[3] Galena Peak is set on the east side of the San Luis Valley, on the crest of the Sangre de Cristo Range which is a subrange of the Rocky Mountains.

Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,860 feet (1,177 m) above the San Luis Valley in two miles (3.2 km).

An ascent of the peak from Hayden Pass involves hiking seven miles (11 km) with approximately 1,800 feet (549 m) of elevation gain.

[6] The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.

[7] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer, with a dry period in late spring.