Sitting 39 miles from the Four Corners, Cortez is a southwestern Colorado town where locals can enjoy a rural lifestyle. “We have a small-town atmosphere, and while we have been growing some, you still have peace and quiet,” says Terry McCabe of RE/MAX Mesa Verde Realty, who has 30 years of experience in the area. The town of 8,800 is known for its proximity to some of the best outdoor recreation in Colorado, and it relies on visitors to Mesa Verde National Park, San Juan National Forest and other landmarks to boost its tourism industry. Cortez is home to one of the Four Corners' only major hospitals, a bustling downtown scene and an airport with quick flights to Denver and Phoenix.
While Colorado is known for its snow, Cortez gets a surprising amount even though it sits in the southern part of the state.
Cortez is a quiet rural town with natural beauty in every direction.
1/2
Hiking at Mesa Verde National Park
Like in most Colorado towns, locals like to get outside and enjoy the mountain air. “Outdoor recreation is huge here,” McCabe says. “We have everything you can think of--fishing, hunting, hiking; it’s all right here.” Cortez is located 15 miles south of the San Juan National Forest, where locals can hunt mule deer, elk and more. The area also has hundreds of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. During the winter, locals snowshoe and cross-country ski on the paths at Mesa Verde National Park, which is located just 10 miles from town. The park is home to cliff dwellings of Ancestral Puebloans, which date back to the 13th century. In town, there's Totten Lake for fishing, and golfers can get a round in at Conquistador Golf Course. Parque de Vida is the town’s largest park with sports fields, a skate park and an amphitheater for events. Motocross racing is popular at Cortez BMX.
Totten Lake is a great escape for boating and fishing in Cortez.
Many hiking and walking trails can be found scattered around Cortez.
1/2
New builds and 1920s cottages
Home styles in Cortez vary from Victorian cottages to stucco-sided ranch-style houses. Most properties sit on large lots and have large front and backyards. “You have some older homes from the 1920s downtown then some new builds out in the rural areas,” McCabe says. The median price for a single-family home in Cortez is $340,000.
New builds around Cortez include ranch style homes with wood siding.
Classic cottage style homes are commonly found around Cortez.
1/2
Dining on West Main Street
Despite being a small town, there is no shortage of dining options for Cortez locals downtown. Sushi spots, bakeries and steakhouses line the town’s West Main Street. Locals can park downtown and easily walk to breweries, wine bars, coffee shops and dive bars. While Cortez has plenty of spots to grab food or a drink, the town doesn’t have the shopping options of bigger towns. “We don’t have a mall or anything like that,” McCabe says. “But it’s 2025. If you want to buy something, you just go online and get it in 24 hours, so it’s not a big deal.” Cortez does have a few boutiques along Main as well as national grocery chains.
Main Street Brewery is a favorite among Cortez residents due to their unique craft beers.
Shilo Steakhouse is a popular stop in Cortez, known for serving fresh Colorado beef and more.
1/2
Montezuma-Cortez High has a new campus
Kids in the area attend the Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1, which has a C-plus overall grade on Niche. The district is comprised of 10 schools serving nearly 2,500 students and has a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Teens head to Montezuma-Cortez High School, which has a B-minus grade. The high school opened a new $34 million campus across 35 acres before the 2015-16 school year.
Kemper Elementary School provides great education for the children in Cortez.
Montezuma-Cortez High School has a brand new building for their students.
1/2
Access to the Cortez Municipal Airport
While there are no bus routes around town, Montezuma County offers a door-to-door transportation service for locals who make reservations. The Bustang is an intercity bus service throughout the state that takes residents from Cortez to nearby towns like Durango, Grand Junction and Telluride. The Cortez Municipal Airport is 3 miles outside of town and offers daily flights to Denver and Phoenix. Southwest Memorial Hospital has been the major medical provider in Cortez since 1914.
Cortez Police Department
The town is served by the Cortez Police Department. According to the FBI, violent crime rates in the town have increased over the past two years.
Mild summers and chilly winters
Despite being near the southern border of Colorado, Cortez stays cooler than much of the state due to its elevation of 6,200 feet above sea level. Temperatures reach highs of the upper 80s in the summers and chilly winters have lows in the teens. The city sees an average of 33 inches of snowfall per year, with January being the snowiest month.
Cortez sits in the southern part of Colorado and is known for its chilly winters.
Cotrez is filled with many outdoor opportunities that keeps residents moving all year round.
1/2
Written By
John Moyer
Photography Contributed By
Kody Martin
Video By
Anne Sheridan
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Karen Overington,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in Cortez, CO sell after 65 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Cortez, CO over the last 12 months is $332,465, up 8% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Fantastic Views from this 3.67 acre lot in the Eagles Nest Subdivision! Spectacular views of the Ute Mountain and the amazing Southwest Colorado sunsets! Southwest Colorado also offers some of the most diverse activities found anywhere, from hunting, fishing and camping to mountain biking, hiking and exploring. And this parcel is within a mile of the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument.
Large 1.0 acre Residential Lot! Currently zoned R1 but could possibly changed to R2 as there is a series of duplex apartments to the south. Zoning change would need City of Cortez approval. Currently 2 Cortez Sanitation sewer lines run through the parcel, buyer would need to confirm potential building plans with the City of Cortez and the Cortez Sanitation District. The Sanitation District
Large 3.41 acre parcel on Fairway Drive! Paved road close to the Golf Course. Build your dream home or possibly subdivide with City of Cortez approval. Possibly streets on 3 sides, see aerial view. Highly desirable area! Possibilities!
Fantastic Views from this 3.67 acre lot in the Eagles Nest Subdivision! Spectacular views of the Ute Mountain and the amazing Southwest Colorado sunsets! Southwest Colorado also offers some of the most diverse activities found anywhere, from hunting, fishing and camping to mountain biking, hiking and exploring. And this parcel is within a mile of the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument.
Large 1.0 acre Residential Lot! Currently zoned R1 but could possibly changed to R2 as there is a series of duplex apartments to the south. Zoning change would need City of Cortez approval. Currently 2 Cortez Sanitation sewer lines run through the parcel, buyer would need to confirm potential building plans with the City of Cortez and the Cortez Sanitation District. The Sanitation District
Large 3.41 acre parcel on Fairway Drive! Paved road close to the Golf Course. Build your dream home or possibly subdivide with City of Cortez approval. Possibly streets on 3 sides, see aerial view. Highly desirable area! Possibilities!
2 BR 1.5 Bath in triplex in Cortez. Well maintained and extremely clean. Includes washer, dryer, and dishwasher. (Note that unit is unfurnished, even though some of the pictures show it furnished.) Nice private fenced back patio area. Gas heat for low utility bills. 2 Story, with both bedrooms and full bath upstairs. Kitchen, living room, laundry, 1/2 bath are downstairs. Tenant pays for gas and
Great one acre CRE lot that is adjacent to Hotels, Mini-Storage, Gas and retail. Traffic count at 160 intersection is 23k. Cortez is the county seat of Montezuma County and is situated in the Four Corners region, where the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet. One of the most famous attractions in the Cortez area is Mesa Verde National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is
Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
