Erik Peck, Boca Raton, FL

Hi Erik,

A lot of people come here and build their own home, it’s quite common.  As to what’s involved, that depends on what you’re looking for.  If you’re looking to buy 10 to 30 acres of land with a lot of privacy, you’ll have more to do than if you want to buy in a developed area where the utilities are already available.  Permits aren’t generally an issue, but of course it’s important to do some research once you find a property you like.  If you want to buy a large parcel and build on it, you’ll want to consult with a well drilling company, a septic installer and place calls to the La Plata Electric Association and Qwest to determine the cost of running electric and phone to the nearest pole.  You’ll also want to see if satellite or cable is feasible, and whether high-speed internet will be an option.  Generally these issues can be solved, but you want to do your homework before you buy a particular piece of property.  On the other hand, lots of folks choose to build in a developed area such as Forest Lakes where the utilities have already been run and central water is available.  You may have to settle for 1 acre instead of 30, but it’s still a mountain community and has magnificent views. 

Tavis Abrams, Phoenix, AZ

Hi Tavis,

Winters are considered fairly mild here, though we’ve gotten more snowfall than usual this year.  Generally, though, even in winter you can count on the sun to come out around noon and warm things up quite a bit.  Durango has desert to the south and west which tends to temper the colder mountain temperatures and gives us over 300 days of sunshine a year.  I’m an avid hiker and even in the midst of winter I generally go out in the afternoons with only a light sweater or jacket.

Paul Ellis, Rochester, MN

Sure, Paul, here’s the link to the story.

Bob Gautier, Salt Lake City, UT

Hi Bob,

Many people ask about the restaurant scene in Durango, worried that a small town might not have enough variety to suit them.  Fear not, due to its popularity with well-heeled seasonal visitors, Durango boasts one of the highest restaurant-to-resident ratios you’ve ever seen, with over 124 restaurants ranging from casual to four-star.  Some of the popular cuisines represented are: French, Italian, Steak, Seafood, Sushi, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Mongolian, Himalayan, Indian, Mexican, Pizza, and BBQ.

And if you’re interested in what chains we have, here’s a list of the ones I can think of:

Baskin-Robbins, Coldstone Creamery, McDonald’s, Burger King, Applebee’s, Subway, Quizno’s, Blimpie’s, Del Taco, Dairy Queen, Wendy’s, Denny’s, Domino’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Sonic, and Taco Bell.

And as long as we’re on the subject, we have two wine bars, eight coffee houses, and four breweries.  Yes, four breweries.  Together they produce over 15,000 barrels of beer a year, and we have 15,000 residents.  (I’m hoping they export a lot of that!)

WE also have our own chocolatier, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company.  WE have a Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning with local organic produce and grass-fed beef, artisan cheese, and lots of other locally made products.

We also have two natural food stores and three grocery stores.

Tom G., Laramie, WY

Hi Tom,

Geez, we kind of like having mainly local shops!  Still, Durango has a fair number of chains if that’s what you’re looking for.  You have to go north on Main or south on Camino del Rio to find most of them, but they’re all within 10 minutes of the town center.  Here’s a partial list:  

Walmart, Home Depot, Ace, Hallmark, Payless Shoes, Jiffy Lube, Big 5, GameStop, Pier 1, Office Depot, Sears, J.C. Penney, Linens & Things, Sav-On, Rite-Aid and Walgreens.  You’ll also find Ford, Chrysler, Mercury, Lincoln, Dodge, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan, John Deere, Bobcat and Harley-Davidson dealerships.  If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, there’s always Farmington, N.M., an hour south of Durango, which has Best Buy, Target, Sam’s Club and most everything else you might possibly need.

Audrey Nichols, Bakersfield, CA

Hi Audrey,

Denver’s a pretty good drive from Durango, 6.5 hours in good conditions.  During the winter months, there are periods you might not want to make this drive though, as you’re cutting through the mountains and they can get snow.  Here are driving times to the biggest nearby cities:

Albuquerque:  3.5 hours

Phoenix:  8 hours

Santa Fe:  3.5 hours

Salt Lake City:  7 hours

Las Vegas:  9.5 hours

• Never feed a bear!
• Secure your garbage so bears can’t get to it
• Take down bird feeders when bears are around or make them inaccessible to bears

Call CO Dept of Wildlife for more tips.  970-247-0855.

Martha Keyes, Grand Junction, CO

Hi Martha,

Bayfield is a different school district, and although it’s highly rated it isn’t rated as high as Durango’s (see www.GreatSchools.net which gave Durango’s schools a 9 out of 10).  If you send me your address, I can send you a brochure with more info about the Durango school system.