Mancos, Colorado

Mancos is a quiet mountain town nestled in the foothills of the LaPlata Mountains. It’s located only ten minutes from the entrance to Mesa Verde. Historic downtown is a couple blocks with a few places to eat, stay and shop.

Nicknamed the Gateway to Mesa Verde, Mancos sits at 7,028 feet of elevation. This Montezuma County town is located in between Durango and Cortez on Highway 160. It was incorporated on November 30th, 1894. Its population in 2010 was 1,336 residents.

Mancos Colorado Aerial View — View towards Mancos, Colorado from Mesa Verde NP. Photo by: wehardy

Main Attractions

Mancos State Park – Isolated state park bordering the southwest corner of the San Juan Forest. Boating, camping and fishing are fun in the summer.

Recreation

Camping:

Mancos State Park has 32 sites in two campgrounds, no electric. Two yurts are for rent year round.
Mesa Verde has 267 sites open mid April to mid October.
Read about the camping near Mancos and Mesa Verde.

Fishing:

Jackson Gulch Lake is open to wakeless boating and fishing.
Mancos River flows west past downtown.

Hiking:

The best nearby trails are in Mesa Verde. It’s quite stunning to walk around in the beauty of the mesas and ancient Anasazi villages.

Accommodations

Booking.com

Hotels and lodging:

Far View Lodge – Located 15 miles into Mesa Verde National Par, this on-site hotel offers a great 3 star place to stay.
Old Mancos Inn features ten upstairs bedrooms with shared bath and 3 downstairs with private bath.

Dining

There are several places for dining and lodging.The Absolute Bakery is a prime place for breakfast and brunch. All food is made from scratch with local and organic ingredients.

Bauer Bank Block built in 1905.