| Bristol Head | |
| Elevation Ft: | 12712 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence Ft: | 1201 |
| Isolation Mi: | 7.26 |
| Parent Peak: | Table Mountain (12,867 ft) |
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Colorado |
| Region: | Mineral |
| Region Type: | County |
| Part Type: | Protected area |
| Part: | Rio Grande National Forest |
| Range: | Rocky Mountains San Juan Mountains[2] |
| Map: | Colorado#USA |
| Label Position: | bottom |
| Coordinates: | 37.7935°N -107.055°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
| Topo: | USGS Bristol Head |
| Rock: | Dacitic lava, Breccia, Rhyolite[4] |
| Age: | Tertiary |
| Easiest Route: | hiking |
Bristol Head is a 12712feet mountain summit in Mineral County, Colorado, United States.
Bristol Head is located 8miles southwest of the community of Creede, on land managed by Rio Grande National Forest. It is situated east of the Continental Divide in the San Juan Mountains which are a subrange of the Rocky Mountains. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into the Rio Grande and topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3900abbr=offNaNabbr=off above the river in three miles (4.8 km) and 3250abbr=offNaNabbr=off above Santa Maria Reservoir in 1.2 mile (1.9 km). Access to the summit is via a 15-mile 4WD road which reaches a radio repeater at the top.[5] The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names,[3] and was recorded in publications as early as 1876 since the peak served as a triangulation station for the Wheeler Survey.[6]
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Bristol Head is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[7] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter and as thunderstorms in summer, with a dry period in late spring. Hikers can expect afternoon rain, hail, and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.