Park earthquake history

Review recorded earthquake events, magnitudes, and seismic depth data mapped across forest landscapes.

San Juan National Forest Earthquake History: Historical Seismic Records and Regional Epicentres

This collection provides a comprehensive record of seismic events that have been registered in the vicinity of San Juan National Forest. Each entry maps an earthquake by its epicentre relative to the forest boundaries, providing historical event data including magnitude, depth, and chronological information. Accessing this catalogue allows for an informed review of documented seismic activity throughout the Southern Rockies region while maintaining a clear focus on geographical association.

Related tags

national forestSan Juan MountainsSouthern RockiesColoradowilderness areas

Explore San Juan National Forest

A vast Southern Rockies national forest covering most of the western slope of Colorado's San Juan Mountains.

San Juan National Forest

San Juan National Forest is a large U.S. National Forest in western Colorado, covering more than 1.8 million acres across ten counties from Durango and Pagosa Springs south toward the New Mexico border. The forest encompasses most of the southern portion of the San Juan Mountains west of the Continental Divide, an alpine and subalpine landscape of high peaks, deep canyons, dense conifer forests, broad mesa country, and the headwaters of several major river systems. Its scale and ecological diversity make it one of the most significant national forests in the Southern Rockies, supporting large wilderness tracts, multiple wilderness areas, scenic byways, and a long history of human use from ancestral Puebloan sites to 19th-century mining boomtowns. The forest is administered by the U.S. Forest Service, with its headquarters in Durango and ranger districts in Bayfield, Dolores, and Pagosa Springs. Designated in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt, San Juan National Forest has long been recognized for its blend of rugged mountain scenery and accessible Southwestern Colorado landscapes. It borders the Uncompahgre National Forest to the north and the Rio Grande National Forest to the east, and its wilder corners include some of the most remote terrain in the lower 48 states. Although very large and heavily forested, San Juan National Forest is also known for cultural sites, alpine recreation, and the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, whose route threads through the heart of the forest. The forest has also gained modern recognition through national monument designations at Chimney Rock, preserving ancestral Puebloan archaeological landscapes that complement the surrounding natural environment.

Location: United States of America
Park type: Protected landscape
Established: 1905
Area: 7,603.4 km²

San Juan National Forest Geography

Navigate San Juan National Forest events by date and distance

Examine historical earthquake data around San Juan National Forest

San Juan National Forest’s historical earthquake data is linked to the forest through reported epicentre locations and calculated distances, not evidence that events occurred within it. Each catalogue entry presents time, magnitude, depth, locality, forest separation, and a source reference for comparison without assigning causes to mountain features, evaluating current risk, or predicting future seismic 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.

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Park atlas

Continue after San Juan National Forest earthquake history

Browse more protected destinations beyond San Juan National Forest

San Juan National Forest earthquake history transitions to a separately curated collection of protected destinations across the atlas. The recommendations imply no common mountain forests, land designation, ecology, geology, seismicity, nearness, hazard conditions, risk, or matching source depth.

Wildlife reserveColorado

Park boundaries overlap#1 closest

Northwest

Lizard Head Wilderness: Mapping the San Juan Mountains Protected Alpine Terrain

High elevation geography and volcanic wilderness in Colorado

Lizard Head Wilderness is a federally protected area in southwestern Colorado characterized by steep ridgelines, dramatic volcanic geology, and alpine basins. It protects a rugged mountain landscape featuring the iconic Lizard Head spire and a cluster of high-elevation peaks including Mount Wilson, El Diente Peak, and Wilson Peak. The area offers a significant study in remote high-mountain geography and watershed protection within the San Juan range.

Area: 167.17 km²
Established: 1980
IUCN: Ib
Relief: Mountain

Lizard Head Wilderness Geography

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

Protected landscapeColorado

Park boundaries overlap#2 closest

East

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

Protected landscapeColorado

About 9.4 km away#3 closest

North

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

National parkMontezuma County

10 km away#4 closest

Southwest

Mesa Verde National Park: Protected Landscape Atlas and Geographic Identity

Discover the mapped terrain and regional context of this national park.

Mesa Verde National Park serves as a critical protected landscape within Montezuma County, offering distinct insights into regional geography and mapped terrain. This entry details the park's identity as a National Park, emphasizing its geographic setting and providing a foundation for atlas-driven exploration. Understand the park's place within the broader landscape context and its significance as a mapped protected area, ideal for focused geographic study.

Area: 212.4 km²
Established: 1906
IUCN: II
Visitors: 463.1K annual

Mesa Verde National Park 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

11 km away#5 closest

North

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

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

28 km away#6 closest

Northeast

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

A horizontal watercolor painting depicting soft green rolling hills and distant mountains under a white sky.

Wildlife reserveColorado

38 km away#7 closest

Northeast

Powderhorn Wilderness: A High-Elevation Protected Landscape in the San Juan Mountains

Basaltic plateaus and vast alpine tundra in Colorado

Powderhorn Wilderness protects a distinct highland environment in southwestern Colorado. Characterized by dark basaltic caprocks and deep glacial cirques, this area serves as a critical headwaters system for the Gunnison River, supporting a complex transition from sagebrush steppe to subalpine forest and wind-swept tundra. The geography remains largely defined by its volcanic heritage and the primitive character of its remote plateau summits.

Area: 251.1 km²
Established: 1993
IUCN: Ib
Relief: Mountain

Powderhorn Wilderness Protected Area Atlas

A watercolor painting showing a panoramic view of rolling green mountains with a winding stream through a forested valley.

Protected landscapeUtah

50 km away#8 closest

Northwest

Manti, La Sal National Forest: Geographic Overview of Utah's Mountain and Canyon Landscapes

Mapped protected forest boundaries across the Colorado Plateau

Spanning over one million acres, Manti, La Sal National Forest defines a critical segment of Utah geography. This protected landscape encompasses diverse terrain including subalpine mountains, aspen-rich uplands, and deep canyon networks. Use this atlas to examine the distinct environmental characteristics that separate the northern forested plateaus from the southern wilderness canyons.

Area: 5,143.09 km²
Established: 1950
IUCN: V
Visitors: 900K annual

Manti, La Sal National Forest Geography

MoriAtlas Explorer

Examine the Mapped Landscapes and Geographic Boundaries of San Juan National Forest

Continue exploring the high-alpine terrain and diverse mountain ecosystems of San Juan National Forest. MoriAtlas provides a clear view of these protected boundaries, helping you understand the scale of one of the largest wilderness regions in Colorado and its significant role within the Southern Rockies geographic corridor.

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San Juan National Forest Geography

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