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Silver Mountain Colorado
Silver Mountain, Colorado. Photo by: Shutter Runner

Colorado Mountains

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When people think about Colorado, undoubtedly the mountains come to mind! With the Southern Rockies spread throughout the western portion of the state, there are thousands of peaks to discover. This grants Colorado the status as the state with the highest average elevation. Below, we cover:

  • 14ers
  • 13ers
  • Mountain Ranges
  • Other Peaks, Mesas, Hills, Buttes, and Rock Formations

14,000+ Foot Mountains in Colorado

Mount Elbert is the largest peak in Colorado at 14,439 feet of elevation. This puts it into a special tier of mountains called fourteeners. These impressive 14er peaks range from 14,000 to 14,439 feet in Colorado and there are 58 of them spread around the state.

Capitol Peak Pitkin County Colorado

Capitol Peak – near Aspen

Grays Peak Trail, Front Range, Colorado

Grays Peak – near Georgetown

Image of La Plata Peak from Winfield, Colorado

La Plata Peak – near Leadville

Longs Peak Keyhole route, CO

Longs Peak – near Allenspark

Maroon Bells

Maroon Bells Scenic Area – Aspen

Mount Antero, Colorado

Mount Antero – near Nathrop

Mount Belford North Approach Colorado

Mount Belford – near Buena Vista

Mount Bierstadt, CO

Mount Bierstadt – near Georgetown

Image of Mount Bross in the Mosquito Range of Colorado

Mount Bross – near Alma

Mt. Cameron, CO

Mount Cameron – near Alma

Mount Democrat, CO

Mount Democrat – near Alma

Mount Elbert Summit, CO

Mount Elbert – near Leadville

Mount Evans, Colorado

Mount Evans – near Idaho Springs

Mt. Harvard, CO

Mount Harvard – near Buena Vista

Mt. Lincoln, CO

Mount Lincoln – near Alma

Mount Massive, Colorado

Mount Massive – near Leadville

Mount Sherman, CO

Mount Sherman – near Leadville

Pikes Peak via cogs, CO

Pikes Peak – near Manitou Springs

Quandary Peak Summit Breckenridge Colorado

Quandary Peak – near Breckenridge

Sawatch Range Tabeguache Peak, Mount Shavano and Mount Antero

Tabeguache Peak – near Salida

Torreys Peak, CO

Torreys Peak – near Georgetown

13,000+ Foot Mountains in Colorado

Colorado boasts 637 peaks that range between 13,000 and 13,999 feet. Known as 13ers, these often overlooked (for their 14er cousins) can be just as spectacular and thrilling of a hike. Consider trekking up some of the state’s top 13ers on your next hiking trip.

A southern view of the West Spanish Peak in the fall, CO

Spanish Peaks Wilderness – by Walsenburg

Mountain Ranges in Colorado

Some of Colorado’s towering peaks come together to form larger mountain ranges. Names like the Front Range, San Juan, and Sangre de Cristo are all among the most popular stretches of peaks in the state. And they hold an array of natural features and recreation to uncover.

La Plata Mountains from Mesa Verde Colorado

La Plata Mountains – near Durango

san juan mountains in the fall

San Juan Mountain Range – Southwest Colorado

San Luis Valley Sand Dunes Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Sangre de Cristo Mountains – near Salida-Trinidad

sawatch range in winter

Sawatch Mountains – near Minturn-Sagauche

Other Peaks, Mesas, Hills, Buttes & Rock Formations

Aside from the state’s tallest peaks, there is a myriad of other magnificent mountains, hills, and buttes to explore. From local hikes in the Denver Metro area like Green Mountain and Lookout Mountain to the Pawnee Buttes on the Eastern Plains, finding a scenic day hike is as easy as hopping in your car and driving a little bit.

