Durango celebrates 40 years of Animas River Days, honoring a lifeblood of the community
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DURANGO, Colo. — An inflatable raft dropped into a rapid on the Animas River, splashing icy water onto its passengers. Spectators lined the riverbank, cheering as if they were watching a football game.
Earlier this month, Durango celebrated its 40th anniversary of Animas River Days, drawing hundreds to the water to celebrate one of the last free-flowing rivers on the Colorado Plateau. Crowds gathered for kayaking slaloms, river surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, and the annual river parade.
The festival takes place each year in early June, when snowmelt from the San Juan Mountains swells the 126-mile-long Animas to its peak level.
Founded by Durango native Nancy Wiley, Animas River Days began in 1985. She fell in love with kayaking at age 13 thanks to her father, Milt Wiley, who introduced her to the sport. After college, she opened a kayak and river sports school.
In 1983, the Wileys opened 4Corners Riversports and soon after decided the town needed a festival to help promote river culture. The early years were modest — no vendors or live music, just a small group of paddlers.
“There was a lot more paddling down the river, and it was more grassroots. We didn’t have the crowds that we have today,” Wiley said.
The river itself has changed along with the festival. In 1984, Wiley and local river advocate John Brennan began shaping what would eventually become Durango’s Whitewater Park. A major renovation in 2013 led to signature features such as Smelter Rapid, Corner Pocket, Ponderosa Wave and Clocktower Hole, turning the stretch into a prime destination for whitewater tricks and surfing.
In 2017, local paddling legend Kent Ford estimated that about one-third of Durango’s 18,000 residents owned a raft, canoe, kayak or paddleboard.
But the Animas is under pressure. Scientists report that the region is getting less precipitation and snowmelt, leading to lower flows during peak summer months. With only 10 days of stored water, Durango remains vulnerable to shortages.
The river’s troubles extend beyond low flows. Historical mining left a legacy of toxic runoff, most dramatically highlighted by the 2015 Gold King Mine spill, when nearly 3 million gallons of acidic, metal-laden water turned the Animas bright orange and contaminated sediments with lead, arsenic, cadmium, and more.
Despite these challenges, the Animas remains a beloved playground for locals and visitors alike.
Vanessa Taylor surfing. Video: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS
“It’s one of my favorite events of the year. I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” said Vanessa Taylor, a local resident who competed in the surfing event. For roughly 10 weeks each year when flows allow, Taylor surfs the river daily.
Taylor, who’s lived in Durango for 27 years, tried rafting, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding before settling on river surfing.
“I like surfing because it’s so immersive. You’re in the middle of these rapids. Time slows down, and you’re just standing there, moving. It’s a feeling I’ve never found anywhere else,” she said.
The river also draws competitors from across the state. Tristen Yardley, from Boulder, competed in Boater X, a whitewater race similar to ski cross.
“Compared to other racing base courses, like synthetic courses, the water here is huge,” Yardley said. “I wasn’t nearly as worried about technique as I was about just making it down in one piece.”
The Boater X competition. Video: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS
The highlight of the evening on May 31 was the costumed river parade, where colorful boats floated downstream as onlookers cheered.
“In the last 30 years, I’ve seen this town go from turning its back on the river — like in the 1890s, when it was just a place to dump sewage — to now the town is really turning its face to the river,” said Andy Corra, one of the first sponsors of Animas River Days.
Today, Durango has more than seven miles of river trail along the Animas, where people jog, fish, or sit by the water to relax.
“You don’t have to cross a single road. It’s kind of like the Central Park of Durango,” Corra said.
The river parade. Video: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS
Many newer hotels and restaurants also have decks that overlook the river.
“In my mind, this river is truly the heart of this community. It’s the lifeblood of Durango,” Wiley said.
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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