Montezuma County, Colorado
Waterfalls Near Cortez, CO
Cortez has 1 named waterfall within 30 miles, 1 of them inside 10 miles. The nearest is McElmo Falls, 2.6 miles southwest of town. Bridal Veil Falls earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.9 stars from 203 Google reviews). Most of the falls are northeast of Cortez.
Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.
Best Waterfalls Near Cortez at a Glance
4 Waterfalls Near Cortez, Ranked by Distance
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McElmo Falls
McElmo Falls is the closest named waterfall to Cortez, 2.6 miles to the southwest in Montezuma County. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Cortez.
- Rating
- 1.0 (2 Google reviews)
- Address
- Montezuma County, CO 81321 (GPS 37.3194, -108.6159)
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Eagle Falls
Eagle Falls lies 39 miles northeast of Cortez in Dolores County, number 2 of 4 by distance. Its own nearest town is Telluride.
- Address
- Dolores County, CO 81323 (GPS 37.7637, -108.0977)
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Cornel Falls
Cornel Falls lies 59 miles northeast of Cortez in San Miguel County, number 3 of 4 by distance. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Cortez. A short trek involving some rock scrambling leads to this 80-ft. cascade along Cornet Creek.
- Rating
- 4.6 (29 Google reviews)
- Address
- Telluride, CO 81435
- Known for
- short hike, steep trail, beautiful scenery, google maps
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Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls lies 60 miles northeast of Cortez in San Miguel County, number 4 of 4 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Cortez. 365-ft.-high waterfall plunging over dramatic cliffs forming the head of Telluride's box canyon.
- Rating
- 4.9 (203 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Miguel County, CO 81426 (GPS 37.9192, -107.7700)
- Known for
- rocky trail, muddy trail, black bear pass, challenging hike, power station trek
Where the Waterfalls Are
Cortez sits in or near the San Juan Mountains area of Colorado. The San Juans are Colorado's most rugged range, a deeply eroded volcanic plateau where streams plunge off sheer walls. Bridal Veil Falls closes off the head of Telluride's box canyon and is one of the tallest falls in the state. Around Wolf Creek Pass, Treasure Falls is visible from the highway, and Piedra Falls lies in quieter forest country nearby. North Clear Creek Falls in Hinsdale County drops into a canyon near the high road between Lake City and Creede. Ouray, surrounded by cliffs and narrow gorges, has several falls within reach of town. Snow lingers late here, so peak flows often run into July. Read the Colorado waterfall guide.
By direction from Cortez: 3 to the northeast and 1 to the southwest. They are spread across San Miguel County (2), Montezuma County (1), and Dolores County (1). The average distance is 40.1 miles.
Nearby Towns With Waterfalls
Waterfalls Near Cortez: FAQs
How many waterfalls are near Cortez, CO?
1 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Cortez: 1 within 10 miles, 0 10 to 20 miles, 0 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.
What is the closest waterfall to Cortez?
McElmo Falls in Montezuma County is the closest, about 2.6 miles southwest of Cortez.
What is the best-rated waterfall near Cortez?
Bridal Veil Falls has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.9 stars from 203 Google reviews.
Which counties are the waterfalls near Cortez in?
San Miguel County (2), Montezuma County (1), and Dolores County (1).
How does Cortez compare with other Colorado towns?
Cortez ranks 32nd of the 35 Colorado towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.