Durango has been given an Accessibility Verified status by the Colorado Tourism Office and accessible tourism information platform Wheel the World – a useful indicator to visitors with disabilities who are planning trips to the area.
“Receiving Accessibility Verified status from Wheel the World is an important milestone for Durango and reflects our community’s commitment to creating welcoming, inclusive experiences for all visitors,” said Sarah-Jane Johnson, Visit Durango’s head of tourism, in a news release.
Achieving the designation, which was done in partnership between the Colorado Tourism Office and Wheel the World, involved an in-depth mapping process, according to the release.
Expert accessibility mappers from Wheel the World mapped at least 20 businesses and attractions across the city using photographs and measurements to verify that Durango meets accessibility standards. They compiled the results in an online page to help travelers with a wide range of disabilities plan their trips.
The most accessible activities in town, according to Wheel the World, include riding the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad; taking a trip down the Animas River with Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours; engaging in adaptive sports with the Adaptive Sports Association; taking a trip to museums like the Powerhouse and the Southern Ute Cultural Center & Museum; fishing or kayaking at Lake Nighthorse; and soaking at the Durango Hot Springs.
The most accessible restaurants in town – those that can best accommodate mobility aids and other needs – include Steamworks Brewing Co., Ska Brewing, El Moro Spirits and Tavern, 11th Street Station and Seven Rivers Steak House, according to Wheel the World.
Wheel the World listed two accessible hotels in the area: the Homewood Suites by Hilton Durango and the Holiday Inn Express Durango Downtown-Animas River by IHG.
The mapping process at local restaurants, hotels and attractions involved measuring and documenting over 200 specifications at each site, including details like bed height, space under the bed, shower type and size, turning space with a mobility aid and more.
Though Durango is generally accessible, some areas of the city – specifically some sidewalks in outlying blocks of downtown – could use improvement, Wheel the World reported.
Specifically, the narrower passages and uneven pavement in those sections can make navigation difficult for some individuals with disabilities, the company said.
“If you use a power chair or need consistently smooth surfaces, some blocks will take more navigating than others,” the Wheel the World site read. “The Animas River Trail is the most reliably flat and smooth route through town.”
The city of Durango has plans in place to institute Americans with Disabilities Act improvements downtown and on North Main Avenue between 17th Street and Animas View Drive – including future improvements to curb ramps, crossings and transit stops – but some construction timelines and approvals are still pending.
Over 300 sites across nine Colorado destinations – including Estes Park, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Glenwood Springs and Aspen – are accessibility verified by Wheel the World and the Colorado Tourism Office, according to the CTO.
“We look forward to continuing to partner with our local businesses, attractions and hospitality partners on this important work,” Johnson said. “We are honored to join the list of fellow Colorado destinations who have participated in the CTO’s Accessible Travel program.”
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