Cortez Colorado Travel Information

Cortez is a small community in southwestern Colorado, just miles from dozens of major Native American sites. A diverse community with many services for tourists, Cortez is situated between the scenic San Juan Mountains to the east and the semi-arid desert of the Four Corners region to the west. A variety of terrain types are within a few hours' drive.

Cortez is located in the middle of the most archeologically dense region of the country. Thousands of Ancestral Pueblo sites have been discovered in the surrounding area, including the famous ruins at Mesa Verde. Also nearby are the Hovenweep and Canyons of the Ancients national monuments, protecting additional native sites. For the less historically minded, Cortez provides easy access to McPhee Lake, the Dolores River, and the San Juan Mountains.

Cortez is located in the southwest corner of Colorado, about 170 miles south of Grand Junction and 350 miles southwest of Denver. For more information about the Cortez area, select a topic of interest from the left-hand column.