Animas River Trail — Santa Rita downtown return
Colorado · Greenway
Join the main Animas River Trail at Santa Rita Park and ride north toward DoubleTree/downtown for up to one mile, then retrace. Keep on the rebuilt river-side route. Do not continue to the farther north 29th Street/Rio Vista construction area or use its road detour. Natural Rea trails are excluded.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Durango · Colorado
- Ride length
- Up to 2 miles return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Concrete/paved main river trail
- Road crossings
- Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure.
- Elevation
- River-side trail with local ramps and shared-use bridge approaches; no uniform-flatness claim.
- Starting location
- Santa Rita Park public Animas River Trail access, Durango, CO
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Approximate named public park/facility reference, not a surveyed trail entrance or parking stall. Follow the written public start.
Animas River Trail — Santa Rita downtown return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-22. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A selected outing on a documented improved bicycle route. Follow the stated public start and course.
Start and parking
Start: Santa Rita Park public Animas River Trail access, Durango, CO.
No verified dedicated trail parking at this named public access. Arrive by lawful public pedestrian/bicycle access, or independently arrange lawful visitor parking and walk to the path. Private, business and reserved lots are not assumed available.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 2 miles return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: Join the main Animas River Trail at Santa Rita Park and ride north toward DoubleTree/downtown for up to one mile, then retrace. Keep on the rebuilt river-side route. Do not continue to the farther north 29th Street/Rio Vista construction area or use its road detour. Natural Rea trails are excluded.
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Surface and effort
Concrete/paved main river trail. River-side trail with local ramps and shared-use bridge approaches; no uniform-flatness claim.
Crossings and shared use
Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure. Yield to pedestrians, keep right, and slow at blind corners. Stop at barriers; never use a traffic-road detour to bypass a trail closure.
Hours, costs and access
Use daylight and obey posted trail, park and parking hours. Follow current public visitor-parking terms; reserved activities and events have separate conditions.
Reviewed 2026-10-22. City’s December 2025 notice records the Santa Rita–DoubleTree reconstruction and reopening. The separate 2026 northern project near 29th Street/Rio Vista remains an access concern; this guide does not clear the full Animas corridor. This is a source review, not a same-day inspection. Recheck the linked manager before travel.
Map and Directions
Use the named public start and its posted parking signs. The map reference identifies the facility or selected trail area; it is not a surveyed parking stall or navigable route line. Bicycle and e-bike rules can differ; only ordinary bicycle use is established unless noted.