[1] It is located in the Sierra de Guadarrama, belonging to the Sistema Central.

It also separates the massif of Peñalara, to the north, and the mountain range of the Cuerda Larga, to the south.

It has a railroad station of the C-9 line of Cercanías Madrid, also known as Ferrocarril de Cotos, which crosses the mountain range and runs through the Navacerrada pass.

The Puerto de Cotos is the starting point of several trails that go into the national park of the Sierra de Guadarrama, of another trail that ascends to the Bola del Mundo and was also the starting point of the old ski resort of Valcotos.

In this pass there is a building of the Spanish Alpine Club (in Spanish: Club Alpino Español), a ski and sled rental establishment, two sled runs, the Venta Marcelino bar-restaurant and an information center of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park.