My husband and I are planning a trip to Durango, CO this year (no dates set yet).

We were thinking of visiting the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, and maybe do some rafting and the Durango/Silverton train if possible in one week.

I need some advice on where to stay (B&B and hotels) and what to do while we are in Colorado. We are both very active people. Also, what time of year is best to go?

We will be vacationing out that way in June. Thru my research if you are interested in staying at the Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde, right now they have a get 2nd night 50% off. See www.visitmesaverde.com. Earlier they offered 25% off hotel and all tours!

Another fun thing I saw (9 miles north of Durango) was a Chuckwagon supper and show - Bar D. Durango also hosts Rodeos.

Have fun, I'm sure we will

You can certainly do what you outlined in one week. I assume you are aware the Black Canyon is at least 120 miles from Durango. Rt. 550 is a very scenic road between Durango and Ouray and traveling will be relatively slow. It can take up to 3 hours to get to the Black Canyon from Durango. You might consider staying at different places rather than the entire week in Durango. The Far View Lodge, as indicated in the previous note, would make your visit to Mesa Verde more enjoyable. You might consider a night or two in Ouray. It is about 65 miles from Ouray to the Black CAnyon. Trip would take about 1 1/2 hours.

I highly recommend staying just a few miles north of Durango in the Logwood Inn B & B. Wonderful host/hostess and great B & B. Check out the website "durango-logwoodinn.com" Don't miss the horseback riding - 2 locations just north of the logwood. Unforgettable experience!!!

You have picked the best part of Colorado, I think.

The loop between Durango, Ouray, Silverton, Ridgway, Telluride, Cortez and back to Durango is a great trip. You will want to spend some time in nearly all of these towns. Black Canyon is just east of Montrose and well worth the small detour.

FOR SURE do the train. Most everyone will tell you to take the train one way and the bus back. Round trip is just too long a day.

In Ouray, you might want to rent a Jeep and do the old miner's trails up in the mountains. Another neat thing about Ouray is they do a great Fourth of July fireworks. People plan their vacations around it.

A week is plenty of time.

The Black Canyon and Mesa Verde are well worth the trip. Doing a big loop would be a great way to spend a week.

The Bar D Chuckwagon, just north of Durango, is a fun thing to do. There's live (good) cowboy music and a fairly good supper for a good price. They tend to fill up at popular times like July 4, so call a few days ahead (970)247-5753. Reservations are made on the phone, then it's first-come first-served for good tickets.

If you show up to wait in line about 30 minutes before they start ticket sales, you can get a table near the front and be at the front of the serving line (ask to eat early or you won't have enough time to finish).

After buying the tickets, you have about 2 hours in which you're supposed to go into all their touristy shops and get ravenously hungry. It's usually best to do something else in that time, unless you dearly love shopping. We usually take a short hike nearby.

The Durango and Silverton Railway is spectacular. One-way is probably your best choice. The Colorado Trail around where it crosses Highway 550 is wonderful if you like hiking. A short and relativley easy hike just north of the Bar D is the Spud Lake trail. It goes up to a beautiful small lake just below a sheer rock face.

May is really nice if you don't go over about 9000 or 10,000 feet. June is wonderful, but parts of the high country may still be snowed in. (Unlikely unless we get more snow fast.) Thunderstorms start in July, and the rafting isn't impressive any longer by that time. The high country is usually clesr of snow by then. Mid-September is spectacular because of the aspen in the high country.

i LOVE durango...pretty much second everyone else's suggestions for what to so. mesa verde is a MUST DO.

we stayed at the blue lake ranch which is about 1/2 hour from mesa verde and 20 minutes from durango. it's a nice quiet b/b with rooms in separate buildings or in the main house. everyone was really friendly and the breakfast was great -- the cook didn't mind my hanging out in the kitchen one morning trying to learn how to make the green chile stew.

we have also stayed at the strater hotel right in durango, it's great if you like early 1900s type places, it had the 'diamond belle' saloon downstairs and a melodrama next door for some fun, slightly corny entertainment. we could hear the silverton train whistling in the morning and afternoons from our room. there was also a guest diary in our room where we could read other guests' comments about the hotel and staying in that particular room.

there's a site called destinationcoupons.com that lists things in durango, dining, attractions, etc. that you might also want to have a look at.

we were there in early september, and they had an 'iron horse' rally in the area, so lots of bikers all over (the ones we met were cool). can't remember if that's an annual thing there or not.

have a great time!

Thanks for all the suggestions! If anyone else has something to add, please do.

The big loop idea sounds great. Staying in different parts seems like the best idea.

Thank you XXX. I had already booked out July stay at Mesa Verde at the usual rate. After reading your post about the 50% off for the second night, I called MV and they adjusted my tates. This board is truly helpful.