Entry No. 62 — the Durango file — filed under: hands-on
The Cowboy Forge
Owner Steve Williams has been blacksmithing since 1996 and teaching since 2012, trained at Frank Turley's renowned school in Santa Fe. His Mancos shop runs daytime and evening classes plus open-forge time, all billed as no-experience-necessary. Past students have forged everything from hooks to a small iron tree for hanging jewelry.
The story
Twenty-eight miles west of Durango in Mancos, Steve Williams runs a traditional coal-and-anvil operation far removed from modern tourist theatre. Williams began forging iron in 1996 and learned his trade under the late Frank Turley at Turley Forge in Santa Fe—one of the most respected blacksmithing schools in the American West. By 2012, he opened up his own shop floor to teach anyone willing to grab a pair of tongs.
This is heavy, honest architectural metalwork, not decorative souvenir stamping. Under Williams’s instruction, raw iron bar stock gets shoved into glowing coal fires until soft enough to draw out, taper, twist, and punch. Beginners who show up knowing nothing leave hours later carrying hand-forged coat hooks or small, branching iron trees tailored for holding jewelry.
What it's like
Step through the door and you're immediately hit by the blast of forge heat and the dry metallic smell of heated coal and scale. It is loud, physical, and warm. Williams keeps instruction direct and hands-on, guiding your hammer strikes without taking the tools out of your hands. Open-forge sessions and structured classes fill up quickly, so you'll want to message Williams directly to pin down current schedules before heading out.
The move: Spend an evening at the forge learning to draw out, twist, and shape iron, each making a small hand-forged piece to take home.
📍 Before you go In Mancos, roughly 28 miles west of Durango. Classes and open forge run on a posted schedule and fill up; contact Steve directly for current 2026 dates and pricing.
- 📍 Mancos
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Mancos, CO 81328
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Mancos Common Press — Trade hot iron for cold metal type down the road, where a preserved 1890 Cranston press still prints in downtown Mancos.
- Columbine Bar & Grill — Wash the forge smoke out of your throat at this historic Mancos dive bar just two miles away.
- Giant Arrows at the Hogan Trading Post — Continue your tour of local roadside craft five miles down the highway where telephone poles were hand-carved into giant arrows.
Good to know
Do I need any previous metalworking or blacksmithing experience?
None at all. Classes are explicitly structured for complete beginners as well as intermediate smiths.
Where is the shop located?
The forge sits in Mancos, Colorado, roughly 28 miles west of downtown Durango.
What will I actually make during a session?
Students typically forge small, complete items to take home, ranging from utility hooks to decorative twisted iron pieces and small jewelry trees.
How do I sign up for a class or open-forge time?
Schedules run on posted dates and fill up fast; contact Steve Williams directly through The Cowboy Forge website to get current dates and reserve a anvil.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · issuu.com · durango.org
last checked: 2026-06-23