<P> The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico . The area is highly mineralized ( the Colorado Mineral Belt ) and figured in the gold and silver mining industry of early Colorado . Major towns , all old mining camps , include Creede , Lake City , Silverton , Ouray , and Telluride . Large scale mining has ended in the region , although independent prospectors still work claims throughout the range . The last large scale mines were the Sunnyside Mine near Silverton , which operated until late in the 20th century and the Idarado Mine on Red Mountain Pass that closed down in the 1970s . Famous old San Juan mines include the Camp Bird and Smuggler Union mines , both located between Telluride and Ouray . </P>
where are the san juan mountains in new mexico
in southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico