Cortez Travel Guide

City Gateway town to Mesa Verde National Park

Gateway to ancestral cliff dwellings, Cortez funnels most visitors toward Mesa Verde and Ute Mountain sites. Archaeology‑steeped trails, guided ruin tours, and outfitters for 4x4 and river trips make it a practical base for Southwest exploration.

Top Things to Do in Cortez

All Attractions ›

Mesa Verde National Park

Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings and archaeological national park

Park

Cliff Palace

Largest Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde

Administrative Seat

Ute Mountain

Prominent mesa-like summit in southwestern Colorado

Mountain

Yucca House National Monument

Ancestral Puebloan ruins and unexcavated archaeological site

Park

Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum

Museum of Ancestral Puebloan artifacts in Mesa Verde

Museum

Square Tower House

Ancestral Puebloan tower ruin in Colorado

Square

Best Time to Visit Cortez #

Climate

Cortez's climate is classified as Cold Semi-Arid - Cold Semi-Arid climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -10°C to 32°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall.

Air Quality: AQI 19 Good

Best Time to Visit

JuneSeptemberJuly

Temperature & Rainfall

Temperature Range

38°

Warmest Month

-25°

Coldest Month

Monthly Conditions

January

January is the coldest month with highs of 5°C and lows of -10°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.

57 Acceptable

Comfort

-3°

Feels Like Freezing

-3°C

Temperature

-10° – 5°

66%

Humidity

Humid

Weather

23 mm

Rainfall

1.9 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.5

UV Index

Low

9.8h daylight

February

February is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of -7°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.

57 Acceptable

Comfort

1°

Feels Like Cold

1°C

Temperature

-7° – 8°

62%

Humidity

Humid

Weather

23 mm

Rainfall

2.3 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.8

UV Index

Moderate

10.7h daylight

March

March is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of -3°C. Moderate rainfall (35 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

66 Good

Comfort

4°

Feels Like Cold

4°C

Temperature

-3° – 12°

53%

Humidity

Humid

Weather

35 mm

Rainfall

3.1 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

1.4

UV Index

High

11.8h daylight

April

April is cold with highs of 17°C and lows of 0°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.

78 Very Good

Comfort

8°

Feels Like Cold

8°C

Temperature

0° – 17°

45%

Humidity

Comfortable

Weather

22 mm

Rainfall

3.5 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

1.9

UV Index

Very High

13.0h daylight

May

May is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 4°C. Light rainfall.

80 Excellent

Comfort

13°

Feels Like Cool

13°C

Temperature

4° – 22°

40%

Humidity

Comfortable

Weather

23 mm

Rainfall

3.4 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

2.4

UV Index

Extreme

14.0h daylight

June

June is mild with highs of 29°C and lows of 9°C. The driest month with just 12 mm and mostly sunny skies.

96 Ideal

Comfort

19°

Feels Like Mild

19°C

Temperature

9° – 29°

29%

Humidity

Dry

Weather

12 mm

Rainfall

3.2 m/s

Wind

Light Breeze

2.9

UV Index

Extreme

14.5h daylight

July

July is the warmest month with highs of 32°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (33 mm).

87 Excellent

Comfort

22°

Feels Like Mild

22°C

Temperature

13° – 32°

40%

Humidity

Comfortable

Weather

33 mm

Rainfall

2.7 m/s

Wind

Calm

2.7

UV Index

Extreme

14.3h daylight

August

August is mild with highs of 30°C and lows of 12°C. The wettest month with 39 mm of rain.

87 Excellent

Comfort

21°

Feels Like Mild

21°C

Temperature

12° – 30°

43%

Humidity

Comfortable

Weather

39 mm

Rainfall

2.5 m/s

Wind

Calm

2.3

UV Index

Extreme

13.4h daylight

September

September is cool with highs of 26°C and lows of 8°C. Moderate rainfall (34 mm) and mostly sunny skies.

89 Excellent

Comfort

17°

Feels Like Cool

17°C

Temperature

8° – 26°

42%

Humidity

Comfortable

Weather

34 mm

Rainfall

2.5 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.8

UV Index

Very High

12.3h daylight

October

October is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 1°C. The wettest month with 39 mm of rain and mostly sunny skies.

79 Very Good

Comfort

10°

Feels Like Cool

10°C

Temperature

1° – 19°

47%

Humidity

Comfortable

Weather

39 mm

Rainfall

2.4 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.1

UV Index

High

11.1h daylight

November

November is cold with highs of 11°C and lows of -5°C. Moderate rainfall (30 mm).

67 Good

Comfort

3°

Feels Like Cold

3°C

Temperature

-5° – 11°

52%

Humidity

Humid

Weather

30 mm

Rainfall

2.3 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.6

UV Index

Moderate

10.0h daylight

December

December is freezing with highs of 6°C and lows of -9°C. Moderate rainfall (30 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

55 Acceptable

Comfort

-2°

Feels Like Freezing

-2°C

Temperature

-9° – 6°

64%

Humidity

Humid

Weather

30 mm

Rainfall

2.0 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.4

UV Index

Low

9.5h daylight

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