Culebra Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Culebra Peak |
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Culebra Peak viewed from south of San Luis.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 14,053 ft (4283 m) NAVD88 |
| Prominence | 4827 ft (1471 m) |
| Isolation | 35.4 mi (56.9 km) |
| Listing |
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| Geography | |
 Culebra Peak
Location in Colorado
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| Location | Costilla County, Colorado, U.S. |
| Parent range | Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Highest summit of the Culebra Range |
| Topo map | USGS 7.5' topographic map Culebra Peak, Colorado |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Culebra Peak is a very tall mountain in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado, United States. It is the highest point in the Culebra Range, which is part of the larger Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This mountain is special because it is one of Colorado's "fourteeners." A fourteener is a mountain that is over 14,000 feet (about 4,267 meters) high. Culebra Peak stands at 14,053 feet (4,283 meters) tall.
This impressive peak is located in Costilla County, Colorado. It is about 22.8 kilometers (14.2 miles) east-southeast of the town of San Luis. Culebra Peak is also the southernmost fourteener in the entire Rocky Mountains.
What Makes Culebra Peak Unique?
Culebra Peak is different from most other fourteeners in Colorado. This is because it sits on land that is privately owned. Most other tall peaks are on public land, which means anyone can visit them freely. Because Culebra Peak is on private property, there are rules about who can climb it.
Accessing Culebra Peak
To climb Culebra Peak, you need special permission. Access to the mountain is limited, and visitors are usually asked to pay a fee. For example, in the summer of 2020, the fee was $150 per person to hike to the top. The ownership of this land and how people can access it has been a topic of discussion for many years.
The ranch where Culebra Peak is located was put up for sale in 2017 for a large amount of money. It was later sold that same year, but the final price was not shared publicly.
Why Culebra Peak Stands Out
Even though Culebra Peak is one of the lower fourteeners, it is very important in another way. It has the fourth-highest topographic prominence in Colorado. Topographic prominence means how much a mountain rises above the land around it. Imagine a mountain standing tall and separate from other mountains; that's high prominence. Culebra Peak has high prominence because it is separated from other fourteeners by a lower area called La Veta Pass. This makes it really stand out in the landscape.
