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What are the top attractions in Cortez?
- Cortez is home to several historic and natural attractions, including:
- Hovenweep National Monument
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
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Are there any archaeological sites to visit in Cortez?
- Yes, Cortez is rich in archaeological history. Popular sites include:
- Crow Canyon Archaeological Center: A place for hands-on learning about ancient cultures.
- Notah Dineh Trading Company and Museum: Showcasing Native American art and artifacts.
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What recreational activities are available in Cortez?
- Visitors can enjoy:
- Golfing at the Conquistador Golf Course.
- Horseback riding with a Canyon Trails Ranch guided tour.
- Attending a live show at the Sunflower Theater.
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1. Visit the visitor center at the Hovenweep National Monument
The Hovenweep National Monument features six prehistoric villages built between A.D. 1200 and 1300 that are spread over a twenty-mile expanse of majestic mesa tops and grand canyons along the Utah-Colorado border. Once home to over 2,500 people, the prehistoric, Puebloan-era villages boast multi-storied towers that are perched on canyon rims and precariously balanced on boulders, allowing visitors to marvel at the skill and motivation of their builders. Visitors to the Hovenweep National Monument can begin their journey at the Square Tower Group, which features a visitor center, a campground, and an interpretive trail.
Address: McElmo Route, Cortez, CO 81321, Phone: 970-562-4282
2. Visit Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is a national monument that contains a considerable number of cultural and historic sites representing Ancestral Puebloan and other Native American cultures. Located in the southwestern region of Colorado, 10 miles west of Cortez, the Monument spans 176,056 acres and comprises more than 6,355 individual nationally significant archeological sites that have been recognized for their outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values. The sites reflect all the physical components of past human life, such as field houses, villages, cliff dwellings, agricultural fields, great kivas, sweat lodges, and petroglyphs.
Address: 27501 Highway 184, Dolores, CO 81323, Phone: 970-882-5600
3. Admire beautiful red rocks of the Dolores River Canyon
The Dolores River Canyon is a beautiful 30-mile stretch of red rock canyon around the Dolores River, a tributary of the Colorado River, and is surrounded by 26,000 acres of pristine and spectacular wilderness. Named after the Spanish El Rio de Nuestra Señora de Dolores, River of Our Lady of Sorrows, the canyon and river are popular with outdoor adventure enthusiasts and offers excellent canoeing and kayaking on the river and hiking in the canyon. The Dolores River Canyon trail is a pleasant, reasonably simple hiking trail leading through a gorgeous red rock canyon with little elevation gain and after about three-and-a-half miles there are some fantastic petroglyphs to see. Adventurous hikers can continue into the continually narrowing box-shaped Dolores River Canyon.
Address: Cortez, CO 81321
4. See an exhibit at the Cortez Cultural Center
The Cortez Cultural Center is a community arts hub that is dedicated to Native American and Western art, dance and poetry. Located at 25 N. Market Street in the heart of Cortez, the Cortez Cultural Center is housed in a 1909 historic building and features a wealth of information on archaeology and American Indian culture through interpretive exhibits. Displays include information on the Basketmaker and Pueblo periods of the Ancestral Pueblo people, as well as the Navajo, Pueblo and Ute Mountain tribes. The center also hosts traveling exhibits and local artists' work in the art gallery, lectures, slide shows, workshops, and music programs, and Native American Dances on the plaza during the summer.
Address: 25 N Market St, Cortez, CO 81321, Phone: 970-565-1151
5. Visit the Notah Dineh Trading Company and Museum
The Notah Dineh Trading Company and Museum specialize in unique Native American art and features an outstanding collection of Pueblo pottery, Ute and Navajo pottery, hand-carved wooden kachinas, beaded baskets, sculptures, sterling silver jewelry, and more for sale and on display. Established in 1961 to preserve the honor and tradition of American Indian artists, Notah Dineh features the most extensive collection of Navajo rugs in the region, along with other traditional Native American weavings, along with ceremonial gloves and moccasins, beaded toys, and antique cradleboards. Artifacts from the Old West include beaded leatherwear, antique bits and bridles, fringed dresses, and historic firearms.
