A popular and iconic trail in Durango, Animas Mountain yields spectacular views of the Hermosa (to the south) and Animas (to the north) Valleys. Experience history and hike part of the Colorado Trail to Gudy's Rest. Riding counter-clockwise is a more technical 3-mile climb followed by a fun and fast 3-mile descent. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Post Comment. Animas Mountain is the trail Durango runners love to hate. Easy to find and access. Moderate difficulty, some shade, shared with occaisional mountain bikers. Once you've had your fill with the various viewing spots, turn your focus back onto the descending trail for a wild and fun ride through a nicely carved and curvy line back down the mountain. This trail offers great views North of the Animas River Valley, and South … Doggy waste bags available at trailhead. We make renting easy. The hike down the opposite way had great views of the valley below. Mornings are a better bet to avoid the rain. It's not an incredibly difficult trail and is pretty well marked. They extend north-south for about 30 miles (50 km) along the Continental Divide, from near the town of Animas to a few miles north of the border with Mexico. Animas Mountain Trail is very easy to follow via the many signs along the way. The mountain only has scrubs, so don't look for shade on a hot sunny day! Upper Animas Mountain mountain biking trail in Animas City Mountain, Colorado. We ship to your door or destination. Our rental gear is high quality and in great shape. Durango's natural surface trails are open to multi-use, non-motorized recreation and offer opportunities for mountain biking, hiking, trail running, dog walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and simply enjoying nature. We did a sunrise hike and went clockwise. In the early spring and late fall, it is advised to bring YakTrax or similar in case there are icy patches on the trail. Animas Mountain Loop is a very popular trail just north of downtown Durango with incredible views in every direction as you make your way around the rocky slopes. what a view. more, Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around Durango. The views are great! Download a free map of this famous paved path that follows the Animas River through Durango, Colorado. Visitors can enjoy walking, running and biking along the trails and explore parks, playgrounds, water pads, the Riverside Nature Center and All Veterans Memorial year-round. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the date(s) you selected. Animas is a Class 3 ascent. Rentals are affordable and we guarantee your rental will arrive on time or you’ll get your money back. The mountain only has scrubs, so don't look for shade on a hot sunny day! Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors. This is a loop trail and offers about 1,800 rise in elevation. TO TRAILHEAD: From Durango's Main Street, turn west onto 32nd Street and right onto West 4th Ave. Drive one block to the parking area and trailhead. More than 100 species of birds have been identified throughout the trail system and parks. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Hotels with Complimentary Breakfast in Durango, Hotels near (TEX) Telluride Regional Airport, Hotels near (CEZ) Montezuma County Airport, Mountain Waters Rafting & Adventure Company, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum, Durango Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Museum, Zipline & Aerial Adventure Parks in Durango, Surfing, Windsurfing & Kitesurfing in Durango, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Durango, San Juan National Forest: Tickets & Tours‎, Historic Downtown Durango: Tickets & Tours‎, Durango Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Museum: Tickets & Tours‎, Durango Community Recreation Center: Tickets & Tours‎, Powerhouse Science Center: Tickets & Tours‎. Take a moment to enjoy the well-earned views before you start your descent on the east side of the loop to return to the start. We took the Bird trail. The Animas Mountain Trail has a trail head right in town. The trail is somewhat steep, so hikers often simply head up to one of the many lookouts and head back down at their own inclination. 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0 Comments. hike took much longer than we expected and we did not complete the full loop in the time we had. Or, last but not least, get ready to put in some miles and hike into the Weminuche Wilderness from Vallecito … Took about 3.5 hours including pictures-taking and a quick lunch on a high boulder overlooking the city. Gravel parking lot at trailhead. You'll gain some decent elevation quickly on this hike and the views are real, Moderate hiking trail from the end of 32nd St. West to remarkable panoramic views of the Animas Valley, La Plata Mountains and San Juan Mountains, This hike is awesome. COTREX is a project by the Colorado DNR and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Go clockwise for a slightly easier elevation. Easy to find and access. It may have been because it was about 90 degrees out but the Animas Mnt. Changing Leaves were great as well, nice trail and going up counterclockwise is a bit easier and has really good views of the town and landscapes. At the very heart of Farmington you will find a beautiful system of trails nestled along 8 miles of the Animas River. To do the loop, it took 2 hours, 3 minutes for 5.7 miles (I used an app to track). The Animas Mountain Trail has a trail head right in town. