhere outside durango.

Durango by a mile. Different part of the state, more outdoorsy feel and better for running.

Animas River Trail runs through town and is basically flat. Or run tempo on the high school track.

Or go out the foothills, then run back into town. You will likely get more out of your tempo runs by running down a slight decline than running on a flat course. Relatively speaking, Durango is flat.

Thanks for all of the advice, everyone! Looks like I'm headed to Durango in a month. Couldn't be more excited.

You don't deserve to spend that much time in Durango if you had to ask the question in the first place.

I've been to Durango 3-4 times. Aren't the roads around Fort Lewis College flat once you get up the hill and onto campus. I think that you could probably get a couple mile loop that you could repeat a few times for a tempo run if I am remembering correctly. This might be an alternative to the Animas trail once in awhile.

Those that know Durango?

The only flat running in Durango is on the River trail, which is concrete. You can easily do ten miles on that. There are two excellent trail runs directly outside of town, a half mile jog from the center of town. They are both steep and very rocky, and go farther than you can run.

Actually, the best trail running in Colorado is in the Aspen area. There is much more variety and the scenery is a lot better than Durango. The cost of living for a tourist is about the same in Aspen/Snowmass as it is in Durango. Durango only has two worthwhile running trails; Aspen has at least 20 that are better than anything in Durango. Also, Telluride has many more trails and superior trails to Durango. I've lived in all three of these towns and run thousands of miles on the trails.

rafter wrote:

The only flat running in Durango is on the River trail, which is concrete. You can easily do ten miles on that. There are two excellent trail runs directly outside of town, a half mile jog from the center of town. They are both steep and very rocky, and go farther than you can run.

Actually, the best trail running in Colorado is in the Aspen area. There is much more variety and the scenery is a lot better than Durango. The cost of living for a tourist is about the same in Aspen/Snowmass as it is in Durango. Durango only has two worthwhile running trails; Aspen has at least 20 that are better than anything in Durango. Also, Telluride has many more trails and superior trails to Durango. I've lived in all three of these towns and run thousands of miles on the trails.

Thanks for the info. Do you know anything about running in the Vail/Glenwood Springs area or the Salida/Buena Vista area?

Durango period.

Lots of dirt County roads east and south. Sauls Creek about 20 miles east has lots of forest trails and roads that you can use for tempo work.

Vail has some really good trails. It also has a nice paved trail from town to the top of Vail Pass. The town itself is flat with both sides of the valley having numerous easy to access trails.

Glenwood - I don't know much about running there.

Buenie - sorry, don't know