The mountains are located in Saguache and Mineral counties in southwestern Colorado and are almost entirely managed as public land within the Rio Grande National Forest.

[1] The La Garita Mountains extend from near the town of Creede east and northeast over 30 miles (48 km) toward the San Luis Valley.

The range includes montane and subalpine forests and meadows and alpine tundra that provide ideal habitats for elk and mule deer.

This 27 million year old tuff was ejected from eruptions in the San Luis Caldera Complex located north of the La Garita Mountains.

[8][9][10] Notable summits along the La Garita Mountains’ ridge, as delineated by the United States Board on Geographic Names, from west to east.