This is a list of major mountain peaks in the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

State of Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

. This article comprises three sortable tables of major mountain peaksThis article defines a significant summit as a summit with at least of

topographic prominence In topography, prominence (also referred to as autonomous height, relative height, and shoulder drop in US English, and drop or relative height in British English) measures the height of a mountain or hill's summit relative to the lowest contou ...

, and a major summit as a summit with at least of topographic prominence. All summits in this article have at least 500 meters of topographic prominence. An ultra-prominent summit is a summit with at least of topographic prominence. in Colorado. The

summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topography, topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used ...

of a mountain or hill may be measured in three principal ways: #The topographic elevation of a summit measures the height of the summit above a geodetic sea level.All elevations in this article include an elevation adjustment from the

National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 The National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 is the official name since 1973 of the vertical datum established for vertical control surveying in the United States of America by the General Adjustment of 1929. Originally known as Sea Level Datum ...

( NGVD 29) to the

North American Vertical Datum of 1988 The North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) is the vertical datum for orthometric heights established for vertical control surveying in the United States of America based upon the General Adjustment of the North American Datum of 1988. ...

( NAVD 88). For further information, please see this United States National Geodetic Surveybr>note
If the elevation or prominence of a summit is calculated as a range of values, the

arithmetic mean In mathematics and statistics, the arithmetic mean ( ) or arithmetic average, or just the ''mean'' or the ''average'' (when the context is clear), is the sum of a collection of numbers divided by the count of numbers in the collection. The colle ...

is shown. The first table below ranks the 55 highest major summits of Colorado by elevation. #The

of a summit is a measure of how high the summit rises above its surroundings.The

of a summit is the topographic elevation difference between the summit and its highest or key col to a higher summit. The summit may be near its key col or quite far away. The key col for

Denali Denali (; also known as Mount McKinley, its former official name) is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. With a topographic prominence of and a topographic isolation of , Denali is the thir ...

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

is the Isthmus of Rivas in

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...

, away. The second table below ranks the 50 most prominent summits of Colorado. #The

topographic isolation The topographic isolation of a summit is the minimum distance to a point of equal elevation, representing a radius of dominance in which the peak is the highest point. It can be calculated for small hills and islands as well as for major mountain ...

(or radius of dominance) of a summit measures how far the summit lies from its nearest point of equal elevation.The

of a summit is the

great-circle distance The great-circle distance, orthodromic distance, or spherical distance is the distance along a great circle. It is the shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere, measured along the surface of the sphere (as opposed to a ...

to its nearest point of equal elevation. The third table below ranks the 50 most isolated major summits of Colorado. __TOC__

Highest major summits

Of the highest major summits of Colorado, the following 63 peaks exceed elevationThis list of the 55 major 4000-meter summits of Colorado includes 30 peaks with more than 500 meters of

but less than 4267 meters in

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Vert ...

: Grizzly Peak,

Mount Ouray Mount Ouray is a high and prominent mountain summit in the far southern Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The thirteener is located in San Isabel National Forest, west ( bearing 270°) of Poncha Pass, Colorado, United ...

Vermilion Peak Vermilion Peak is a mountain in Colorado. It is one of 637 Colorado peaks above 13,000 feet (3962 m). It is located in the San Juan Range, and is the 74th highest mountain in Colorado. It is named Vermilion Peak because of the red-orange color i ...

Mount Silverheels Mount Silverheels is a high and prominent mountain summit in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The thirteener is located in Pike National Forest, northeast ( bearing 41°) of the Town of Alma in Park County, Colorad ...

Rio Grande Pyramid Rio Grande Pyramid, elevation 13,827 feet, is a summit in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. The peak is in the Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan National Forest northeast of Durango. See also *List of mountain peaks of North Ame ...

Bald Mountain Bald Mountain may refer to: Geographic locations in the United States * Bald Mountain (Heceta Island), Alaska * Bald Mountain (California), a name given to over fifty summits in California ** Bald Mountain (Humboldt County) * , a peak near Littl ...

Mount Oso Mount Oso ( es, Cerro del Oso) is a mountain in Western Stanislaus County, California, and is located on the Diablo Range. At feet in elevation, it is the third highest point in Stanislaus County. There are many radio stations and an unused fo ...

, Mount Jackson, Bard Peak,

West Spanish Peak West Spanish Peak is a high and prominent mountain summit that is the higher of the two Spanish Peaks in the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent peak is located in the Spanish Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, s ...

, Mount Powell,

Hagues Peak Hagues Peak is the highest summit of the Mummy Range in the Rocky Mountains of North America. The thirteener is in the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, northwest ( bearing 318°) of the Town of Estes Park, Colorado, United States. Hag ...

