Matt Kundo

Posted on May 12 • Originally published at destinationdro.com

Three Springs, Durango, CO: What It’s Really Like to Live Here | Southwest Colorado Real Estate | Destination DRO Real Estate Group

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Three Springs, Durango, CO: What It’s Really Like to Live Here
Three Springs, Durango, CO: What It’s Really Like to Live Here
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](https://www.threespringsdurango.com/)Photo: Three Springs

There’s a moment that happens as you enter the neighborhood community of Three Springs in Durango, CO on any given morning. Something shifts as you turn off Highway 160 onto Three Springs Boulevard and catch a glimpse of wetlands from the corner of your eye. If you’re especially lucky, you may see one of the resident great blue herons take flight over the cattails. Ahead of you, tree-lined streets give way to homes with spacious front porches, offering the perfect spot for enjoying your morning coffee. A neighbor, along with her dog in tow, walks by and waves as she heads towards the Spur Line trails, offering six miles of beginner-friendly biking, hiking, and snowshoeing that are accessible directly from the neighborhood. And in the background, just beyond the wetlands, are the beautiful La Plata Mountains, reminding you of just how special this community is.

What Makes Three Springs Different From Other Durango Neighborhoods

Once you enter Three Springs, you’ll sense just how easy it would be to call this place “home”. Offering energy-efficient single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments only ten minutes away from historic downtown Durango, it’s the kind of neighborhood that seems designed for people first, cars second. That’s by design. Three Springs was built from the ground up in accordance with Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) principles, which honor both the land itself and the history of the people and cultures of Durango and Southwest Colorado.

The Three Springs community includes walkable blocks, pocket parks, restaurants and businesses, community gathering spaces, and neighbors who actually know each other. It’s also Durango’s first fiber-optic-wired community. So if you’re looking for fast internet, easy access to trails, and fantastic mountain views, this may be the place for you. I’ve shown homes in Three Springs for years, and I’ve watched when families explore this community for the first time. They begin to relax and imagine the possibilities…

Three Springs: Built Green From the Ground Up

Compared to many other Durango neighborhoods, Three Springs stands out for another reason: it was built to a different standard than the more traditional neighborhoods in town.

In June 2006, the Durango City Council approved the Three Springs Sustainable Development Program. It was the first formal green building program of its kind in the area, and one designed to serve as a model for the broader City of Durango. Developed in partnership with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Growth Fund, the program reflects a deep respect for the land and the enduring history of the people in Southwest Colorado.
Photo: Three Springs

As an EcoBroker, I pay attention to how homes are built — and Three Springs homes are certainly built to a high standard. Every residential home is required to meet Built Green Colorado® certification, including Energy Star® ratings and specific requirements for energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, and responsible materials. Commercial and civic buildings are held to LEED standards. The parks and streetscapes are irrigated with non-potable raw water rather than treated drinking water, and landscape irrigation is designed to use 30% less water than a conventional baseline.

The wetlands you pass on Three Springs Boulevard aren’t just there for aesthetics, though they are quite soothing. They’re a protected natural system, managed under a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit that requires stormwater to be filtered through the wetlands before it leaves the site.

Nearly 300 of the neighborhood’s 681 acres are preserved as open space, parks, wetland habitat, and school land. For buyers who care about how a neighborhood was made, this matters.

Other green practices found at Three Springs include:

The re-planting of trees and shrubs throughout the neighborhood gathering areas.
The planting of plum trees as part of Fort Lewis College’s “Food for Thought” program.
The installation of energy-efficient lights on neighborhood trails and streets.
The launch of a single-stream recycling program by the Neighbors at Three Springs.
The diversion of nearly 80% of construction waste from landfills to recycling facilities instead.

And for buyers focused on long-term operating costs, the energy efficiency standards built into every Three Springs home mean lower utility bills than you might typically see in an older Durango neighborhood. In fact, Three Springs touts a 33% reduction in energy consumption compared to typical homes built to code. Organizations like 4CORE (Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency) were cited in the plan as part of the program’s coordination team, which speaks to the values imbued in this place from the start.

Trails, Parks, and Outdoor Life in Three Springs

Whether you’re looking at Durango neighborhoods for the first time or are already a long-time resident looking for a change, the Three Springs Durango trails and open spaces are hard to pass up. They provide recreational fun right outside your front door.

Three Springs offers 300 acres dedicated to open space, parks, and trails, including:

Spurline Trail — 6 miles for biking, running, and hiking.
Telegraph Trail System connection — single-track mountain-biking, hiking, and running trails.
SMART 160 Trail — an ongoing project that will eventually link Three Springs to the Animas River Trail and Bayfield.
12 Pocket Parks and Three Springs Plaza — a grassy area with benches, trees, and an outdoor stage for community events offered throughout the summer months.
Confluence Park — a 15-acre neighborhood park featuring a large playground, picnic shelter, benches, large grassy areas, and ADA accessibility.
Southern Open Space — a scenic, soft-surface loop trail perfect for dog-walking.

