San Juan Mountains, Colorado · 9,318 ft
A former mining town at 9,318 feet, reached by US 550 or the historic train through Animas Canyon from Durango.
Greene Street and the San Juans
Greene Street, the depot and Silverton's historic mining district sit close together beneath the San Juan Mountains. You can give a short visit to the old storefronts and railroad, or stay for dinner after the day trains depart and leave the high country for another day.
Those are different pleasures, not competing versions of the same trip. The train makes Animas Canyon part of the visit; an overnight in Silverton gives the town itself more time, with trails and mountain roads beyond it. At 9,318 feet, even a compact town calls for an unhurried start.
Plan Silverton
Train whistles announce the midday crowd; evening leaves the boardwalks and old storefronts to overnight guests. Beyond town, tundra roads and trailheads require a separate mountain day.
Railroad, silver and high basins
The railroad explains the arrival, the mining district explains the town, and the surrounding peaks give you a reason to look beyond it. Choose the part you want to spend time with rather than trying to squeeze all three into a train layover.
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has connected the towns since 1882. Its 45-mile route through the Animas River gorge makes the journey a main event, with Greene Street, lunch and a focused history stop to choose from during the published layover.
Plan the ride and layover →
Silverton boomed in the 1870s silver rush. Greene Street and the historic district keep that mining past central to a visit, not tucked away beyond town. Pair the streets with the San Juan County Historical Society Museum for more of the story behind them.
Explore the mining history →
Chicago Basin and its 14,000-foot peaks belong to a mountain trip, not a quick extension of lunch in town. Give hiking its own day and check current access, fire notices and weather. A guided 4×4 route offers a different way into the high country.
Summer above town
Columbines, paintbrush and lupine are part of the San Juans' summer appeal. As snow leaves the mountains, flowers appear at different elevations; July and August are a season to consider, not a promise of peak bloom on a particular week.
Cunningham Gulch and Stony Pass put the flowers in a high-country setting. They are not ordinary paved drives: check San Juan County road status, vehicle requirements, fire restrictions and weather before choosing a route.
Explore wildflower routes →Winter in the San Juans
Silverton Mountain's advanced and expert terrain gives winter a different focus from summer's railroad and wildflowers. Its backcountry-style operating area is a reason for experienced skiers to consider Silverton, not a substitute for a resort with terrain for every ability.
Guided-only and unguided dates differ. Use the mountain's current schedule to choose your dates and check COtrip before committing to the drive over snowy passes.
Read the winter guide →
An overnight gives dinner and the historic streets room beyond the rail layover. Compare a walkable Greene Street base with stays nearer the edge of town. If you want to arrive by train, confirm a specific one-way service and onward transfer before booking the stay; a round-trip ticket is a different plan.
The other end of the railroad
Durango makes sense as a base for the round-trip railroad day, with a wider choice of hotels and restaurants. Staying in Silverton instead gives Greene Street and the surrounding mountains the larger share of your trip.
Keep exploring
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