Park earthquake history

Reviewing historical seismic data associated by epicenter proximity to protected alpine landscapes

Recorded Earthquake History and Seismic Records for the Powderhorn Wilderness Area of Colorado

This collection provides a structured view of recorded earthquakes occurring within the vicinity of the Powderhorn Wilderness in southwestern Colorado. Each entry associates seismic activity with the protected landscape by analyzing epicenter distances from the wilderness boundaries. The records offer an organized look at historical data points such as event magnitudes, focal depths, and timing to assist in understanding the regional seismic environment.

Explore Powderhorn Wilderness

A digital illustration of a mountainous landscape with a prominent cliff, a waterfall flowing into a lake, alpine forest, and a foreground of rocky tundra and wildflowers.

A high volcanic plateau in southwest Colorado guarding one of the largest alpine tundra expanses in the contiguous United States.

Powderhorn Wilderness

Powderhorn Wilderness is a roughly 62,000-acre protected wilderness area in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, spanning Hinsdale and Gunnison counties and lying just northeast of the small town of Lake City. The area sits on the edge of the San Juan volcanic field, where ancient Oligocene ash flows and younger basaltic lava from the Hinsdale Formation built up a sweeping highland plateaus landscape. Roughly half of the wilderness lies above tree line, producing one of the largest continuous expanses of alpine tundra in the contiguous United States. Beyond its volcanic geology, Powderhorn is a critical watershed for the Gunnison River system. East, Middle, and West Forks of Powderhorn Creek, along with Calf Creek, drain through the wilderness into Cebolla Creek and ultimately the Gunnison. Glacial action carved cirques, lakes, and broad basins, while the surrounding vegetation shifts from sagebrush steppe at the lowest elevations through aspen and subalpine fir forests up into windswept tundra. Mule deer and elk migrate into the high country each summer, sharing the slopes with black bears, mountain lions, and smaller alpine-adapted species such as pikas and marmots. Designated as a federal wilderness in 1993 and managed jointly by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, Powderhorn is set aside to preserve its primitive character, wildlife habitat, and watershed values. Travel is restricted to foot and horse, ensuring that visitors experience a quiet, largely trail-based landscape shaped by rock, ice, and open sky.

Location: United States of America
Park type: Wildlife reserve
Established: 1993
Area: 251.1 km²
Highest point: 3,859 m

Powderhorn Wilderness Protected Area Atlas

Review Powderhorn Wilderness events by date and distance

Investigate historical earthquake records near Powderhorn Wilderness

Powderhorn Wilderness’s earthquake view maps reported epicentres by calculated distance from its San Juan Mountains boundary, separating the records from volcanic plateaus, alpine tundra, basins, and high ridges. Each entry provides a date, magnitude, depth, locality, source, and wilderness distance for historical comparison without claiming landscape effects, present hazard, or future activity.

Magnitude

Location

This page describes catalogued earthquakes associated with the park by epicentre location and distance. It does not establish causation, assess current danger, or predict future earthquakes.

No earthquake records match the current filters

Park atlas

Continue from Colorado's volcanic plateau to contrasting wild places

More atlas destinations after Powderhorn Wilderness’s volcanic plateau

After Powderhorn Wilderness's earthquake records, the atlas moves beyond its high San Juan volcanic plateau and broad alpine tundra. Suggested destinations are independent profiles rather than seismic or geological comparisons, and they do not presume common wilderness designation, elevation, proximity, hazards, landscapes, or supporting information.

A pale watercolor painting showing a panoramic view of mountain ranges in the background, a coniferous forest on a small hill, and a meadow with wildflowers in the foreground.

Wildlife reserveColorado

0 km away#1 closest

Southeast

La Garita Wilderness: Exploring the High Alpine Geography of Southern Colorado

Volcanic terrain and protected mountain wilderness atlas

La Garita Wilderness serves as a primary example of protected high-alpine geography in southern Colorado. This atlas entry examines the undulating volcanic ridges, glacial cirques, and alpine basins that define the area, including the prominent peak of San Luis. It highlights the integration of significant trail systems within this protected landscape, offering a clear perspective on the physical geography and conservation value of the La Garita mountain range.

Area: 524.58 km²
Established: 1964
IUCN: Ib
Relief: Mountain

La Garita Wilderness Protected Area Atlas

Watercolor painting of soft, layered mountain ranges behind green hills and patches of evergreen trees on a white background.

Protected landscapeColorado

9.1 km away#2 closest

Southeast

Rio Grande National Forest: Atlas and Geographic Profile of a Southern Colorado Landscape

Watershed geography and Continental Divide terrain analysis.

Rio Grande National Forest represents an immense protected landscape encompassing diverse terrain from high desert steppe to rugged alpine peaks. This profile details the forest's hydrological significance as the source of the Rio Grande and its role as a massive ecological transition zone in the Mountain West. Examine the boundaries and mountain geography that define this critical protected area.