, Tower Mountain, Treasure Mountain,

North Arapaho Peak North Arapaho Peak is the highest summit of the Indian Peaks in the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The thirteener is located in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, west-southwest ( bearing 245°) of the Town of Ward ...

Parry Peak Parry Peak, elevation , is a summit in the Front Range of central Colorado. The peak is on the continental divide southeast of Winter Park in the Arapahoe National Forest. The name honors Charles Christopher Parry, a botanist who made extensiv ...

Bill Williams Peak Williams Mountains Highpoint, elevation , is a mountain in White River National Forest in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is the highest peak in the Williams Mountains, an offshoot of the Sawatch Range. The peak is within the Hunter–Fryingpan Wil ...

, Sultan Mountain,

Mount Herard Mount Herard is a high and prominent mountain summit in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The thirteener is located in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness of Great Sand Dunes National Preserve, southeast ( be ...

West Buffalo Peak West Buffalo Peak, elevation , is a summit in the Mosquito Range of central Colorado. The mountain is the highest peak of the Buffalo Peaks, slightly taller than East Buffalo Peak. It is located in the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness. See also *Buffa ...

, Summit Peak, Middle Peak,

Antora Peak Antora Peak is a high and prominent mountain summit in the southern Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The thirteener is located in Rio Grande National Forest, west-northwest ( bearing 295°) of the Town of Bonanza in S ...

, Henry Mountain,

Hesperus Mountain Hesperus Mountain (Navajo: ) is the highest summit of the La Plata Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent thirteener is located in San Juan National Forest, northeast by east ( bearing 59°) of the Town of M ...

, Jacque Peak,

Bennett Peak Bennett Peak is a high and prominent mountain summit in the San Juan Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains System, in southwestern Colorado. The thirteener is located in Rio Grande National Forest, south-southwest ( bearing 198°) of the ...

Conejos Peak Conejos Peak is a high and prominent mountain summit in the southern San Juan Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The thirteener is located in the South San Juan Wilderness of Rio Grande National Forest, north-northwest ( bea ...

Twilight Peak Twilight Peak is the highest summit of the West Needle Mountains range of the San Juan Mountains System in southwestern Colorado. The prominent peak is located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, south-southwest ( be ...

, and South River Peak.

The list of the 53 Colorado fourteeners includes 28 peaks with over 14,000 feet of elevation but less than 1640 feet of topographic prominence:

Torreys Peak Torreys Peak is a mountain in the Front Range region of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. It is one of 53 fourteeners in Colorado. Its nearest major city is Denver. Torreys Peak is located along the Continental Divide, as well as the division b ...

Quandary Peak Quandary Peak is the highest summit of the Tenmile Range in the Rocky Mountains of North America and is the most commonly climbed fourteener in Colorado. It has nearly the same elevation as Castle Peak and Mount Evans. It lies in Summit County ...

Mount Shavano Mount Shavano is a high mountain summit in the southern Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in San Isabel National Forest, north by west ( bearing 350°) of the community of Maysville in Chaffe ...

, Mount Belford, Crestone Needle,

Mount Bross Mount Bross is a high mountain summit in the Mosquito Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in Pike National Forest, northwest by north ( bearing 327°) of the Town of Alma in Park County, Colorado, Unit ...

Kit Carson Mountain Kit Carson Peak is a high mountain summit of the Crestones in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. Officially designated Kit Carson Mountain, the fourteener is located east by south ( bearing 102°) of th ...

, Tabeguache Peak, Mount Oxford,

Mount Democrat Mount Democrat is a high mountain summit in the Mosquito Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located northwest ( bearing 313°) of the Town of Alma, Colorado, United States, on the Continental Divide separati ...

Snowmass Mountain Snowmass Mountain is a mountain in the U.S. state of Colorado, and the thirty-fourth highest mountain peak in the state. Located in the Elk Mountains within the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness of the White River National Forest, it lies along ...

Windom Peak Windom Peak is the highest summit of the Needle Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent fourteener is located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, northeast by north ( bearing 32°) of the ...

, Challenger Point, Mount Columbia,

Missouri Mountain Missouri Mountain is a high mountain summit in the Collegiate Peaks of the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, northwest by west ...

, Humboldt Peak,

Mount Bierstadt Mount Bierstadt is a mountain summit in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, in the U.S. state of Colorado. The fourteener is located in the Mount Evans Wilderness of Pike National Forest, south by east ( bearing 171°) of the Town of Geo ...

Sunlight Peak Sunlight Peak is a high mountain summit of the Needle Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, northeast by north ( bearing 32°) of the ...

