Winter Fun in Southwestern Colorado

{Fire on the mountain at Telluride Fire Festival. Photo: Matt Brooks} Celebrate winter, Colorado style! Embrace the cold and snow—or seek out warmth—with these ideas for midwinter fun the southwest, including Telluride, Durango, Silverton, and Pagosa Springs.

Here are some of the best winter events in Southwest Colorado:

Telluride Fire Festival

Festivarians, take note: Telluride is heating up winter with its Fire Festival. This newer festival, which began in 2015, offers both free and ticketed events. It takes place throughout town and on the slopes of its famous ski resort.

Fire artists and performers light up the winter nights, with fiery outdoor sculptures and art cars inspired by Burning Man. If you’re in the area, check out the pre-festival workshops, which include glass blowing and welding for beginners. December 6-8, 2019

Winter Warrior 5K/10K Snowshoe Race

Runner’s World magazine named Durango’s Winter Warrior one of the country’s top snowshoe races. The course consists of groomed trails and singletrack at the Durango Nordic Center, located just north of the entrance to Purgatory on US Highway 550.

Registration opens at 9 am; the race begins at 10 am. The course meets U.S. Snowshoe Association standards. TBD, 2020

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

This beloved historic steam train offers several winter excursions. The snowy festivities kick off on the Polar Express train from November 15, 2019 to January 2, 2020. You’ll take a roundtrip journey to the North Pole for a chance to meet Santa Caluse. It’s based on the book and later movie.

However, it’s not the only winter train departing from Durango. There’s also the Christmas Tree Train, which allows you to chop down a tree and take it home. Plus there’s other Christmas train rides throughout Colorado to check out.

On February 1, board the Snowdown Balloon Rally Train for a scenic trip that includes a viewing of the hot-air balloon ascension in the Animas Valley—it’s part of Snowdown, Durango’s winter festival and “cabin fever reliever.” A week later, on February 15, the Romance on the Rails Brunch Train combines San Juan Mountains scenery with a brunch buffet and live music. Both trips head up to Cascade Canyon, then return to Durango.

Silverton Skijoring

Rodeo meets winter Olympics in the Nordic sport of skijoring. It’s where a horse and rider pull a skier, whom then flies through the air navigating jumps and obstacles. According to the Silverton Skijoring rules are: “Skier must cross finish line in upright position and on at least one ski, with rope in hand …”

One imagines it doesn’t always turn out that way. Silverton’s winter races take place at noon on historic Blair Street during President’s Day Weekend. In years past more than 2,500 spectators turned out to watch. February 15-16, 2020

Pagosa Hot Springs

While it’s not an annual event, it should be for you. Snow and frigid temperatures got you down? Immerse yourself in one of the 23 pools at Pagosa’s The Springs Resort. It’s located in downtown Pagosa Springs, walking distance to all the shops and restaurants. Plus there’s a a great hotel on-site to spend the night by the hot springs pools.

The pools are on terraces just above the San Juan River, so you can gaze at the icy currents as you contemplate the miracle that is geothermal energy. It’s one of the larger resorts in the state, which coincidentally taps into the world’s deepest hot springs aquifer.

Thanks for checking out these fantastic events and activities in Southwest Colorado! Take your time discovering the cooler season of Durango, Silverton, Pagosa Springs and Telluride.