Map of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado, showing Blanca Peak and Wheeler Peak, with surrounding towns, rivers, and highways.
Black and white map of Colorado with the text 'Colorado' at the top and 'Sangre de Cristo' in the lower right.

Sangre De Cristos 

The Blood of Christ Mountains

The Sangre de Cristo Mountains is located in central southern Colorado and stretches down into New Mexico. It is considered the longest fault-block mountain range in the world, and is home to New Mexico’s highest peak Wheeler Peak. The part of this mountain range shown in this gallery in Colorado is referred to as the Sangre De Cristo Range and is the heart of the greater Sangre De Cristo Mountains. This straight and narrow fault-block mountain range rises abruptly 7000 vertical feet from the San Luis Valley to the west and the Wet Mountain Valley to the east. The Sangre de Cristo range, one of Colorado's fault-block ranges, geologically similar to the Tetons. The Gore Range is one of the other fault-block ranges. At 15 million years old, it is one of the youngest mountain ranges in Colorado (along with the Gore Range). The range is generally split up into 3 different mountain groupings called massifs, The Culebra massif to the southern end, the Blanca Massif in the middle and the Crestone massif to the north. Each massif is marked by at least 1 fourteener. Culebra massif contains only Culebra Peak at 14,047 ft (4,282 m), the Blanca massif contains Blanca Peak, Little Bear Peak, Ellingwood Point and Mt. Lindsey. The Crestone Massif contains Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle, Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point, the Blanca and Crestone massifs also contain numerous jagged 13ers. Blanca Peak at 14,370 feet is Colorado’s 4th highest peak.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is at the base of the Crestones

Snow-covered mountains with a clear blue sky in the background and farm buildings with rusty roofs in the foreground, lit by warm sunlight.

Snow-covered mountains with a clear blue sky in the background and farm buildings with rusty roofs in the foreground, lit by warm sunlight.

Cows grazing on a snow-covered field with mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.

Cows grazing on a snow-covered field with mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.

A brown cow standing on snow-covered ground in the foreground with a mountain range with snow-capped peaks, forested slopes, and a blue sky in the background.

A brown cow standing on snow-covered ground in the foreground with a mountain range with snow-capped peaks, forested slopes, and a blue sky in the background.

Snow-covered mountains during sunset with a pink sky, dry grass field with two leafless trees in the foreground.

Snow-covered mountains during sunset with a pink sky, dry grass field with two leafless trees in the foreground.

Snow-capped mountains under a colorful sky with pink and purple clouds, a full moon visible in the sky, and a grassy field with scattered houses in the foreground.

Snow-capped mountains under a colorful sky with pink and purple clouds, a full moon visible in the sky, and a grassy field with scattered houses in the foreground.

Snow-capped mountains at dusk with colorful pink and purple sky and a bright moon.

Snow-capped mountains at dusk with colorful pink and purple sky and a bright moon.