Silverton weekend scene

Weekend itinerary

Silverton by road: Greene Street and high country

Stay in Silverton Friday, take a guided Alpine Loop route toward Animas Forks Saturday, and use Greene Street plus the county museum if road checks fail.

By Cal Mercer — a Second Star Guide itinerary

Silverton's street grid sits below condition-dependent trails, 4x4 roads, and US 550 mountain passes.

Best length

2 nights

Two nights allow one Silverton-based outdoor day without forcing the fixed Durango train timetable into the same plan.

Stay

The Wyman Hotel

A Greene Street boutique choice for travelers prioritizing town access; confirm current parking and rail-day…

Main activity

a Silverton-based high-country day

One Silverton-based objective keeps the fixed Durango train schedule from breaking the weekend.

Pace

One condition-checked objective

Altitude, fire restrictions, weather, and high-country road status decide Saturday's route.

Silverton street grid below the San Juan Mountains

Two different trips

The road weekend begins in Silverton, not at the Durango depot

Current round-trip trains leave Durango in the morning and consume most of the day. This road itinerary uses a Silverton hotel and a guided Alpine Loop route toward Animas Forks on Saturday. If county roads, weather, fire restrictions, or vehicle requirements block it, the named fallback is Greene Street, the depot, and the San Juan County Historical Society Museum.

Build the railroad as a separate fixed-schedule day from Durango, or book a specific one-way product and transfer only after confirming the operator's current timetable. For the road weekend, check COtrip, county high-country roads, National Forest fire restrictions, and the restaurant schedule before leaving reliable service.

Friday

Friday evening on Greene Street

Park once, settle into the room, and walk to Alpine Tavern for the first dinner.

4:00 PM

Saturday

Saturday: Alpine Loop toward Animas Forks

Leave after breakfast with a qualified guide for currently open Alpine Loop segments toward Animas Forks. If any county, weather, fire, or vehicle check fails, stay on foot for Greene Street, the depot, and the San Juan County Historical Society Museum.

8:00 AM

Main activity

Take the guided Alpine Loop route toward Animas Forks.

Leave at 8 a.m. with a qualified guide on verified open segments. If any access check fails, use the complete town fallback: Greene Street, the depot, and the San Juan County Historical Society Museum.

Compare

Alpine Loop, mining history, and trail access

Review wilderness rail reservations, Alpine Loop vehicle requirements, trail access, history, and winter constraints.

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Browse more attractions and activities

See additional things to do around Silverton.

4:00 PM

Afternoon

Return from the high country by 4 p.m., or finish the museum route on foot.

Both versions end back in the compact town core before dinner: no second pass, no improvised Needleton trip, and no late-afternoon road gamble.

Sunday

Sunday morning at the depot

Eat breakfast, walk Greene Street to the depot, then check COtrip before US 550.