Highest and Lowest Elevations (by state)

Alaska

Mt. McKinley, with an elevation of 6168 meters (20,237 feet), is the highest mountain in North America as well as Alaska. The mountain is located in Denali National Park, in the south-central part of the state, and it is considered the third most prominent peak in the world after Mt. Everest in the Himalayas and Aconcagua in the Andes. Alaska’s lowest points are along its coastlines, where the shore is at sea level.

California

California’s highest point—and also the highest point in the contiguous 48 states—is Mt. Whitney, at 4421 meters (14,505 feet) in elevation. Mt. Whitney is located at the southeastern end of the Sierra Nevada. Interestingly, it is only 85 miles northwest from Badwater Basin in Death Valley, which at 86 meters (282 feet) below sea level is the lowest point in all of North America.

Hawai’i

Mauna Kea, a dormant shield volcano on the island of Hawai’i, is the state’s highest point at 4207 meters (13,803 feet) above sea level. A product of hot spot volcanism, much of this volcano’s bulk is below sea level—when measured from the ocean floor, its total height is actually 10,100 meters (33,100 feet). The lowest points in Hawai’i are found at sea level along its coastlines, where the shoreline meets the Pacific Ocean.

Nevada

At 4007 meters (13,147 feet) above sea level, Boundary Peak is Nevada’s highest point, located less than 2 kilometers (1 mile) from the California border. Nevada’s extreme southern border with California, on the Colorado River, is the state’s lowest point at 147 meters (481 feet).

Oregon

Mt. Hood, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of Portland, is Oregon’s highest point at 3429 meters (11,249 feet). A dormant volcano, Mt. Hood is the fourth highest peak in the Cascade Range. Oregon’s lowest points are found at sea level along the coast, where the shoreline meets the Pacific Ocean.

Washington

Located 87 kilometers (54 miles) southeast of Seattle, the massive stratovolcano Mt. Rainier is Washington’s highest point at 4392 meters (14,411 feet) in elevation. As well as being the highest peak in the Cascade Range, Mt. Ranier is considered one of the world’s deadliest volcanoes due to its proximity to highly populated areas. Washington’s lowest points are found at sea level along the coast, where the shoreline meets the Pacific Ocean.