Cortez, CO Summary

The town of Cortez, at an elevation of 6,201 feet along Hwy 160/666, sits in the heartland of Colorado’s southwestern region. It is a small town of 8,726 people, largely Hispanics and Native Americans who cater to tourists traveling to the Four Corners region and Mesa Verde National Park. Cortez sits in a region steeped with Ancestral Puebloans, or Anasazi, heritage as well as the cultures of the Ute, Navajo, and Apache tribes.

At the Cortez Center, several cultural events are held throughout the summer, including Native American dances, art shows, storytelling, cowboy poetry, and Mexican fiestas. The Anasazi Heritage Center, 10 miles north at Delores on Hwy 184, offers further insights into the culture of the ancient cliff dwellers, along with a collection of artifacts, and tours to two ruins that date to the twelfth century.

South of Cortez is the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation and the Ute Mountain Casino, which is the region’s main money-maker apart from tourism. Its tribal center conducts tours to the Ancestral Puebloans cliff dwellings as well as to the petroglyph sites.

Located 2 miles from town, Cortez Municipal Airport operates daily flights to Denver.