List of hillside letters

This is a list of hillside letters (also known as mountain monograms), large geoglyphs found primarily in the Western United States. There are about 600 in total, but the status of many of these symbols are uncertain, due to vagueness in sources.

Hillside monogram on Signal Hill in Gunnison, Colorado, as seen from U.S. Hwy 50 entering the town

Distribution of hillside letters in the Western United States

Main article: Hillside letters

The states with the most hillside letters are:

• Montana: 86 monograms
• California: 83 monograms
• Utah: 83 monograms
• Arizona: 63 monograms
• Nevada: 47 monograms
• Oregon: 39 monograms
• Idaho: 36 monograms

United States

Arizona

Main article: List of hillside letters in Arizona

California

Main article: List of hillside letters in California

Colorado

At least 31 monograms, possibly 33.

Monogram	Town	Description	Coordinates
A	Fort Collins	Colorado State University (formerly the Aggies)	40.561°N 105.151°W / 40.561; -105.151 (Colorado State University)
B	Branson		37.0092°N 103.8815°W / 37.0092; -103.8815 (Branson)
C	Cañon City		38.443°N 105.25°W / 38.443; -105.25 (Cañon City)
D	Del Norte		37.6719°N 106.3588°W / 37.6719; -106.3588 (Del Norte)
D	Dinosaur		40.2463°N 109.0064°W / 40.2463; -109.0064 (Dinosaur)
F	Fruita	Fruita Monument High School	39.1334524°N 108.7336039°W / 39.1334524; -108.7336039 (Fruita)
G	Golden		39.7521°N 105.2066°W / 39.7521; -105.2066 (Golden)
GV	Parachute	Grand Valley High School	39.461°N 108.0542°W / 39.461; -108.0542 (Grand Valley High School)
GM	Lakewood	Green Mountain High School	39.6964°N 105.1444°W / 39.6964; -105.1444 (Green Mountain High School)
G	Gunnison		38.551°N 106.9144°W / 38.551; -106.9144 (Gunnison)
H	Hotchkiss		38.7923°N 107.7008°W / 38.7923; -107.7008 (Hotchkiss)
LV	La Veta		37.5224°N 105.007°W / 37.5224; -105.007 (La Veta)
LHS	Sopris	Lincoln High School	37.1308°N 104.5724°W / 37.1308; -104.5724 (Sopris)
L	Loma		39.1894°N 108.843°W / 39.1894; -108.843 (Loma)
L	Lyons		40.2095°N 105.2656°W / 40.2095; -105.2656 (Lyons)
M	Golden	Colorado School of Mines	39.7453°N 105.24°W / 39.7453; -105.24 (Colorado School of Mines)
M	Manassa		37.1564°N 105.9323°W / 37.1564; -105.9323 (Manassa)
M	Montrose		38.4783°N 107.8762°W / 38.4783; -107.8762 (Montrose)
P (uncertain existence)	Pagosa Springs		37.2677°N 107.01°W / 37.2677; -107.01 (Pagosa Springs) (uncertain location)
P	Palisade		39.0914°N 108.3474°W / 39.0914; -108.3474 (Palisade)
P	Paonia		38.8596°N 107.5976°W / 38.8596; -107.5976 (Paonia)
P	Weston	Primero High School	37.1241°N 104.7936°W / 37.1241; -104.7936 (Weston)
R	Rangely	Rangely High School	40.0841°N 108.7999°W / 40.0841; -108.7999 (Rangely)
R (uncertain existence)	Rifle		39.5301°N 107.7832°W / 39.5301; -107.7832 (Rifle) (uncertain location)
S	Saguache		38.0837°N 106.1287°W / 38.0837; -106.1287 (Saguache)
S	Salida		38.541°N 105.9876°W / 38.541; -105.9876 (Salida)
SAN LUIS OLDEST TOWN IN COLO.	San Luis		37.2004°N 105.4281°W / 37.2004; -105.4281 (San Luis)
S	Sanford		37.2487°N 105.8°W / 37.2487; -105.8 (Sanford)
SANTA MARIA	Santa Maria		39.4524°N 105.6307°W / 39.4524; -105.6307 (Santa Maria)
SHS	Sheridan	Sheridan High School	39.639°N 105.0287°W / 39.639; -105.0287 (Sheridan High School)
S	Silverton		37.8177°N 107.6644°W / 37.8177; -107.6644 (Silverton)
SL	Westminster	Standley Lake High School	39.8844°N 105.0971°W / 39.8844; -105.0971 (Standley Lake High School)
W	Gunnison	Western Colorado University	38.5274°N 106.9084°W / 38.5274; -106.9084 (Western State College)

