San Juan Mountains

Northwest-southeast trending range, some 240 km/150 mi long, in the southwest of Colorado and the north of New Mexico. They form part of the western tier of the Rocky Mountains, and contain the source of the Rio Grande. Their highest point is Uncompahgre Peak (4,361 m/14,309 ft), in the northwest.

The Rio Grande flows along the northern side of the San Juans, before entering the agricultural San Juan Valley to the northeast of the range. Headwaters of the San Juan River drain the mountains to the southwest. The San Miguel Mountains, a short western spur reach 4,342 m/14,246 ft at Mount Wilson, southwest of the town of Telluride. In the past, the San Juans were extensively mined for gold, silver, lead, copper, and other minerals; nowadays, resorts are of prime economic importance.