| Bill Williams Peak | |
| Elevation: | 13389feet |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence: | 1682feet |
| Isolation: | 3.71miles |
| Listing: | 42nd highest major summit of Colorado 45th highest major summit of the Rocky Mountains 82nd highest major summit of the United States 101st highest major summit of North America |
| Location: | Pitkin County, Colorado, U.S. |
| Range: | Williams Mountains |
| Map: | Colorado#USA |
| Relief: | 1 |
| Coordinates: | 39.1806°N -106.6102°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [2] |
| Topo: | USGS Mount Champion |
Bill Williams Peak, elevation 13389feet, is an (officially unnamed) mountain located in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The summit of the mountain is the high point of the Williams Mountains, a subrange of the Sawatch Range. The summit is located 12.2miles east of Aspen, Colorado, in the Hunter–Fryingpan Wilderness of White River National Forest.[3] Bill Williams Peak is the 42nd highest major summit of Colorado and the 45th highest major summit of the Rocky Mountains of the United States and Canada.
The mountain and its range are named for William Sherley "Old Bill" Williams (1787–1849), prominent American mountain man and frontiersman who frequented the region.
In November 1848, John C. Fremont hired Williams to guide his ill-fated fourth expedition through the Southern Rocky Mountains.[4] Fremont sought to find a railroad route through the Rockies along the 38th parallel north. Williams warned Fremont against following his intended route through the La Garita Mountains in winter, but Fremont proceeded with his 35 men and 150 mules. The expedition eventually became hopelessly mired in deep snow and 11 men and all but a few of the pack animals died.[5] Williams led a rescue party south towards Taos, and the survivors of the expedition eventually managed to follow.[6]
In March, Williams and Dr. Benjamin Kern returned to the La Garita Mountains in hopes of finding more survivors. On March 14, 1849, Ute warriors murdered Bill Williams and Dr. Kern in the mountains by for trespassing on Ute lands.[4]