Colorado's Mountain Ranges
A comprehensive listing and detailed description of all of Colorado's mountain ranges and sub-ranges.
Elk Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
Table of Contents Wildnerness Areas Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area West Elk Wilderness Wilderness Area Raggeds Wilderness Wilderness Area Mountaineering Geology Maps Red Tape Avalanche Conditions List of All Summits
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Wet Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
The Wet Mountains are one of the less heralded ranges in Colorado; however, they deserve some real attention from any series hiker or climber for several reasons. For starters, the summits of the Wet Mountains offer…
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Rampart Range
Written by Matt Payne
Rampart Range is a sub-range of the Front Range. Rampart Range spans the area north of Pikes Peak and terminates west of the city of Castle Rock. As seen below, one prominent and popular feature within…
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Puma Hills
Written by Matt Payne
Puma Hills is a sub-range of the Front Range. The terrain within Puma Hills is full of interesting outcroppings, old mining claims, and vertical rock features. A climber can spend many outings here as the area…
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Vasquez Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
The Vasquez Mountains are a sub-range of the Front Range. This range is "L-shaped" and is home to several rarely-hiked summits. Most summits in the Vasquez Mountains are near 12,000 ft in elevation, offering solitude. Two…
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Kenosha Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
Measuring just 15 miles long, the Kenosha Mountains are a sub-range of the Front Range and are nestled between the Platte River Mountains to the north and the Tarryall Mountains to the south. The Kenosha Mountains…
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Platte River Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
Measuring just 15 miles long, the Platte River Mountains are north of the Kenosha Mountains and are a sub-range of the Front Range consisting completely of gentle summits.
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Tarryall Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
Spanning approximately 30 miles, the Tarryall Mountains are south of the Kenosha Mountains, north of the Puma Hills, and are a sub-range of the Front Range. The Tarryall Mountains are home to several intriguing summits, including…
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Indian Peaks
Written by Matt Payne
Also known as the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, the Indian Peaks lie within the Front Range, just south of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Due to its proximity to the Denver and Boulder area, the Indian…
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Rocky Mountain National Park
Written by Matt Payne
Rocky Mountain National Park lies within the Front Range and is home of one of the most popular 14'ers - Longs Peak. Several lesser known 13'ers and 12'ers are scattered throughout Rocky Mountain National Park, making…
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Never Summer Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
A small mountain range just over 15 miles in length from north-to-south, the Never Summer Mountains sit within the Front Range, with the western section sitting within the Never Summer Wilderness Area and the southern portion…
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Mummy Range
Written by Matt Payne
The Mummy Range mostly lies within Rocky Mountain National Park, and encompasses over 160 square miles of rugged glaciated summits, six of which are above 13,000 ft. The Mummy range is part of the Front Range,…
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Williams Fork Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
Disected by the Gore Range, the Williams Fork Mountains are split into two sub-areas - east and west. The eastern part of this mountain range comprises the western edge of the Front Range, just north and…
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Gore Range
Written by Matt Payne
The Gore Range is often referenced and revered as one of the most isolated and rugged mountain ranges in Colorado. Broken into two sections, north and south, the Gore Range sits just west of Vail and…
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Rabbit Ears Range
Written by Matt Payne
The Rabbit Ears Range lies west of Rocky Mountain National Park and splits North Park and Middle Park, while resting between the northern Gore Range and the southern Park Range.
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Laramie Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
The Laramie Mountains are part of the Front Range and rests just north of Rocky Mountain National Park and the Mummy Range. With one exception, this mountain range consists mostly of gentle summits below 11,000 ft.…
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Medicine Bow Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
The Medicine Bow Mountains are within the northwestern part of the Front Range and extend north into Wyoming. These mountains begin at the Diamond Peaks just west of Cameron Pass on Colorado State Highway 14 and…
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Front Range
Written by Matt Payne
The Front Range of Colorado is perhaps the most well-known mountain range in Colorado due to its proximity to three major metropolitan areas: Denver, Colorado Springs, and Ft. Collins. The Front Range is comprised of several…
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La Plata Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
The La Plata Mountains are a small sub-range of the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado. The mountains are roughly 13 miles Northwest of Durango, CO and span about 20 miles north-to-south. The best-known peak in…
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Sawatch Range
Written by Matt Payne
The Sawatch Range is by far one of the largest mountain ranges in Colorado, spanning over 100 miles from north to south. This range contains some of the highest mountains in the whole continent, including Mount…
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Elkhead Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
The Elkhead Mountains are a relatively unknown and remote small mountain sub-range west of the Park Range near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Due to the fact that this range is completely devoid of any summit over 11,000…
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Danforth Hills
Written by Matt Payne
The Danforth Hills rest north of Meeker Colorado, and are home to a collection of hills, none of which exceed 9,000 feet in elevation. These hills are home to several Native American relics leftover from the…
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Park Range
Written by Matt Payne
The Park Range is home to one of Colorado's most prominent peaks - Mount Zirkel. Although this range does not possess any summits over 12,180 feet, the area is home to many wonderful summits and the…
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Sangre de Cristo Range
Written by Matt Payne
The Sangre de Cristo Range spans over 180 miles from Colorado into New Mexico and is known by many locals for its solid congolmerate rock and its steep relief, rising out of the San Luis Valley.…
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San Juan Mountains
Written by Matt Payne
The San Juan Mountains span approximately 6,000 square miles in the southwestern portion of Colorado and contain several sub-ranges, including the Grenadier Range, Needle Mountains, West Needle Mountains, La Garita Mountains and the La Plata Mountains.…
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- Articles
- Gallery
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- Front Range - Pikes Peak, Longs Peak and Rocky Mountain National Park
- High Dynamic Range
- Panoramic Landscapes
- Posters
- San Juan Mountains - Durango, Ouray, Silverton and the Weminuche Wilderness Area
- Sangre de Cristo Mountains - Crestone Needle, Crestone Peak and other giants
- The Sawatch Range and the mighty Collegiate Peaks
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