Photo: Three Springs

Three Springs Schools, Families, and Community Life

Living in vibrant Three Springs has been described as living in a chill, family-friendly “village,” with restaurants and businesses just a few steps from your front door. Three Springs’ bustling Mercado Business District offers a fitness center, a yoga studio, numerous other professional services, and banks, including Alpine Bank.

Restaurants like Home Slice, one of Durango’s locals’ favorites, are located in the business district, as is Taco Boy, serving up street tacos inside or on its outdoor patio and featuring a full-service bar (and kitschy sombreros on the wall). Make sure you check out their daily specials, including “Monday Margaritas,” and “Sopes, and Whiskey Wednesdays.” Bear’s General Store is nearby to supply you with “beer, wine, spirits, and everyday convenience items.”

Right smack in the center of the Mercado Business District is the Three Springs Plaza, where residents and other locals gather for live entertainment and family events. Enjoy summer night movies, the annual Easter egg hunt, and the Halloween parade with your family and friends. The Plaza also hosts weekly “Concerts in the Plaza” during the warm summer months. And you just can’t beat the starry-filled view of the sky over Three Springs at night.

Another great perk of living in Three Springs? The proximity to healthcare. CommonSpirit Mercy Regional Medical Center is literally in the neighborhood. Located right next to the Mercado Business District, Common Spirit is the district’s largest employer and offers a range of medical services, from emergency trauma care to specialized outpatient clinics, making Three Springs the ideal relocation spot for retirees and healthcare workers.
Photo: Three Springs

Coming Soon: Three Springs Elementary School

There’s been an excited buzz around the neighborhood lately. The Three Springs Elementary School is breaking ground this year with plans to open in the Fall of 2028. With the intention of creating a school in “harmony with its natural surroundings” and based on input from a Design Advisory Group (DAG) comprised of Three Springs residents, educators, parents, and other community members, the project architects are focused on constructing a school building that maintains a connection to nature and encompasses a “where the desert meets the Southwest” vibe.

The 70,000-square-foot elementary school will accommodate around 500 students (3 classrooms per grade) and include a multi-purpose library, two multi-purpose flex classrooms, and porches off each classroom for outdoor learning.

For those families looking to relocate to Three Springs, the convenience is truly a deal-maker. The fact that it was a school designed with substantial community feedback makes it that much more special. We can’t wait for the doors to open in 2028.

What Homes in Three Springs Actually Look Like (and Cost)

One of the first things people notice about the neighborhoods in Three Springs is how intentional they feel. It’s easy to note that a lot of careful consideration and thoughtful planning went into its design. Everything from the setbacks to the streetscapes was designed with people (especially walkers) in mind.

In the Three Springs neighborhoods, no two homes look alike. You’ll find a real mix of housing, including townhomes, duplexes, single-level patio homes, and apartments. Architecturally, the neighborhood has a fresh, familiar look that evokes the “modern farmhouse meets contemporary mountain” style.

Inside, you’ll typically find open-concept layouts, upscale finishes, and high-efficiency appliances. Outside, the emphasis on relaxing livability continues with backyard patios, courtyards, detached garages, and direct access to the neighborhood’s trail systems. HOA fees do exist for homeowners and cover such things as alley maintenance and snow removal (in some areas). Potential buyers should confirm current fees.

Home Pricing in Three Springs

Home prices vary in Three Springs, depending on what you’re looking for in a new home. When complete, Three Springs will have over 2,000 residential homes.

Here are a few pricing statistics on Three Springs homes:

Median sales price for single-family homes over the last 12 months — $740,000
Median sales price for townhomes/condos over the last 12 months — $651,459
Sales range in 2025/2026 — $475,000–$900,000
List to Sale Price Ratio — 99%
Median days on the market — 1 year, 47 days

Is Three Springs Right For You?

If you are a household that values walkability and close proximity to trails, conveniences, and community events, or if you are a recent retiree or healthcare worker, the Three Springs move-in-ready neighborhood may be the perfect fit.

Three Springs may not be the right fit for those looking for substantial acreage or a more spacious, rural feel. Buyers who prioritize proximity to downtown bars, galleries, and the Animas River may prefer other Durango neighborhoods.

Experience Three Springs For Yourself!

If you are curious to learn more about Three Springs living or would even like to walk around the neighborhood with someone who knows a little something about it, reach out.

Durango is the kind of town that’s hard to fully appreciate until you’re standing smack dab in the middle of it and Three Springs is no exception to that rule. Whether you’re just starting to explore your options or you’re ready to get serious, I’m happy to be your enthusiastic guide and we’d love to help you get to know this unique community a little better!

Written by [Heather Erb](https://www.destinationdro.com/blog/author/bt-326323/) on May 12, 2026. Posted in [Durango Area Guides](https://www.destinationdro.com/blog/category/durango-area-guides/), [Durango Living Guide](https://www.destinationdro.com/blog/category/durango-living-guide/), [Relocation Resources](https://www.destinationdro.com/blog/category/relocation-resources/)

Tags: colorado, durango, Durango healthcare, Durango living, Durango neighborhoods, Durango schools, Three Springs Durango

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