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. This is a loop trail and offers about 1,800 rise in elevation. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Parking is a little tight but worth it. You will see lots of climbers and folks bouldering. Parking is a little tight but worth it. Is this a place or activity you would suggest for, Is this a must-do if you are traveling with a, Is this a romantic place or activity that you would suggest for, Are the prices for this place or activity, Is this a place or activity you would go to on a, This hike is awesome. Once you get past that initial climb, things start to level out a bit and it gets easier. Please choose a different date. The Animas River Trail system offers over 8 miles of trails to explore and includes paved, dirt, wood chip and cobblestone paths. Length 7 miElevation gain 1558 ftRoute type Loop Animas Mountain Alternate Trail Intermediate. I went clockwise and didn’t see much along the way view-wise then WOW! One of the most popular trails in Durango is the Animas Mountain Trail. Excellent warm up for the rest of the days activities! Great hike. We created a loop back, but not the full loop as we didn't have time - we went down a parallel trail on the right side as there are a few options. Animas Mountain Trail is a 6 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Durango, Colorado that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. Animas Mountain Alternate Trail Intermediate. Really beautiful hike, easy to follow the trails and so many amazing views! It's not an incredibly difficult trail and is pretty well marked. Camping There are good campsites at 8,260 feet at the junction of the Animas River and Ruby Creek Trails, at 10,340 feet on the Ruby Creek Trail, at the lake west of Ruby Lake and at 11,600 feet in Ruby Creek. Be sure to lock your car and not leave valuables. Once you have made the short ascent to the top of the plateau of Animas Mountain, you will find numerous views off to the West that overlook the town of Durango and the Animas … Start the trail at 32nd St in north Durango and make your way up several switchbacks. It took 2.5 hours for what we did, and we probably went about 4 miles...it felt a lot longer as it was almost entirely uphill the way up, and there are loose rocks all over the place. Animas Mountain: If you are looking for a hike or ride that offers some of the most spectacular views of Durango then this trail might be the one for you! These three summits combined make for a very entertaining day with outstanding views of Colorados most dramatic summits. Well-marked and beautiful sights from the top of the mountain. Finished right around two hours with a few stops. Please pick up and properly dispose of your pet’s waste. This 5-mile long loop track boasts of some of the most scenic views of Durango and its nearby forests and rivers. Weather. The toughest and steepest part is the first section uphill. We went for about an hour and twenty minutes and were still working our way up the right side of the loop trail and still had a ways to go until the top and the loop back down. The hike itself was very manageable. Animas Mountain Trail. Animas Mountain Trail is a gnarly 6 mile loop that climbs, up, up, up, then down, down, down. It is pretty rocky, but the views at the top are amazing. The six-mile loop climbs to a high point and runs along the circumference of the local hill. Offering some of the greatest views in Durango, Animas Mountain is a moderate 5 mile hike with views of the Animas Valley and Animas River. 4 Views Last Month 70 Since Oct 13, 2019 Intermediate. The trail is rocky and uneven, and requires constant attention. Parking is a little tight but worth it. Durango's Centennial Nature Trail offers a great opportunity to learn about native plant communities. 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. Go to the right at the beginning fork for more picturesque rest stops, Ella Vita, Hogsback, and Slime Gulch Loop, Twin Buttes, Cliff Rock, Lower Loop Trail. The top is nearly exactly 3 miles up, making for a great ride in either direction. External Links Lists of John Officially, this loop is a lollipop heading in a counter … Great views at the top! Animas Mountain Trail is a 9.7 kilometer heavily trafficked loop trail located near Durango, Colorado that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. Took about 2 1/2 hours so great sunset hike. Animas Mountain is part of the group that also has Monitor Peak and Peak Thirteen, located in the heart of theWeminuche Wilderness at the head of Ruby Creek. really pretty. Animas Mountain Trail is located in Durango. There is no vehicle … 4.0 (1) ... in Animas City Mountain #1,288 in Colorado #14,119 Overall. much higher elevation at Engineer Mountain Trail about 40 minutes north of Durango. Use caution as this trail is frequently used by horses, hikers and bikers. Fun and easy trail. The trail climbs up a plateau just on edge of Durango City limits. Animas Mountain is in the Weminuche Willderness; mechanized travel is forbidden. No matter which way you cut it, you will run uphill for some 2.5-miles. This trail is marked by plenty of signs, so you are not likely to take up a wrong turn at any junction. Animas Mountain Trail Map Looking for spectacular views of the Durango area, then Animas Mountain Trail is a must! 