Southwest of the Mesa Verde National Park which features old Indian cliff dwellings, is the city of Cortez. Best known as a local commercial center, Cortez competes with Durango in the east, and Farmington, New Mexico in the south, by drawing trade from Southeastern Utah, as well as Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. The economy is built mainly upon tourism, and is an excellent "base camp" for visiting the nearby Mesa Verde National Park as well as the San Juan National Forest, and several Indian Reservations.

Hovenweep National Monument, Cortez
Attraction type: Monument; National park

Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Cortez
Attraction type: Educational site; Golf course

Mesa Verde National Park, Cortez
Attraction type: National park; Tour

Cortez Cultural Center, Cortez
Attraction type: History museum; Educational site

Dolores River Canyon, Cortez
Attraction type: Canyon; River