Address: 345 W Main St, Cortez, CO 81321, Phone: 970-565-9607
6. Visit the tasting room at Sutcliffe Vineyards
Nestled between the sheer walls of the Battlerock and the Sleeping Ute Mountain in the ancient desert of Colorado's southwest, Sutcliffe Vineyards produces highly acclaimed wines in the unique microclimate of the McElmo Canyon. The first vines were planted in 1995, and the first wines were sold in 2001, and visitors can taste the award-winning wines in the tasting room, explore the vineyards, and soak up the beautiful scenery. Located at the estate vineyard, the Sutcliffe tasting room is open year round, and visitors can sample a daily selection of four wines against a background of spectacular panoramic views.
Address: 12174 County Rd G, Cortez, CO 81321, Phone: 970-565-0825
7. Watch a movie at The Sunflower Theater
The Sunflower Theater is a family-friendly community theater in Cortez that presents a diverse variety of dramatic, musical, cinematic and performing arts shows, as well as and educational events for audiences of all ages. Set in the recently renovated, historical, Montezuma Valley National Bank Building on the historic Main Street in downtown Cortez, the 119-seat Sunflower Theater is designed for multiple uses, and showcases live music, films, lectures and theatre performances throughout the year. The Sunflower Theater features a proscenium stage, a level main floor that can seat up to 80 people, and a balcony that seats up to 27 people, along with high-quality recording and broadcasting capabilities, high efficiency LED lighting. The theater is available to rent for special events and functions.
Address: 8 E Main St, Cortez, CO 81321, Phone: 970-516-1818
8. Take a tour of the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center is a 170-acre research center for archaeological research, education, and preservation of the history of the Ancient Pueblo peoples. The center also serves as a ‘living classroom’ which offers a wide range of experimental and hands-on education programs for both students and adults to experience archaeological excavation of Native American sites. The mission of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center is to preserve and protect the rich heritage of the ancient Pueblo Indians and to educate and inspire an interest in the preservation and protection of the precious archaeological resources in the area. Visitors to the center can visit a current excavation site, tour a working archaeology lab, and explore the fascinating history of the ancestral Pueblo Indians.
Address: 23390 C R K, Cortez, CO 81321, Phone: 800-422-8975
9. Join Canyon Trails Ranch Guided Horse Tours
Canyon Trails Ranch Guided Horse Tours offer scenic backcountry horseback rides in the spectacular McElmo Canyon near Mesa Verde. Located near the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Canyon Trails offers half-day and full-day horseback rides through canyons sprinkled with archaeology sites from the ancestral Puebloan People and explores several attractions such as the beautiful red-rock canyons of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, ancient ruins left by the ancestral Puebloan People, and the awe-inspiring landscapes of Mesa Verde. Canyon Trails Ranch Guided Horse Tours also offers horse and RV camping with water and electric hookups and private corrals for the horses, as well as buys, sells and renovates horse-drawn wagons and buggies.
Address: 13935 C R G, Cortez, CO 81321, Phone: 970-565-1499
Best Time to Visit
Places to Stay
Tips for Visiting
Spring (March-May) – Mild temperatures and blooming desert landscapes.
Retro Inn at Mesa Verde – A quirky and comfortable stay with retro charm.
Explore Mesa Verde National Park – Visit ancient cliff dwellings and hike scenic trails.
Summer (June-August) – Warm and ideal for outdoor adventures.
Holiday Inn Express Mesa Verde-Cortez – A convenient stay close to national parks.
Visit Canyons of the Ancients – Discover ancient ruins and petroglyphs in this vast archaeological site.
Fall (September-November) – Crisp air and beautiful autumn scenery.
Baymont by Wyndham Cortez – A cozy and budget-friendly option.
Drive the San Juan Skyway – Enjoy stunning fall foliage along this scenic mountain route.
Winter (December-February) – Cool and quiet, perfect for a peaceful retreat.
Hampton Inn Mesa Verde/Cortez – A warm and comfortable winter getaway.
Visit Hovenweep National Monument – See ancient ruins dusted with snow in a serene setting.
If you are planning a road trip, Cortez, Colorado is about 1 hour from Durango (45.5 miles via US-160 W).
Plan Your Trip
Table of Contents:
- 1. Visit the visitor center at the Hovenweep National Monument
- 2. Visit Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
- 3. Admire beautiful red rocks of the Dolores River Canyon
- 4. See an exhibit at the Cortez Cultural Center
- 5. Visit the Notah Dineh Trading Company and Museum
- 6. Visit the tasting room at Sutcliffe Vineyards
- 7. Watch a movie at The Sunflower Theater
- 8. Take a tour of the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
- 9. Join Canyon Trails Ranch Guided Horse Tours