Durango is located in southwestern Colorado, on the banks of the Animas River. It lies about 20 mi north of the New Mexico border. The city is a tourist, educational, and agricultural center. Durango serves as a gateway to Mesa Verde National Park, the San Juan Mountains, Purgatory Ski Area, San Juan National Forest, and the Southern Ute Reservation, a Native American reserve. A 2006 real estate survey has estimated the population of Durango, Colorado at 15,614.