La Plata Canyon Jeep Tours from Durango

Overview

Our Durango Jeep tour travels up La Plata Canyon, a rugged ravine nestled in an alpine paradise.

Here in this glacially sculpted landscape, you’ll find waterfalls cascading into the canyon, hallways of glimmering aspens, countless wildflowers, wildlife scurrying between the meadows, and panoramic views of Colorado's most beautiful Rocky Mountains. Like we said, paradise!

Our fun-loving and experienced guides are Durango locals, who know this canyon's rich history and ecology like nobody else. While other outfitters tend to let the scenery do all the work for them, our guides give you a wealth of insight about what makes this area incredibly special. They're also talented drivers who will get you up this rutted trail without a hitch.

Most people don't want to take their own vehicles up this old mining route, and our open-air Jeeps are customized for a smoother ride— although it will still be bumpy about half way through. It's all a part of the fun!

City: Durango

Mon 19 May

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $129.71

Make a reservation

Mon 19 May

Starting at $129.71

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Water

Granola Bars

Blankets

Ponchos

Knowledgeable guides

Customized, Open-Air Jeep

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
You must bring your own car seats for children who require them. CO Car Seat Law states that children up to 8 years old must be in an appropriate car seat.
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Please arrive 10 minutes early to check in for the tour!

What To Expect

Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours

Meet us at our Durango Office in the morning or afternoon for a 4-hour excursion up the ruggedly beautiful wilderness of La Plata Canyon, just 20 minutes from town. The trail starts off smooth and slowly transitions into a rubbled road about half up the canyon. Get ready to rock around and get to know the person next to you! As we make our way up the mountain, we'll stop to check out some waterfalls, meadows, and old remnants from Colorado's wild mining era. On the way up, keep your eyes peeled for deer, marmot, fox, birds of prey— and if you’re lucky, a moose or bear! Once we've reached the top of the canyon, we'll take some time to enjoy a spectacular view of the San Juan Mountains, Colorado's most beloved Rockies! From late June to early August, this is the perfect off-roading trail for wildflowers. In late September to early October, the large aspen groves make for amazing fall colors

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (239)

annbellworley

Jun 2019

We took the half-day Jeep tour with Jay as our guide on our first full day in Durango. Jay was super personable and made the whole experience a pleasure. Our group included our family of four (two children, ages 7 and 10) and an older couple we'd never met. Jay included everyone in conversation, and we all became friends. By the end of the tour, we just about invited him to our AirBnB for dinner! The scenery was beautiful throughout, and we enjoyed learning about the different mountain ranges and mining communities that had populated the land over the years. One caution: they told us it would be chilly, and they were RIGHT! We should have worn another layer of clothing. Fortunately, they had extra flannels for each of us and blankets for use in the Jeep. We enjoyed the tour and highly recommend Jay.

gw0lfe

Jun 2019

Comparing what the videos show on the website and what we received were very different couldn’t hear him talking as he was explaining things just too loud he needed a mic system overall disappointing would not recommend

Mark D

Aug 2018

Our trip started early in the morning in a modified truck that could seat up to 12 passengers. Three rows with four butts per row. We were 9 so seated 3x3 and that was fairly comfortable. We were taken by Jerry, our guide & driver, up a forestry road almost to Kennebec Pass at the top. The trip starts on black-top and then transitions fairly quickly to a dirt road. By the time you're reached the top, you've transitioned to a road that requires a high-clearance vehicle due to the rocks & bumps. We returned by the same path which is kinda a bummer but I'm sure they don't have all day to do giant loops. Jerry stopped at various places along the way on both the way up and back and would tell us about the area and its history. He was the right balance of fun & informative. No complaints there. If you have back or spine problems, I'd recommend against this trip - it's fairly jouncy. That's part of the fun, of course, if you're back is fine and why, in part, you buy into a trip like this. All in all, a quite fun trip. Note: we did this activity as part of the jeep & raft combo package and returned in time to raft in the afternoon. I'll review that separately but I will suggest that if you do both activities that the transition time is minimal. Pack some snacks or a quick lunch and plan to change into rafting clothing at the facility (there's changing rooms for this).

Response from Host

Sep 2018

Thanks for your description of our Rivers and Trails trip (1/2 day raft, and 1/2 day jeep tour). The jeep tour is quite bumpy on these un-maintained, old mining roads so it is not recommended for those with back problems. Some of our other tours, do offer more of a loop, but this tour does not as you mentioned. There is generally 1-1.5 hours between the two trips. We do have a picnic area for those that bring their own lunch, or some quick restaurants close by to pick up a bite. Thanks so much for sharing your experience.