Living in West Texas, when I travel up to Colorado it is to be in mountains surrounded by the color green and giant trees. I live in the desert so I feel like I get my fill of cactus and blazing sunlight on a constant basis. So each year when I travel up to southern Colorado to visit family, you can see why I would spend the majority of the time exploring places like Durango and Pagosa Springs. By doing this I was missing one of the gems of southern Colorado and that is Cortez, Colorado.
I started by of course exploring Mesa Verde National Park, and slowly I felt the pull of exploring Cortez and now I am hooked! This town may be a desert, but it is filled with so much Native American history, incredible landmarks, and exciting events. It is one that keeps us coming back each year, desert or not, it is an incredible place that you can not miss stopping and exploring.
Not only have I found adventure and excitement in this city, but my 4 kids have as well. Cortez is a town for the whole family to enjoy. My kids still talk about the experiences that we have had while exploring Cortez and how they want to do some of these things again. So to give your family an adventure they will talk about for the rest of their lives, here is a list of the best things to do in Cortez, Colorado with kids!
Where To Stay:
As a family of 6, traveling can become a financial burden real quick. Paying for food, transportation, activities, and lodging just to name a few of the expenses. So of course when we pick a place to stay it involves camping, preferably in a free location. On the east side of Cortez is the small town of Mancos, Colorado.
This beautiful town is desert as you drive in and then as you turn up towards Mancos State Park and just keep driving until it turns into gravel. In this drive the terrain will change from cactus to small trees, to pines, and endless forests of beautiful Aspen trees. Welcome to the San Juan National Forest!
The beauty of this forest isn’t just the endless view of Aspens or the colorfully decorated ground with millions of wildflowers, no the real beauty is that you can camp here for FREE!! Just pick a spot and set up camp. Warning there are no amenities, so be sure to pack your own restroom. I am talking privacy tent, portable toilet, and portable shower; along with all your other basic camping supplies. Or I mean just bring an RV, that works too.
Of all of the places to stay in the area, this is the most beautiful spot! I know primitive camping isn’t everyone’s style, but this place is so worth the effort it takes to camp without all the amenities and like I said, its FREE!
Things To Do In Cortez, Colorado:
Hike Around Mesa Verde National Park
The number one thing to do in Cortez that anyone will mention is Mesa Verde National Park. I mean it is a national park and it is one for a reason! Mesa Verde National Park is located in between Mancos and Cortez, but you will see it the whole time you are either of these cities due to the giant mountain it is located on. This National Park is known for its incredible Native American ruins that were built into the cliffsides.
This National Park offers many activities from a large variety of hiking trails, historical sites, scenic overviews, and wild horses! It is a beautiful and mind-blowing site to see the village ruins built on cliffsides. The majority of the trails in the park are easy and kid friendly; it was a perfect educational experience for my kids! If you are going to do anything in the area this is my number one suggestion!
Slide Down Waterslides At Cortez Municipal Swimming Pool
Summer in Cortez, Colorado is hot! Especially once you come off the mountain hiking at Mesa Verde, there is nothing you are going to want more than an ice cream and a pool! Cortez has 2 pools, one at the local recreational center and the other is an outdoor pool.
This pool is giant and has much more than just a pool available! There is a splash pad next to the pool, a giant slide, and a diving board. It can get pretty crowded, but feels so nice in the intense summer heat. Did I mention they also serve ice cream at the pool?
Location: 803 E Montezuma Ave, Cortez, CO 81321
Hike To Native American Ruins at Hawkins Preserve
There are Native American ruins scattered all over Cortez, I mean they are everywhere!! No surprise that many of the trails lead to ruins. One of those trails is at the Hawkins Preserve. This trail takes you across a rocky desert with a backdrop of Sleeping Ute Mountains.
The Sleeping Ute Mountain range was given its names as it looks like the silhouette of a Native American chief sleeping with his arms over his chest. It is really an amazing site, and this trail gives you a clear view of the mountains. The trail itself is super easy and not very long. The trail is for the most part on rock, but it is pretty flat.
The trail leads to a covered pavilion covering a large section of ruins. The ruins aren’t like Mesa Verde with large developed buildings, but more of just the outline of where the building used to be. It is still a pretty cool sight, and there are even piles of broken pottery laying around too.
Location: 1490 S Cedar St, Cortez, CO 81321
Trail Distance: 1 mile
Attend a Native American Dance Show at the Cortez Cultural Center
While looking at the ancient Native American ruins and sites is cool, the best way to embrace the beauty of the Native American culture that makes up Cortez is by visiting the Cultural Center. This center is beautifully decorated with murals of the ancient inhabitants of the area as well as a coffee shop with gorgeous Native American arts and souvenirs.
That may not sound too thrilling, but just wait until you hear what I say next! In the summer this cultural center hosts nightly Native American dance shows! There are 2 different shows depending on the day you visit. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays it is Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk and the Next Generation and on Thursday-Saturday it is the Roach Family Dancers. During these shows you will hear Native American singers, instruments, and a series of dances. The performers also teach a lot about the Native American culture!
My kids just sat wide eyed during the whole experience! They didn’t want to leave! The only thing that got them up to go was the smell of the homemade fry bread they had selling during the performance. This is the absolute coolest experience in the Cortez area and it is completely free!!
Location: 25 N Market St, Cortez, CO 81321
Go Fishing At Totten Reservoir State Wildlife Area
You can not be in Colorado and not have a fishing day! I mean there are lakes and ponds all over this state and Cortez is no exception. Right outside of town is the Totten Reservoir and it is stocked with plenty of fish! This lake may be small and unfortunately not available for swimming, but you can still use it to go fishing!
