Current Projects

Flower Barrels in Downtown!

Parks and Recreation Parks Division has beautified downtown Durango by planting flowers in barrels and delivered them throughout the downtown area. Flowers add the finishing touch to an already pretty little town!  The Park staff are also working hard  at adding flowers in our City parks as well. Thank you Park staff!!

Outdoor Pickleball Courts at Schneider Park

The final plans for the Schneider Park pickleball courts will be completed in the spring of 2023. Construction will commence in summer of 2023. 

Drawing of aerial view of Schneider pickleball courts looking southwestConceptual sketch of Schneider Park pickleball courts.

Pioneer Park

Park improvements including ADA accessible parking, an ADA accessible sidewalk to the shade pavilion, natural climbing boulders, tree plantings and landscape improvements at the west edge of the park will be completed in 2023. (This project is nearing completion!)

Hillcrest Park

A new playground space is planned for Hillcrest View Park. The playground area will be lowered to improve the overall accessibility between the park and street levels. Construction is estimated to be completed in Spring of 2023. Almost finished with this project as well, just finishing up the landscaping 

Conceptual design drawing of Hillcrest Park New Playground

Hillcrest Park Conceptual Design Image

SMART 160 Trail East to Three Springs

The multi-use, hard-surface, SMART 160 Trail connection will be the primary community trail corridor between the Three Springs area of Durango and the Animas River Trail within the City of Durango. The final build out of the SMART 160 Trail will provide approximately 2.6 miles of trail.  Progress has been made with development of portions of the trail on the both the western and eastern ends of the connection.  

The preliminary alignment for the remaining portion of trail has been identified in coordination with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and adjacent property owners.  The 1.25 mile long trail segment corridor included in SMART 160 East Trail Connection project will provide public trail connection between a proposed future underpass of Highway 550/160 at the Sale Barn trailhead and the developed trail at the Highway 550/160 overpass bridge structures, linking central Durango to the Three Springs area of the community together. 

Trail Construction Begins at Durango Mesa Park

The City of Durango and Durango Mesa Park Foundation are building a maintenance access route this week at Durango Mesa Park that will enable trail construction crews to access the areas where trail build will occur beginning later this spring. Equipment and materials may be visible from the Horse Gulch trail system. Following the creation of the maintenance access, trail construction of six new trails will take place. These trails have been designed for specific uses, experiences, directional travel and will provide you with a taste of what is in store for Durango Mesa Park as the full vision takes shape. New trails and the maintenance access will remain closed to the public during construction. Durango Mesa Park is private property and we ask the community to respect this by refraining from entering until we have announced that the trails are open. Please observe all signs that will be in place during construction.

“We are looking forward to partnering with Progressive Trail Design, Durango Trails and AJ Construction trail crews to build these first few Durango Mesa Park trails,” said Parks and Recreation Director Ture Nycum. “Thank you, in advance, for your patience while this work is being done.”

Trail construction signage

Demonstration Trails map board Opens in new window

Click on image to view a larger pdf of image

Durango Mesa Park Project Process

Durango Mesa Park Project Process

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Durango Mesa Park Timeline From 2015 to TodayDurango Mesa Park Timeline Opens in new windowClick on image to view a larger pdf of image

Durango Mesa Area Plan - Adopted August 2018 (pdf)

Phase I Land Transfer to the City of Durango (pdf)

Animas River Trail Asphalt Replacement Sections

North and South ART sections from Santa Rita Park and Demon Bridge to 29th Street Art Section

There are 3 remaining substandard sections of ART along the 9-mile corridor - North of Santa Rita Park, South of Santa Rita Park and from Demon Bridge to 29th Street.  Bids for design and engineering for these dated sections have been received with construction slated to begin on one of the projects in Summer 2023. Preliminary analysis of the Low Bridge and Demon Bridge concluded that both are at the end of their lifespan and should be replaced; therefore, design will include replacement of both bridges with construction prioritized as funds allow.

Projects Coming Soon!

  • Median landscaping on Camino del Rio

  • Columbine Streetscape

Completed Projects

Animas River Trail Asphalt Replacement Sections

Animas River Trail - Rank Park to Demon Pedestrian Bridge

Work was completed in Fall 2022 along the Animas River Trail between Rank Park and Demon Bridge. Previously failing asphalt and drainage infrastructure was re-designed and replaced with a 10’-wide concrete path, functioning drainage, and new lighting to meet current ART specifications. 

Animas River Trail North Extension

The Animas River Trail (ART) grade-separated crossing was completed and celebrated with an official opening in August 2022.  The entire ART north project has been in the works for decades, along years of public meetings and planning process and revisions.  The final result of this project is an additional mile of scenic trail all the way up to the Oxbow Park and Preserve.