EV Road Trip to Purgatory: Charging Stations and Route Tips
Electric vehicles and mountain road trips are increasingly compatible, and driving an EV to Purgatory is absolutely doable with a little planning. Here's what you need to know.
The Routes
From Albuquerque (about 4 hours): Head north through Santa Fe and into southern Colorado. Charging stations are available in Santa Fe, Chama, and Durango.
From Denver (about 6.5 hours): The most common route is south on I-25 to Walsenburg, then west on US-160 over Wolf Creek Pass. Charging options exist along I-25 and in Pagosa Springs.
From Phoenix (about 8 hours): North through Flagstaff and into the Four Corners area. Flagstaff and Farmington have charging stations.
Charging in Durango
Durango has public EV charging stations downtown and at various businesses. The infrastructure has grown significantly in recent years, and you should have no trouble finding a charge.
Charging at Our Properties
Both Basecamp and Timberline have EV chargers on-site. This is a significant perk — you can charge overnight while you sleep and wake up with a full battery every morning. No hunting for public chargers, no waiting at a station, no planning your day around charging stops.
Tips
Plan your charging stops before you leave. Apps like PlugShare show real-time charger availability. Budget extra time on mountain passes — cold weather and elevation can reduce range. The last stretch from Durango to Purgatory is 25 miles and about 2,000 feet of elevation gain — factor that into your remaining range.
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