Garden of the Gods National Natural Landmark

Garden of the Gods Park – Colorado Springs

Crag Crest Trail Grand Mesa National Forest

Grand Mesa National Forest – by Collbran

Green Mountain Park Lakewood

Green Mountain (William Frederick Hayden Park) – Lakewood

Snow covered Squaw Mountain peak

Mestaaโ€™ฤ–hehe Mountain Fire Lookout – Idaho Springs

Image of Pawnee Buttes in Colorado on a partially cloudy day

Pawnee Buttes – Weld County

Raton Mesa National Natural Landmark Colorado

Raton Mesa – Trinidad

Image of the audience at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado

Red Rocks Amphitheatre & Park – Morrison

Roxborough State Park

Roxborough State Park – Roxborough Park

Image of the Two Buttes Mountain in Prowers County, Colorado

Two Buttes Mountain – Prowers County

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Guide to Mountains in Colorado

Capitol Peak Pitkin County Colorado
Capitol Peak, Pitkin County, CO. Photo by: Tom Wilberding

Colorado is home to the Rocky Mountains, which feature some of the most extensive and rugged terrain in the world. Running 3,000 miles from western Canada to the southern U.S. state of New Mexico and passing through several other U.S. states, including Colorado, the Rockies are the largest mountain range in North America.

The formation of the Rockies dates back nearly 80 million years to the Laramide orogeny. A majority of the mountains were created by a number of tectonic plates that began to slide underneath the North American plate.

While most of the Rockies in Colorado were formed by tectonic activity, there are some that were formed by volcanic activity. Examples include the San Juan Mountains, where there are 15 known calderas (large depressions formed when a volcano erupts and collapses).

The mountains of Colorado are what define more than half of the state and lure travelers here year after year. Home to 58 14ers (14,000+ foot mountains) and 637 peaks that lie between 13,000 and 13,999 feet in elevation, Colorado is a popular destination for mountaineering, hiking, climbing, and more.

There are a total of seven primary mountain ranges in Colorado with numerous subranges and extensions.

Colorado Rocky Mountains in Autumn showing Mount Elbert in Autumn Colors
Mount Elbert of the Sawatch Range, Rocky Mountains. Photo by: Bo Insogna

Front Range

The most popular range, due to its dominance over the western skyline of Colorado’s largest cities, is the Front Range. Iconic mountains like Longs Peak, Pikes Peak, and Mt. Evans are located here; the Front Range is also home to Rocky Mountain National Park. Along the eastern side of the Front Range, unique red rock upthrusts that emerged during the Fountain Formation form the geologic base of the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater, Garden of the Gods, and Roxborough State Park.

The rugged northern Front Range in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Looking south along the Front Range in Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo by: Timo Holmquist

Tenmile/Mosquito Range

A little further west, we have the Tenmile-Mosquito Range. This compact range includes a handful of ultra-popular mountains like Quandary Peak, which is the most hiked 14er in the state, and a quad of additional fourteeners around Kite Lake, known colloquially as the Decalibron.

Historically separated by name at Hoosier Pass (Tenmile to the north, Mosquito to the south), there isn’t really a big geographic or geological separation between the two, so they are often grouped together.

Almost there! A hiker contemplates the final stretch up Quandary Peak. Photo by: Timo Holmquist

Sawatch Range

Continuing southwest, we arrive at the Sawatch Range, which includes 15 of the state’s 14,000-foot mountains along with the tallest mountain in the state, Mt. Elbert. The mountains are massive and bulky, with generally rounded profiles and substantial elevation gain necessary to reach the summits. Funky mountain towns like Leadville, Buena Vista, and Salida are located to the east of the range.

The large and bulbous Sawatch Range command attention from miles away.
Mt. Antero (L.) and Princeton (R.) showcase typical Sawatch characteristics: big and bulky. Photo by: Kent Kanouse

Elk Mountains

If you drew a line west from the Sawatch, you’d end up in the Elk Mountains. This is a serious mountain range with many of the hardest 14ers in Colorado, including the always intimidating Capitol Peak and the Maroon Bells. Arguably one of the prettiest multi-day backpacking adventures in the state is located here and is called the Four Pass Loop.

The town of Aspen lies on the Elk’s northeastern slopes, and Crested Butte is located on the southern slopes.

