The town of Cortez sits at the southwest corner of Colorado and has regularly been a staging point for visitors and tourists interested in seeing the local geology, landscape and heritage sites. It’s also a key way-point and stop for traffic moving in and out of Colorado into the Southwest and the Four Corners region shared with Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Sitting at the junction of state routes 490 and 160, Cortez regularly sees a sizable amount of pass-through traffic, so as a town it has a sizable amount of infrastructure as well.
Background and History
Cortez has been a major stopping point for centuries too. Originally established as a ranching and work site for flood diversion back in the mid 1880s, it was regularly used for a staging location. Over the years, and especially after the federal government began establishing national parks in the region, Cortez also became a go-to location for lodging, food and resources for tourists visiting the area and for recreation. In terms of ancient history alone, Cortez probably has thousands of sites in the region, including national monuments and historical registered sites as well.
Current Climate and Expectations for a Visit
Similar to other areas of Colorado, Cortez is fairly warm in the summer and realizes a regular winter with snow in the cold months. Typical winter months can get below freezing and the summers reach a high point of just about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
In terms of amenities, the town is fully-stocked with a wide range of lodging choices, restaurants, grocery stores, and supply stores as well.
Built to handle the regular commerce traffic passing through, visitors are easily able to find everything they need for the next stage of their trip as well as staying locally for longer visits.
Cortez is also home to Mountain Annies Cortez marijuana dispensary as well. This is worth the callout because of the ‘Great Wall of Weed’ that is as much a place to shop as it is a tourist attraction in Corteza. Regardless, a great place to visit to get a zip and recreate.
Definitely a Place to Go When in Colorado
The Southwest, and particularly the Four Corners region, has a lot to offer anyone passing through, but traveling safe also means knowing when to rest. Cortez provides that critical option as well as an assortment of other reasons to visit as well. Whether just looking for someplace different to go to in Colorado or needing a place to sleep comfortably on a long road trip, Cortez offers visitors both. And its community also provides dispensary and recreation benefits as well. No surprise, Cortez should be on most top lists as a place to visit when West of the Rocky Mountains.