• 
  Western Colorado University's W Mountain
• 
  South Table Mountain Golden, Colorado
• 
  Salida Downtown Historic District in Salida, Colorado
• 
  Mount Zion Mountain west of Golden, Colorado

Idaho

Main article: List of hillside letters in Idaho

Maryland

Monogram	Town	Description	Coordinates
MVGC (no longer exists)	Montgomery Village	Initialism of "Montgomery Village Golf Club"	39.1817904°N 77.1995232°W / 39.1817904; -77.1995232 (Gaithersburg)

Montana

Main article: List of hillside letters in Montana

Nevada

Main article: List of hillside letters in Nevada

New Mexico

At least 30 monograms, possibly 37

Monogram	Town	Description	Coordinates
A	Alamogordo		32.9002°N 105.911°W / 32.9002; -105.911 (Alamogordo)
A	Aztec		36.8357°N 108.0091°W / 36.8357; -108.0091 (Aztec)
A	Aggies		32.292978°N 106.697936°W / 32.292978; -106.697936 (Las Cruces)
B	Bernalillo		35.3209°N 106.5295°W / 35.3209; -106.5295 (Bernalillo)
B	Bloomfield		36.7263°N 107.9799°W / 36.7263; -107.9799 (Bloomfield)
C	Capitan		33.5373°N 105.584°W / 33.5373; -105.584 (Capitan)
C	Cimarron		36.4992°N 104.9222°W / 36.4992; -104.9222 (Cimarron)
C	Costilla		36.9888°N 105.5132°W / 36.9888; -105.5132 (Costilla)
E	El Rito		36.36°N 106.1801°W / 36.36; -106.1801 (El Rito)
E (uncertain existence)	Espanola		35.9905°N 106.08°W / 35.9905; -106.08 (Espanola) (uncertain location)
F	Farmington		36.7637°N 108.1909°W / 36.7637; -108.1909 (Farmington)
G	Grants		35.1685°N 107.864°W / 35.1685; -107.864 (Grants) (uncertain location)
H	Las Vegas	New Mexico Highlands University	35.5905°N 105.2059°W / 35.5905; -105.2059 (New Mexico Highlands University)
H	Hondo		33.3833°N 105.2537°W / 33.3833; -105.2537 (Hondo)
KS	Kirtland	Kirtland Street High School	36.7591°N 108.3729°W / 36.7591; -108.3729 (Kirtland Central High School)
LA	Laguna	Laguna-Acoma	35.0537°N 107.4387°W / 35.0537; -107.4387 (Laguna-Acoma)
L	Lordsburg		32.3287°N 108.7268°W / 32.3287; -108.7268 (Lordsburg)
LA	Los Alamos		35.9°N 106.3329°W / 35.9; -106.3329 (Los Alamos)
LL	Los Lunas		34.807°N 106.7914°W / 34.807; -106.7914 (Los Lunas)
L (uncertain existence)	Lyden		36.1463°N 106.0056°W / 36.1463; -106.0056 (Lyden) (uncertain location)
M	Magdalena		34.0949°N 107.2512°W / 34.0949; -107.2512 (Magdalena)
MV	Ojo Caliente	Mesa Vista High School	36.3315°N 106.0391°W / 36.3315; -106.0391 (Mesa Vista High School)
M (uncertain existence)	Mora		35.974°N 105.3287°W / 35.974; -105.3287 (Mora) (uncertain location)
A	Las Cruces	New Mexico State University Aggies	32.2926°N 106.699°W / 32.2926; -106.699 (New Mexico State University Aggies)
M	Socorro	New Mexico Tech Miners	34.0723°N 106.9594°W / 34.0723; -106.9594 (New Mexico Tech Miners)
N	Newcomb	Newcomb Elementary School	36.282207°N 108.711151°W / 36.282207; -108.711151 (Newcomb High School)
N	Newcomb	Newcomb Middle School	36.278943°N 108.712849°W / 36.278943; -108.712849 (Newcomb Middle School)
P	Penasco		36.1765°N 105.6845°W / 36.1765; -105.6845 (Penasco)
P	Pojoaque		35.892°N 106.021°W / 35.892; -106.021 (Pojoaque)
Q	Questa		36.7099°N 105.5693°W / 36.7099; -105.5693 (Questa)
R	Las Vegas	Robertson High School	35.5805°N 105.2025°W / 35.5805; -105.2025 (Robertson High School)
X (uncertain existence)	Santa Fe		35.6813°N 105.9467°W / 35.6813; -105.9467 (Santa Fe) (uncertain location)
S (uncertain existence)	Shiprock		36.7907°N 108.6828°W / 36.7907; -108.6828 (Shiprock) (uncertain location)
J	Albuquerque	St. Joseph's College (closed)	35.1414°N 106.7714°W / 35.1414; -106.7714 (St. Joseph's College (closed))
T	Truth or Consequences		33.1191°N 107.2275°W / 33.1191; -107.2275 (Truth or Consequences)
T	Tohatchi	Tohatchi High School	35.855677°N 108.747394°W / 35.855677; -108.747394 (Tohatchi High School)
T	Tucumcari		35.1345°N 103.7°W / 35.1345; -103.7 (Tucumcari)
U (no longer exists)	Albuquerque	University of New Mexico	35.0812°N 106.4816°W / 35.0812; -106.4816 (University of New Mexico)
WM	Wagon Mound		36.0051°N 104.7019°W / 36.0051; -104.7019 (Wagon Mound)
D	Las Vegas	West Las Vegas High School Dons	35.5893°N 105.2047°W / 35.5893; -105.2047 (West Las Vegas High School Dons)
W	Silver City	Western New Mexico University	32.8272°N 108.2489°W / 32.8272; -108.2489 (Western New Mexico University)

