San Juan Mountain Range

Located in the states of Colorado and the northwestern portion of New Mexico, the San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged subrange of the Rocky Mountains that feature some of the most dramatic terrain in the area. Almost bursting with precious minerals, the mountains played a large role in the gold and silver mining booms of Colorado’s early history, with the mining settlements of Silverton, Telluride, Creede, and Lake City becoming some of the most prominent.

While large-scale mining has essentially disappeared from the area, adventure tourism has emerged as one of the major driving forces of the economy in the San Juan Mountains. Countless outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, skiing, mountain biking, canoeing, mountaineering, and many more draw thousands of people to the region each year who are looking for an exciting adventure.

The San Juan Mountains are home to 14 of the 58 fourteeners in the state of Colorado, with the highest peak being Uncompahgre Peak at 14308ft. In addition to the wild and rugged mountains, the region is also blanketed by densely populated woodlands, with the San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests covering much of the landscape. If you are looking for a fantastic outdoor adventure in Colorado, there is no better place to explore the wilderness than the San Juan Mountains.