Area: 7,500 km²
Established: 1908
Relief: Mountain
Climate: Boreal

Rio Grande National Forest Geography

A minimalist watercolor illustration showing soft green hills, purple mountains in the background, and a reflective water body in the foreground.

Protected areaColorado

About 29 km away#3 closest

North

Curecanti National Recreation Area: Mapped Geography and Protected Landscapes of Western Colorado

River-based recreation and volcanic canyon terrain

Curecanti National Recreation Area stretches across Gunnison and Montrose counties, serving as a primary water-based protected landscape in Colorado. The area preserves the geologic transitions from the broad expanse of Blue Mesa Reservoir to the granite-walled canyons of Morrow Point and Crystal, offering a deep look into the regional geography and historical infrastructure of the Gunnison basin.

Area: 174.4 km²
Established: 1965
Visitors: 807.1K annual
Relief: Mountain

Curecanti National Recreation Area Geography

Protected landscapeColorado

38 km away#4 closest

Southwest

San Juan National Forest: Geographic Overview of a Major Southern Colorado Protected Landscape

Mapped terrain across the Southern San Juan Mountains

San Juan National Forest represents a massive protected landscape in western Colorado, defined by its rugged alpine peaks, dense conifer forests, and glacial valleys. This atlas entry details the forest boundary, its position along the Continental Divide, and the surrounding transition into the Colorado Plateau. It provides a structured look at the terrain that connects diverse ecosystems, from high-altitude tundra to expansive mesa country, within one of the largest national forests in the American West.

Area: 7,603.42 km²
Established: 1905
Relief: Mountain
Climate: Alpine

San Juan National Forest Geography

Protected landscapeColorado

About 47 km away#5 closest

West

Uncompahgre National Forest: Protected Landscapes and Geographic Features in Colorado

Mapping the arid plateau and high-country San Juan wilderness zones.

Uncompahgre National Forest represents a vast protected area in the American West, spanning iconic landscapes from the dry, pinyon-juniper covered Uncompahgre Plateau to the dramatic, jagged ridges of the northern San Juan Mountains. This atlas entry provides essential context on its alpine wilderness designations, high-country topography, and the unique geological transitions that define its status as a critical Colorado resource for regional landscape analysis.

Area: 3,865.68 km²
Established: 1905
Relief: Mountain
Climate: Alpine

Uncompahgre National Forest Map and Atlas

Watercolor painting of a mountain landscape with light green rolling hills in the midground and pale, soft-toned mountain peaks in the background.

Protected areaColorado

47 km away#6 closest

West

Mount Sneffels Wilderness: Mapping the High Alpine Terrain of the San Juan Mountains

Protected mountain geography in southwestern Colorado

Mount Sneffels Wilderness protects a dramatic cluster of peaks in the San Juan range, characterized by glacial cirques, expansive talus fields, and sharp ridgelines. As a vital component of the Colorado backcountry, this area provides a window into high-altitude ecological transition zones, from dense conifer forests to exposed granite summits that define the character of the Uncompahgre National Forest.

Area: 67.04 km²
Established: 1980
IUCN: Ib
Relief: Mountain

Mount Sneffels Wilderness Protected Area

National parkMontrose County

49 km away#7 closest

Northwest

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: Protected Area Geography and Mapped Landscape

Explore the natural terrain and protected boundaries in Montrose County.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a national park defined by its profound geological features and its status as a protected landscape. Located within Montrose County, it offers a distinct geographic profile for atlas-based exploration. Users can understand the park's mapped boundaries, its relation to the surrounding regional geography, and the unique natural terrain that defines this protected area, contributing to a structured discovery of its natural landscape identity.

Area: 124.4 km²
Established: 1999
IUCN: II
Visitors: 357.1K annual

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Atlas

A horizontal watercolor illustration depicting soft layers of green rolling hills, a band of trees, and distant pinkish mountain peaks against a white background.

Protected landscapeColorado

About 52 km away#8 closest

North

Gunnison National Forest: Atlas and Geographic Overview of a Colorado Protected Landscape

Mapping deep wilderness areas and high mountain watersheds

Spanning over one million acres in western Colorado, this protected landscape features dramatic glaciated valleys, subalpine meadows, and iconic volcanic features. The forest anchors the Gunnison River headwaters and offers significant insights into the ecological structure of the Southern Rocky Mountains and its dense concentration of wilderness zones.

Area: 6,766.89 km²
Established: 1905
Relief: Mountain
Climate: Alpine

Gunnison National Forest Protected Area Atlas

MoriAtlas Explorer

Continue Exploring the Geographic Boundaries of Powderhorn Wilderness

Deepen your understanding of this high-altitude protected landscape through detailed mapping of its volcanic plateaus, glacial lakes, and watershed systems. MoriAtlas provides a clear view into the rugged terrain and ecological structure of this San Juan Mountains wilderness area.

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Powderhorn Wilderness Protected Area Atlas

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