2019 Map of Poncha Pass

About this map

Poncha Pass serves as a critical geographic divide on this 2019 survey, marking the intersection of the Chaffee, Fremont, and Saguache county lines. This high mountain corridor facilitates travel between the northern Arkansas River Valley and the San Luis Valley to the south, with Poncha Creek and San Luis Creek draining in opposite directions from the summit. The area is defined by the transition between the San Isabel National Forest and Rio Grande National Forest, where steep gulches like Dry Lake Gulch and Sand Gulch cut through the slopes of Cleveland Mountain and Poncha Mountain. Cultural landmarks are centered near the pass, including the Granite Mountain Lodge Airport and the geothermal waters of Poncha Hot Springs. Further into the high country, Methodist Mountain and Simmons Peak anchor a landscape dotted with secluded water features like Salamander Lake and Wicker Spring.