Are there grizzly bears in Durango?
No. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) says grizzlies were wiped out of the state in the mid-1950s, and that "grizzlies no longer live in Colorado" (CPW). One surprise came later. In 1979, a hunting guide in the San Juan Mountains killed a grizzly, apparently in self-defense, and naturalists had assumed none were left. It is the last one confirmed in the state.
That San Juan bear was not near town. The nonprofit Threatened Colorado places the 1979 encounter in the South San Juan Wilderness, a few miles from the New Mexico line, and says no grizzly has been confirmed in Colorado since (Threatened Colorado). It adds that federal wildlife officials consider natural recolonization impractical, because the nearest grizzly population sits about 385 miles from the San Juans, and that CPW said in 2019 it had no plan to bring them back.
So what did you see on the trail? Probably a black bear. Black bears can be brown or cinnamon, which fools people. CPW's identification page lists the real differences: a grizzly has a prominent shoulder hump, hips lower than its shoulders, a dish-shaped face and claws two to four inches long. A black bear has little or no hump, hips higher than its shoulders, taller pointed ears and shorter, darker claws (CPW). Our guide to living with bears in Durango covers the species that does live here.
Are there mountain lions near Durango?
Yes. La Plata County's own wildlife page covers mountain lions and notes that human encounters have increased in recent years as settlement pushes into lion habitat (La Plata County). CPW estimates 3,800 to 4,400 independent lions statewide and says they mainly live west of I-25, which puts the whole Durango area in range (CPW).
Don't expect to see one. They are rarely spotted, CPW says, and are most active from dusk to dawn. Home ranges run from 10 to 370 square miles. The county's tips for lion country are practical: make noise when you come and go in the dark, light the paths you walk, bring pets in at night and keep garbage locked up. Predators follow prey, so feeding deer invites trouble.
If you do meet one, the county and CPW agree on the basics. Stay calm. Don't run. Face the animal, make yourself look larger, and back away slowly. If it acts aggressively, throw things and fight back. Dial the CPW office at 970-247-0855, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours, call the Colorado State Patrol or the La Plata County Sheriff, per the county page.
Are there wolves near Durango?
Not as far as CPW's releases go, and the geography backs that up. Colorado voters ordered wolf reintroduction in 2020, and CPW brought in 10 wolves in December 2023 and 15 more in January 2025, all released west of the Continental Divide (CPW). The agency set release sites at least 60 miles from the New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming borders, with a similar buffer around tribal lands in southwestern Colorado. Durango sits about 20 miles north of New Mexico, per the Durango Area Tourism Office, so it falls inside that buffer. CPW also says Mexican wolves will not be released in Colorado.
As of CPW's September 2026 update, the agency was monitoring four reproducing packs, all in northwest Colorado (CPW). Its annual report for April 2025 through March 2026 counted at least 32 wolves statewide, according to KKTV. A minimum count is not a census, and wolves roam. CPW welcomes public sighting reports through its wolf pages.
What should I do if I see a large animal?
Give it room, and don't guess the species from a distance. If you want help with a nuisance animal, use the county's CPW number above. Otherwise, treat all of southwest Colorado's big wildlife as wild. Keep pets close, store food and trash securely, and read the guides linked above before your next hike. For related answers on bears and the local terrain, see our elevation answer and the guide to parks and trails for residents.