Location: 10907 Rd 29, Cortez, CO 81321
Play at the Cortez Playgrounds
I am a mom of 4 kids, so you can bet that where ever we go we will always explore the local playgrounds. I could take my kids one the most scenic hike or fishing or even to a waterpark, and the playground will always be their favorite thing to do. Cortez has quite a few playgrounds around town and the parks that host them are simply beautiful!
Walking around these gorgeous parks with ponds and ducks or having a picnic by the playground is definitely something you are going to want to do while visiting Cortez, Colorado with kids!
Our Favorite Parks:
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Fun Things To Do Nearby Cortez:
Admire the Folk & Finer Art Museum
Let’s talk quirky experiences here! Cortez may be rich in Native American culture and surrounded by majestic mountain ranges, but it has some quirky spots to it too. For instance the Folk & Finer Art Studio. I guess I shouldn’t say studio, more like a walk-about. This museum is unlike any other in the area!
You will drive up to a house surrounded, and I do mean surrounded by art! Now I am not talking paintings or anything fancy, I am talking wood carvings. This artist has carved hundreds of statues all over his yard. He has sheds full of carvings of all varieties! We found the Grinch, coyotes, bears, roadrunners, monsters, wizards, mermaids, birds, we even found Waldo! This is to most unique experience you will have in the Cortez, Colorado area and one you won’t want to miss!
Location: 7763 Rd 38, Mancos, CO 81328
Birdwatch At Mancos State Park
Located on the north side of Mancos, in between the town and the San Juan National Forest is Mancos State Park. This state park is a lake where you can hike, fish, camp, paddleboard, and bird watch. It is up the mountains enough that the lake is surrounded by large trees, fields of wildflowers, and a lot of wildlife. We even saw a bald eagle swoop down and catch a fish while were hiking.
The hiking trails are super easy and so flat. The trails take you around the lake for gorgeous views and of the lake and surrounding forest. My kids loved that we were next to a lake the whole hike because they were close enough to throw rocks in the water, put their feet in the water, and also throw stick boats of the bridges into the creeks. This is a state park for kids and adults.
Location: 42545 Road N, Mancos, CO 81328
Enjoy the view at Big Al Trail
Our favorite trail in all of Mancos and Cortez is Big Al Trail! This trail is so easy and SO beautiful! The trail is mostly flat and slightly rocky in some spots. The trail takes you through a dense Aspen tree forest with gorgeous wildflowers mixed in. At the end of the trail you will come to a bridge overlook of the valley and Sharktooth mountain! It is the most incredible view you will find in the area.
The trail like I said is so easy that even my 2 year old hiked the entire trail with no help. If you are going to pick just one hike in the area, this is the one you should do!
Location: Forest Rd 565, Mancos, CO 81328
Trail Distance: 1 mile
Finish the Scavenger Hunt at Canyons Of The Ancients Visitor Center
Canyons of the Ancients has more hikes and Native American ruins then you will ever be able to see. So let’s just sum it up and start with the visitor center. The visitor center has a small museum in it filled with artifacts, microscopes, and educational material. While looking at broken pots and arrowheads isn’t that exciting to kids, a scavenger hunt around the museum it!
The Junior Ranger activity of this visitor center involves kids finding objects throughout the museum, making the museum a large interactive exhibit. I can’t tell you how excited my kids were to get their badges and how much they enjoyed looking for each item on the list.
The visitor center isn’t just a museum though. There is a trail that is offered outside of the museum that will take you up a hill to a small section of Native American ruins. These ancient people sure knew how to pick a spot to set up their homes, cause the view of the lake at the top of this hill is breathtaking!
The trail is very short and while the entire trail is uphill to the ruins, it is paved and very easy to walk on. It is up hill though and hot, so bring water even if it is a short trail!
Location: 27501 CO-184, Dolores, CO 81323
Trail Distance: 1 mile
Swim at Narraguinnep Reservoir Recreation Area
Another fun place to go swimming near Cortez, Colorado is the Narraguinnep Reservoir. On the south side of this lake is a small rec area with parking and restrooms. While boats aren’t really allowed on this lake anymore, you can still swim here!
Right by the old boat ramp is a large rocky beach that is perfect for a free day at the lake with kids. Great part about visiting a lake with kids is they don’t need a boat or paddleboard to have fun, just give them access to the water and they are content!
Location: 23337 CO-184, Dolores, CO 81323
Hike to the Lowry Pueblo
Another really easy trail to do with kids to see cool Native American ruins is the Lowry Pueblo trail. This trail is so short, I don’t know if you can actually consider it a trail! The ruins it takes you to are so cool though and so well put together. Half of the ruins are in a building and the other half is outdoor for you to walk through. My kids loved crawling through the little doorways.
Along the trail are also giant kivas to hike to as well. The hike is on a dirt path and very flat, but beware of rattlesnakes on this one!
Location: County Rd 7.25, Pleasant View, CO 81331
Trail Distance: 0.2 miles
Jeeping/4-Wheeling in the San Juan National Forest
The San Juan National Forest isn’t just a fun place to go hiking or camping, it also has great OHV trails. Every year we head up to 4 wheel through the mountains on the many trails in this giant National Forest. Even though I have 4 wheeled and taken a Jeep through these trails for the past 8 years, I still haven’t tried all the trails; there are that many trails!
Each trail takes you through forests of Aspens as far as the eye can see. Hummingbirds whizz by whistling by your ears. Wildflowers of all colors decorate the forest floor. Deer jump gracefully through the trees as you drive by and chipmunks scurry along the floor. It is one of the most beautiful experiences to be driving through these gorgeous mountains!
Location:
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