Ellingwood Point Ellingwood Point is a high mountain summit in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located on the Sierra Blanca Massif, north by east (Absolute bearing, bearing 7°) of the Blanca, Colorado, Town ...

Mount Lindsey Mount Lindsey is a high mountain summit on the Sierra Blanca Massif in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, north ( bearing 358°) of the communi ...

Little Bear Peak Little Bear Peak is a high mountain summit in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located on the Sierra Blanca Massif, north by east ( bearing 6°) of the Town of Blanca, Colorado, United State ...

Mount Sherman Mount Sherman is a Elevation, high mountain summit in the Mosquito Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located east by south (Absolute bearing, bearing 103°) of the Leadville, Colorado, City of Leadville, Colorad ...

Redcloud Peak Redcloud Peak is a mountain peak of over fourteen thousand feet in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the San Juan Mountains in Hinsdale County approximately 7 miles (11 km) south west of Lake City. Historical names *Red Moun ...

, Pyramid Peak,

Wilson Peak Wilson Peak is a mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Lizard Head Wilderness of the Uncompahgre National Forest, in the northwestern San Juan Mountains. It is the highest point in San Miguel County. The mountain ...

Wetterhorn Peak Wetterhorn Peak (german: Wetterhorn, literally ''Weather Horn'') is a fourteen thousand foot mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Uncompahgre Wilderness of the northern San Juan Mountains, in northwestern Hinsdale ...

Huron Peak Huron Peak is a high mountain summit of the Collegiate Peaks in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, west-northwest ( bearing ...

, and

Sunshine Peak Sunshine Peak is a fourteen thousand foot mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the San Juan Mountains in Hinsdale County approximately south west of Lake City, and about south of Redcloud Peak. It rises on the nort ...

.

The first 25 summits on this list are included on both lists: Mount Elbert,

Mount Massive Mount Massive is the second-highest summit of the Rocky Mountains of North America and the U.S. state of Colorado. The prominent fourteener of the Sawatch Range is located in the Mount Massive Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, west ...

, Mount Harvard, Blanca Peak, La Plata Peak,

Uncompahgre Peak Uncompahgre Peak () is the List of mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains#Highest prominent summits, sixth highest summit of the Rocky Mountains of North America and the U.S. state of Colorado. The Topographic prominence, prominent fourteener i ...

, Crestone Peak,

Mount Lincoln Mount Lincoln may refer to one of several mountains located in the United States: {{Mountainindex, Lincoln ...

, Castle Peak, Grays Peak,

Mount Antero Mount Antero is the List of mountain ranges of Colorado#Mountain ranges, highest summit of the southern Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The Topographic prominence, prominent fourteener is located in San Isabel National F ...

Mount Evans Mount Evans is the highest peak in the Mount Evans Wilderness in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent 14,271-foot (4,350 m) fourteener is located southwest by south ( bearing 214°) of Idaho Springs in Clear C ...

Longs Peak Longs Peak (Arapaho: ) is a high and prominent mountain in the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness, southwest by south ( bearing 209°) of th ...

, Mount Wilson, Mount Princeton, Mount Yale,

Maroon Peak Maroon ( US/ UK , Australia ) is a brownish crimson color that takes its name from the French word ''marron'', or chestnut. "Marron" is also one of the French translations for "brown". According to multiple dictionaries, there are var ...

, Mount Sneffels, Capitol Peak, Pikes Peak,

Mount Eolus Mount Eolus is a high mountain summit of the Needle Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in the Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest, northeast by north ( bearing 29°) of the Cit ...

, Handies Peak, Culebra Peak,

San Luis Peak San Luis Peak is the highest summit of the La Garita Mountains range in the Rocky Mountains of North America. The prominent fourteener is located in the Gunnison National Forest portion of the La Garita Wilderness in Saguache County approxi ...

, and

Mount of the Holy Cross Mount of the Holy Cross is a high and prominent mountain summit in the northern Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The fourteener is located in the Holy Cross Wilderness of White River National Forest, west-southwest ...

.

and 117 peaks exceed elevation.

Most prominent summits

Of the most prominent summits of Colorado, only Mount Elbert exceeds of topographic prominence. Three peaks are ultra-prominent summits with more than of topographic prominence and 14 peaks exceed of topographic prominence.

Most isolated major summits

Of the most isolated major summits of Colorado, Mount Elbert exceeds of topographic isolation and three peaks exceed of topographic isolation.

