[3] A plaque at the summit states that the mountain was: Named in honor of Major George Montague Wheeler (1832–1909) who for ten years led a party of surveyors and naturalists collecting geologic, biologic, planimetric and topographic data in New Mexico and six other southwestern states.Just north of Wheeler Peak is Mount Walter.

The route starts at the parking lot for Taos Ski Valley, and proceeds east along an old road to a broad saddle at Bull-of-the-Woods Meadow.

This is a practical route, even in winter, due to low (but nonzero) avalanche exposure.

An alternate route is to hike south from Taos Ski Valley to Williams Lake, then take a newly constructed switchback trail to the top.

Another alternate route is to begin from the nearby ski resort of Red River.