A sanctuary in the city, built by a Durango family
Woman and veteran owned. JD and Ashley Sutton dream of a life where they work to live, not live to work — and of a business run by Colorado locals, for Colorado locals and visitors alike.
Two paths to the river
Ashley's family descends from Durango. When she came to support Mercy Hospital in 2020 — after ten years as a Registered Nurse, including the ICU and COVID team — she was enamored with the beauty of this town and its people. With a love of aesthetics spanning eighteen years, she followed her vision and opened Mountain Beauty Medspa.
JD served as a Marine, then spent eight years in Southeast Asia as an offshore deep-sea diver for the oil and gas industry. He remembers finding sanctuaries in Bali and Chiang Mai — and when he saw an unused rooftop space above the Animas, he felt the desire to restore and create an oasis where locals and visitors can relax, practice yoga, or enjoy a drink overlooking the river.
Medicine first, always learning
Ashley Sutton, FNP‑MSN, has been in esthetics for over ten years, with a prior career as an ICU hospital nurse supporting Durango through COVID at Mercy Hospital. As Medical Director, she brings that clinical depth to every treatment at River's Edge — from injectables and laser therapy to medical weight loss, peptide therapy, and hormone replacement.
Her thirst for knowledge is passed down to every River's Edge technician — a team that is always sharing, learning, and growing.
Rooted in community
The Suttons always dreamed of a bit of land for their children to grow up on — a little homestead where the kids collect eggs and sell them to the neighbors, learning what a dollar is worth. Now they want to offer something to the community: a sanctuary for body and soul that provides recovery and rejuvenation, built together with the people of Durango.
Built for the whole community
We built the Rooftop above the Animas as a place for the community — a space that supports everyone, regardless of musical preference or passion. Simply an area where all can come, gather, move, and celebrate together.
And we're just getting started — we hope to grow the Rooftop and support even more events for our community. Have an idea for a gathering? Tell us.
One roof, every discipline
Clinical services run under the direction of Ashley Sutton, FNP-MSN — spa comfort with medical standards behind it.
Day spa, medspa, Western medicine, and Eastern medicine under one roof — your plan can draw from all four.
Every visit ends riverside — linger in the River Room or on the rooftop instead of rushing back to the car.
Notes from the river's edge
Recovery science, skin health, and what's new at the spa — written by the practitioners who work here.
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