The beautiful Maroon Bells, reflected off the tranquil surface of Maroon Lake.
Arguably the most famous scene in all of Colorado features the Maroon Bells in the Elk Mountains. Photo by: John Fowler

Sangre De Cristo Mountains

Southwest of the Front Range, the Sangre de Cristo mountains reign supreme. The range is over 400 miles long and terminates just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico. These pencil-thin but razor-sharp mountains include Colorado icons like the Crestones, Blanca Peak, and Kit Carson. Great Sand Dunes National Park is nestled along its western side. Towns alongside the range are few and far between but include Westcliffe on the eastern side and Alamosa on the western.

The prominent and rugged Sangre de cristo mountains in southern Colorado.
Intimidating and serrated, the Sangres often attract serious mountain climbers. Photo by: Timo Holmquist

The San Juan Mountains

The San Juan’s, which occupies the southwestern corner of the state are Colorado’s largest set of mountains. They contain 14 separate 14ers and 250 of the states’ 637 13ers. With such an incredible offering of mountains, it’s no wonder many people call the San Juans the most spectacular range in the state. Prominent towns in the San Juans include Durango, Telluride, Pagosa Springs, and Ouray.

Seemingly endless, the San Juans contain endless recreation opportunities.
The largest of Colorado’s main ranges, the San Juans are a sight to behold. Photo by: Timo Holmquist

The Park Range

Lastly, we have the Park Range, which is geologically and geographically important but much lesser known than other ranges and contains zero 14ers. From north to south, the range actually begins in Wyoming before heading into the Routt National Forest and the beautiful Mt. Zirkel Wilderness near Steamboat Springs.

The middle portion of the range is low, tree-covered, and contains a lot of remote camping and solitude. The incredibly rugged southern part of these mountains is called the Gore Range. Steamboat Springs, Vail, and Silverthorne are the most prominent towns near the range.

Snowy slope rising to rugged pinnacles in the Gore Range of Colorado.
The mighty Gore Range, a southern extension of the Park Range. Photo by: Timo Holmquist

Canyons, Mesas, Grasslands, and Valleys

Other prominent topographical features complete the make-up of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. There are roughly 10 mesas in the state, with the Gand Mesa in western Colorado claiming the title as the largest flat-top mountain in the world. The prominent canyons of Dinosaur National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Glenwood Canyon are also significant, cutting up Colorado’s western slope geography.

In addition, the Centennial State has three significant high-elevation grassland areas known as parks. North Park lies between the Park Range and the Northern Front Range. Middle Park also lies between the Park Range and the Front Range, is the smallest of the three, and contains popular recreation areas like Lake Granby, and Winter Park.

South Park (yes, just like the show), is the highest and largest of the parks, with an average elevation of around 10,000 feet, and lies between the southern Mosquito Range and the southern Front Range.

The San Luis Valley, while not known officially as a park, is also a high elevation flat area between the Sangre de Cristo mountains and the western San Juans.

Aerial photo looking down on a large, arid valley, a clump of sanddunes steeped in shades of brown, and a thin snowcapped mountain range behind it all.
Great view of the arid San Luis Valley, the Great Sanddunes (darker brown striations), and the Sangre de Cristo Range. Photo by: Ken Lund

Rivers

With the highest average elevation of any US state, the Colorado mountains are the source of major rivers that impact millions of lives. The largest among them is the Colorado River, which originates in Rocky Mountain National Park before flowing west through southern Utah and into Arizona, where it’s responsible for creating the Grand Canyon.

Originating in the San Juan Mountains, the 1,900 miles long Rio Grande River flows into New Mexico and eventually forms the border between the state of Texas and Mexico. The nearly 1,500-mile Arkansas River, which originates in the Sawatch Range, flows southeast through multiple states before joining the Mississippi River near Little Rock, Arkansas.

All three rivers can be rafted in portions of Colorado, including through Glenwood Canyon, Browns Canyon, and the Upper Box. The three rivers together supply water to roughly 50 million people.

The Arkansas River as it flows through Caรฑon City, Colorado. Photo by: Scrubhiker (USCdyer)

There are 11 national forests, 4 national parks, and numerous state parks that help keep the mountainous terrain of Colorado protected and able to be enjoyed by all. The mountains are the perfect place to start your outdoor adventures, so what are you waiting for?

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