Delineating groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) in mountainous regions poses significant challenges due to the intricate interdependence of geological, topographical, and climatic factors. This study investigates the groundwater potential of Kulgam district in the Kashmir Valley, employing geospatial technologies and multi-criteria analysis to identify and categorize GWPZ. The principal aim of this research is to develop a comprehensive GWPZ for Kulgam district. Seven thematic layers—slope, lithology, geomorphology, land use/land cover (LULC), drainage density (Dd), soil, and lineament density (Ld)—were integrated using Geographical Information System (GIS) tools and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). A weighted overlay analysis was conducted to generate the final GWPZ map, which was subsequently validated using field data from 30 tube wells. The GWPZ map categorized the district into five classes: excellent (5%), good (18%), moderate (17%), poor (59.72%), and very poor (0.28%). Field validation indicated that 57% of tube wells were located in good potential zones, 17% in moderate zones, and 26.7% in poor zones. No wells were identified in the excellent or very poor zones, corresponding to the district’s agricultural dominance and high-altitude terrain, respectively. This study provides a robust framework for identifying groundwater-rich zones, which is crucial for sustainable water resource management amid growing demand and climate change.