Western Slope Conservation Center - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Mount Lamborn is a mountain summit in the West Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 11,402-foot peak is located in Gunnison National Forest, 5.9 miles southeast by south of the Town of Paonia in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The summit of Mount Lamborn is the highest point in Delta County.

Landsend Peak is a prominent wedge-shaped mountain located in the West Elk Mountains range northeast of Crawford, Colorado. The summit of Landsend Peak has an elevation of 10,806 ft rising dramatically about 4,000 ft above the valley below. Both peaks lie within the Gunnison National Forest near the physiographic boundary of the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau provinces. Geologically, Landsend Peak and Mount Lamborn are exposed igneous intrusions that geologists call laccoliths.

Needle Rock is an iconic landmark visible from Highway 92 near the town of Crawford. The surrounding terrain is characterized by laccolithic mountains flanked by precipitous cliffs, extensive talus aprons, forested mesas, canyons, and spacious, well-watered intermontane basins. The massive rock feature originated in the Oligocene geological epoch when magma intruded between existing sedimentary rocks as the crown of a buried laccolith or possibly the underlying conduit of a laccolith.

Saddle Mountain is a large, conical mountain located on the western side of the West Elk Mountains southeast of Crawford, Colorado. It has an elevation of 10,005 ft with over 3,000 ft of vertical relief above the valley below. Although it has the classic shape of an extinct volcano, Saddle Mountain is an exposed igneous intrusion that geologists call a laccolith.

Mount Gunnison resides just inside of the northern boundary of the West Elks Wilderness, which is encompassed by the beautiful Gunnison National Forest. Mount Gunnison is also Colorado’s 13th most prominent mountain, ranking ahead of 94 of the states highest 100 mountains, including 46 fourteeners. The mountain is named in honor of John Williams Gunnison who explored the area.

Crater Peak is the highest point on Grand Mesa. Despite it's modest elevation Crater Peak ranks number 58 in the state in prominence. Crater peak itself is not especially striking, it does however have an excellent vantage point for photographing aspens in the fall. From the summit to the east, you have a clear view of Capital, Hunstmans Ridge, and the Raggeds.