photos by Stephen Eginoire

Folks have long enjoyed the beautiful ponderosa pine forests and sublime overlooks of Animas Mountain. For Durango, it is the quintessential backyard stash. This gently tilted mesa, composed of multiple sandstone formations, rises to an elevation of 8,161 feet above sea level, nearly a 1,500-foot vertical jaunt from town. Hikers, bikers, climbers and horseback riders are just a few of the folks who come to Animas City Mountain for a stellar piece of the Durango outdoors, now available in a user-friendly snow-free format.