The eruption of the La Garita Caldera shaped the San Juan Mountains by completely obliterating the volcanoes that once stood in the area.

Off-roading is popular on the old trails which linked the historic mining camps, including the notorious Black Bear Road.

Though the San Juans are extremely steep and receive much snow, so far only Telluride has made the transition to a major ski resort.

Telluride Airport, at an elevation of 9,070 feet,[5] is the highest in the United States with regularly scheduled commercial service.

Human history at the eastern edge of the San Juan Mountains dates back thousands of years.

Smithsonian archaeologists have identified paleo-Indian sites that are about 5,000 years old, located near Great Sand Dunes National Park and at the northern edge of the San Luis Valley, close to Poncha Pass.

This suggests that early human presence in the region dates back to ancient times, long before the establishment of modern landmarks.