[3] It is in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Santa Fe.

It is also the most southerly peak and land area in the continental United States to rise above 13,000 feet (3,962 m).

[5] The Truchas Peaks lie on the divide between the Rio Grande and the Pecos River.

The massif also connects to numerous other high peaks in the region, many via the Santa Barbara Divide, a major east-west high ridge which separates the Pecos watershed on the south from the Santa Barbara watershed to the north.

The Truchas group has a true wilderness character, as it is difficult to access the peaks within a single day.