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Durango Movies

Movies Filmed In Durango, Colorado

Since 1925, over 30 films have been shot on location in and around Durango, Colorado. Durango’s sunny and warm weather, coupled with fantastic scenery and the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge railroad make the city of Durango the ideal location for movie making.

Silver Screen Debuts

After The Limited Mall in 1925, one of the first more well known films to be shot in Durango was Ticket to Tomahawk (1950), a railroad western that closely paralleled Durango’s own wild west history. The film featured drama of the old west, focusing on a railroad and a stage coach line competing for business. Fun fact: the film's cast featured an uncredited Marilyn Monroe.

Something In Every Genre

Drama, comedy, and adventure are the themes of movies filmed in the Durango area. Two memorable Hollywood productions with filming in Durango include National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) with Chevy Chase and City Slickers (1991) with Billy Crystal. Action and drama films from Durango include Sylvester Stallone’s Cliffhanger (1993) and Downhill Racer (1969) starring Robert Redford.

Butch Cassidy

And of course, the most memorable film of all is another Redford film, an Academy Award winning western buddy film that paired Redford with Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The 1969 film is based on the historic exploits of Butch Cassidy and his hole-in-the-wall gang. Read below for a complete chronology of films with scenes filmed on location in Durango.

Movies Filmed In Durango

  • 1925 - The Limited Mall
  • 1949 - Colorado Territory
  • 1950 - Ticket to Tomahawk
  • 1951 - Across the Wide Missouri
  • 1952 - Denver and Rio Grande
  • 1952 - Viva Zapata
  • 1953 - Lone Hand
  • 1953 - The Naked Spur
  • 1954 - Three Young Texans
  • 1955 - Run For Cover
  • 1956 - Maverick Queen
  • 1956 - Around the World in 80 Days
  • 1956 - The Maverick Queen
  • 1957 - Night Passage
  • 1963 - How the West Was Won
  • 1965 - The Sons of Katie Elder
  • 1969 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
  • 1969 - Downhill Racer
  • 1970 - Support Your Local Gunfighter
  • 1972 - When Legends Die
  • 1978 - Avalanche
  • 1983 - National Lampoon’s Vacation
  • 1984 - Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
  • 1987 - The Tracker
  • 1991 - City Slickers
  • 1992 - Rebirth of a Locomotive
  • 1993 - Cliffhanger
  • 1999 - Durango Kid
  • 2000 - The Claim
  • 2000 - Nurse Betty
  • 2004 - The Prestige
  • 2006 - The Connecticut Kid
  • 2012 - The Lone Ranger

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