Gallery

Mt. Elbert.jpg, Mount Elbert in the

Sawatch Range The Sawatch Range or Saguache RangeThe place name "Saguache” is pronounced “Sawatch” . This name derives from the Ute language noun "''sawup''" meaning "sand dunes" and is spelled using the Spanish language version of this name "Saguach ...

is the highest

peak Peak or The Peak may refer to: Basic meanings Geology * Mountain peak ** Pyramidal peak, a mountaintop that has been sculpted by erosion to form a point Mathematics * Peak hour or rush hour, in traffic congestion * Peak (geometry), an (''n''-3)-di ...

of the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

. Mount Massive.jpg,

in the

is the second highest

of the

. Mount Harvard (Colorado) - 2006-07-16.jpg, Mount Harvard is the highest of the

Collegiate Peaks The Collegiate Peaks (or Collegiate Range) is a name given to a section of the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains located in central Colorado. Drainages to the east include headwaters of the Arkansas River. The Collegiate Peaks include some of t ...

and the third highest peak of the

. 2007-06-24-plata-eve-close2.jpg, La Plata Peak in the

is the fifth highest

of the

. MtBlancaEast.jpg, Blanca Peak is the highest

of the

Sangre de Cristo Mountains ) , country= United States , subdivision1_type= States , subdivision1= , parent= Rocky Mountains , geology= , orogeny= , area_mi2= 17193 , range_coordinates= , length_mi= 242 , length_orientation= north-south , width_mi= 120 , w ...

and the second most

topographically isolated The topographic isolation of a summit is the minimum great-circle distance, distance to a point of equal elevation, representing a radius of dominance in which the peak is the highest point. It can be calculated for small hills and islands as wel ...

peak of

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

. Uncompahgre peak.jpg,

is the highest

of the San Juan Mountains and the sixth highest peak of the

. Crestone peaks fall.jpg, Crestone Peak is the highest

of the

Crestones The Crestones are a group of four 14,000 foot (4,268 m) peaks (fourteeners) in the Sangre de Cristo Range above Crestone, central southern Colorado, comprising: #Crestone Peak (14,294 ft, 4,357 m) #Crestone Needle (14,197 ft, 4,327 m) # ...

and the seventh highest peak of the

. Mt_Lincoln.jpg,

Mount Lincoln Mount Lincoln may refer to one of several mountains located in the United States: {{Mountainindex, Lincoln ...

is the highest

of the Mosquito Range and the eighth highest peak of the

. Castle Peak CO Full.JPG, Castle Peak is the highest

of the Elk Mountains and the ninth highest peak of the

. Grays and Torreys Peaks 2006-08-06.jpg, Grays Peak is the highest

of the Front Range, the highest point on the

Continental Divide A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not ...

, and the tenth highest peak of the

. Longs peak.JPG,

is the highest peak in

Rocky Mountain National Park Rocky Mountain National Park is an American national park located approximately northwest of Denver in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The park is situated between the towns of Estes Park to the east and ...

and northern Colorado. Mount Sneffels.jpg, Impressive Mount Sneffels in southwestern Colorado is often said to be the most beautiful mountain in the state. Pikes Peak in November 2010.jpg, Pikes Peak is the second most

topographically prominent In topography, prominence (also referred to as autonomous height, relative height, and shoulder drop in US English, and drop or relative height in British English) measures the height of a mountain or hill's summit relative to the lowest contou ...

mountain summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used only for a m ...

and the easternmost

fourteener In the mountaineering parlance of the Western United States, a fourteener is a mountain peak with an elevation of at least . The 96 fourteeners in the United States are all west of the Mississippi River. Colorado has the most (53) of any single ...

. The peak sits on top of Pikes Mountain. Mount of the Holy Cross.jpeg, This photograph of the legendary

was taken by

William Henry Jackson William Henry Jackson (April 4, 1843 – June 30, 1942) was an American photographer, Civil War veteran, painter, and an explorer famous for his images of the American West. He was a great-great nephew of Samuel Wilson, the progenitor of Ame ...

in 1874. Spanish peaks.JPG, The

Spanish Peaks The Spanish Peaks are a pair of prominent mountains located in southwestern Huerfano County, Colorado, Huerfano County, Colorado. The Comanche people, Comanche people call them Huajatolla ( ) or Wa-to-yah meaning "double mountain". The two peak ...

in southern Colorado are two prominent mountains which can be seen for many miles.

Notes

References

External links

United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Geographic Names Information System @ USGSUnited States National Geodetic Survey (NGS)

Geodetic Glossary @ NGS

NGVD 29 to NAVD 88 online elevation converter @ NGS

Survey Marks and Datasheets @ NGSBivouac.comPeakbagger.comPeaklist.orgSummitpost.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mountain peaks in Colorado, List of Lists of landforms of Colorado Colorado, List of mountain peaks of Colorado, List of mountain peaks of Colorado, List of mountain peaks of Colorado, List of mountain peaks of Colorado, List of mountain peaks of