Just moved to Durango, or getting back into it after a while? These groups are beginner-friendly and welcoming — no need to be fast, experienced, or know a soul.
Wednesdays, 6:00pm (easy group 5:45pm) · April–November
Rotating trailheads around Durango — see website
Durango’s flagship weekly run — 60–90 minutes with short and long options, plus an Easy Pace group at 5:45pm. Meeting spot changes each week; start time shifts to 5:30pm from late September. Open to non-members.
40+ projects a season · registration required
Rotating trailheads — see event calendar
Build and maintain the singletrack you ride — crew leaders run a safety talk, then tools, water, and snacks are provided. Over 40 events a season; register for each on the calendar. Closed-toe shoes and long pants required.
Groomed all winter · 25+ km skate & classic
Durango Nordic Center, north of Purgatory (Hwy 550)
The largest Nordic facility in La Plata and San Juan counties — 25-plus km of groomed skate-and-classic trails and 6 km of snowshoe trails, with rentals on site. Check conditions and trail-pass details before heading up.
Thursdays, 6:00am · casual ~4 mi, year-round
81301 Coffee Roasters, Durango
A relaxed, social four-mile run from the coffee shop — all paces welcome, no membership needed.
Wednesdays in winter · November–March
Rotating bars & pubs around Durango
Fun, social off-season runs that start and finish at a different bar or pub each week — a low-key way to meet other runners through the winter.
Sundays in summer · road & MTB social ride
See Durango Wheel Club for start location
A relaxed summer coffee-shop ride open to both road and mountain cyclists; check the club’s group-rides page for the current start time and location.
Open shop hours · repair, used bikes & coffee
Horse Gulch Trailhead, Durango
A community shop and espresso bar right at the Horse Gulch trailhead — a natural gathering spot before rides into Durango’s closest trail network. Confirm current hours before relying on it.
San Juan Mountains Association
Seasonal interpretive hikes & wildflower walks
Durango Nature Center & area trailheads
Trained volunteer naturalists lead interpretive nature hikes, wildflower walks, and bird outings around Durango. Naturalist training runs in January (winter) and May (summer); check the calendar for the current schedule.
San Juan Mountains Association
Summer trail-work hitches · multi-day
Colorado Trail Segment 25.1, near Durango
SJMA adopted a 12-mile stretch of the Colorado Trail (Segment 25.1) and recruits volunteer crews each summer for multi-day trail-work hitches. Contact SJMA for dates.
Daily · bouldering, ropes, auto-belay & training
732 County Road 233, Durango
Durango’s indoor climbing hub: bouldering, top-rope and auto-belay walls, a Kilter Board, plus yoga and a slackline park. Open Mon–Thu 6am–9pm, Fri–Sun 9am–8pm.
Fort Lewis College Outdoor Pursuits
Seasonal student-led trips · FLC community
Fort Lewis College, Durango
Student-led trips in climbing, paddling, snowshoeing, and peak-bagging, plus an indoor climbing wall and a free gear-lending library — open to the Fort Lewis College community. Check the schedule for current trips.
Sun–Fri 10:30am/12:00/1:30pm · Sat 10:30–1:30
Durango Nordic Center, north of Purgatory (Hwy 550)
Group lessons run daily through the season — Sunday–Friday at 10:30am, noon, and 1:30pm, and Saturdays at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, and 1:30pm. Private lessons and clinics also available; confirm before driving up.
Winter recreational & pro courses · multi-day
Silverton, CO (1 hr north of Durango)
The oldest continuously operating avalanche school in the U.S. (since 1962) — AIARE Level 1/2 recreational and pro courses taught in the San Juans’ natural avalanche laboratory. The essential first step before touring this terrain. Register early; courses fill.
Winter season · lifts + San Juan touring access
Purgatory Resort, Hwy 550 north of Durango
The closest lift-served skiing to Durango (25 miles north) and the staging area for backcountry touring along the Coal Bank and Molas pass corridor — carry avalanche gear, get training, and check the forecast.
Monthly outings · Animas trail to the San Juans
Rotating — Animas River Trail & San Juan sites
Roughly monthly field trips that range from strolls along the Animas River Trail to outings into the San Juan Mountains — a welcoming place for new birders to learn alongside experts. Check the calendar for the next trip; bring binoculars.
Member meetings & conservation work — see chapter
Durango & SW Colorado rivers
The local Trout Unlimited chapter (No. 451) — monthly River Watch water sampling at 15 Animas sites, native cutthroat restoration on Hermosa Creek, and member meetings. Follow the chapter for the meeting schedule and conservation outings.
Guided trips year-round · by reservation
Duranglers, 923 Main Ave, Durango
Orvis-endorsed guided trips on the Gold Medal Animas through downtown, the famed San Juan tailwater an hour south, and secluded high-country water. Days start with a 7:30–8am meet at the Main Avenue shop.
Summer rentals, lessons & Animas beta
4Corners Riversports, Durango
Durango’s paddlesports shop — kayak, SUP, and raft rentals, instruction, and local beta for the Animas Town Run and the Santa Rita whitewater park, where the Durango Whitewater Club’s slalom course sits. Confirm rental hours and river levels.