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0 Comments. Good exercise though. The Animas City Mountain Trail starts above 6,500 feet and climbs 1,500 feet steadily in just 3 miles. easier climb. To do the loop, it took 2 hours, 3 minutes for 5.7 miles (I used an app to track). Very dry and dusty, but a nice trail with nice views, especially for being located right in town. The Animas Mountains are a small mountain range in Hidalgo County, within the "Boot-Heel" region of far southwestern New Mexico, in the United States. Soak up the scenes of Durango and surrounding mountains with the Animas Mountain Trail. 3,762 m black diamond singletrack trail. Please help us maintain the quality of our parks, trails, and open space. Animas Mountain Outer Loop is a 7 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Durango, Colorado that features a great forest setting and is rated as moderate. Easy to find and access. Located on the Northwest edge of town, this trail is managed by the BLM and seasonal closures do occur. Weather. Remember, all dogs must be on a leash on all city lands and trails, except the off-leash area. Animas Mountain Trailhead Parking Heading North on Main Street, go west (left) on 32nd Street and then a right on West 4th Ave, where you will see the parking lot/trailhead for Animas Mountain a short ways up the road. Don’t forget to look left for turtle lake. most popular Pretty views, nice hike, but much longer than advertised! Quite muddy this time of year. Around great views!!! Plan to visit Animas Mountain Trail and other customer-reviewed, writer-recommended Durango attractions using our Durango trip builder app. a few steep parts but over a good moderate hike. Take plenty of water if it's a hot day! Animas Mountain sits to the north and slightly west side of Durango Colorado and has two main trailheads. After that, the trail is a gradual uphill climb to the viewpoints on the north side of Animas Mountain. Amazing!!!! We read it was about a 5 to 5.5 mile loop hike and gave ourselves about 2.5 hours to do it, being decently in shape hikers who had just done, 2 days before, a longer and seemingly harder hike at. Highly recommend. This 6-mile loop offers a great… The Animas Mountain Trail is a 6 mile loop trail, easily accessible from town, and best used from March until October. This is a great trail if you just have a little bit of time and need to get outside for a bit. Great hike super close to town. Dogs did well on the trail. This trail is located in the San Juan National Forest near Durango, Colorado. The trail was rocky an both the up and down trips, we chose to go left to climb up. Beautiful easy to follow. Made me work but well worth it! Part of the Animas Mountain Trail System. Great weather, easy to find, good views for parts of the hike, kind of a boring hike if you are from CO.... felt like a very long 6 miles. the trail climbs steadily for nearly three miles until you reach the high point of Animas Mountain. Still a good bit of snow through March and in the morning, quite icy, so bring YakTrax or similar. No restrooms. The official Animas River Trail map. Amazing views await above the downtown Durango trailhead and even locals love this place—the well-marked trail is maintained by volunteers with Durango-based, Trails 2000. The full loop spans about 6 … Take the long route! The trail had very little traffic on a Saturday, so that was good, the weather was perfect. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. View the entire Animas Valley from above and La Plata Mountains from afar on the Animas Mountain Trail. Easy to get to. Nice trail with good overlooks of Durango and north of the city. Great views the entire way up. Length 6 miElevation gain 1519 ftRoute type Loop Great loop that you can extend by taking the many side trails that all link back up. It's a nice hike - very desert-like in terrain/conditions - but beware, it is longer than advertised and even for fit hikers, you probably need at least 3 hours to complete it. We completed it in about 3.5 hours with lots of stops for pictures. If you go up the back of the loop first, it is very slow uphill climb for the first mile and I was breathing heavy. Private Full-Day Fishing Experience in San... Durango Family-Friendly 2-Hour Rafting Trip. Great trail with many scenic outlooks. Limited parking. 4.0 (1) ... in Animas City Mountain #1,315 in Colorado #14,481 Overall. This ~6-mile 100% singletrack loop Ride begins and ends at the marked parking lot right in Durango. Description Starting from the top of Animas Mountain, the descent begins gradually, with beautiful views of the La Platas. Indian Summer day, warm, agree with counterclockwise, big time money shot at the top! The trailhead has limited parking, but it was not too busy when I went on Monday evening. Easily accessible from town. The views once up to the top were great of both the town and the valley. The largest is accessed by taking 32nd street west (up the hill) … Great trail. The river trails are popular with individuals looking to exercise as well as bird watchers. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. 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