Oregon

Main article: List of hillside letters in Oregon

Texas

Texas' 16 or more monograms are all in the westernmost mountainous, part of the state. There are six (in various states of repair) in El Paso alone, the most in any single city in the United States.

Monogram	Town	Description	Coordinates
A	Alpine		30.3527°N 103.6564°W / 30.3527; -103.6564 (Alpine)
A	El Paso	Austin High School	31.7998°N 106.474°W / 31.7998; -106.474 (Austin High School)
B	Balmorhea		30.9757°N 103.7199°W / 30.9757; -103.7199 (Balmorhea)
B/E	El Paso	Bowie High School	31.7861°N 106.4796°W / 31.7861; -106.4796 (Bowie High School)
C (removed?)	El Paso	Cathedral High School	31.7928°N 106.4813°W / 31.7928; -106.4813 (Cathedral High School)
E/B	El Paso	El Paso High School	31.7867°N 106.4803°W / 31.7867; -106.4803 (El Paso High School)
FD	Fort Davis		30.5784°N 103.893°W / 30.5784; -103.893 (Fort Davis)
I?	Iraan		30.8999°N 101.8983°W / 30.8999; -101.8983 (Iraan)
J	El Paso	Jefferson High School	31.7865°N 106.4783°W / 31.7865; -106.4783 (Jefferson High School)
M	Marathon		30.208006°N 103.222237°W / 30.208006; -103.222237 (Marathon)
M (uncertain existence)	Marfa		30.3088°N 104.0207°W / 30.3088; -104.0207 (Marfa) (uncertain location)
M	McCamey		31.0998°N 102.1555°W / 31.0998; -102.1555 (McCamey)
P (uncertain existence)	Presidio		29.5644°N 104.3689°W / 29.5644; -104.3689 (Presidio) (uncertain location)
S	Sanderson		30.1467°N 102.4004°W / 30.1467; -102.4004 (Sanderson)
S	Shafter		29.8219°N 104.3041°W / 29.8219; -104.3041 (Shafter)
SB	Sierra Blanca		31.1878°N 105.3495°W / 31.1878; -105.3495 (Sierra Blanca)
SR	Alpine	Sul Ross State University	30.3662°N 103.6474°W / 30.3662; -103.6474 (Sul Ross State University)
SAFETY FIRST!	Iraan		30°53′58″N 101°53′44″W
M	El Paso	UTEP Miners	31.7767°N 106.5088°W / 31.7767; -106.5088 (UTEP Miners)
V	Van Horn		31.0585°N 104.8606°W / 31.0585; -104.8606 (Van Horn)

Utah

Main article: List of hillside letters in Utah

Washington

Most of Washington's 18 to 19 monograms are in the arid Eastern part of the state.

Monogram	Town	Description	Coordinates
#7	Ephrata		47.3204°N 119.5714°W / 47.3204; -119.5714 (Ephrata)
A	Asotin		46.3407°N 117.0594°W / 46.3407; -117.0594 (Asotin)
B	Burlington		48.4827°N 122.325°W / 48.4827; -122.325 (Burlington)
C	Cashmere		47.5294°N 120.4678°W / 47.5294; -120.4678 (Cashmere)
C	Clarkston		46.45°N 117.047°W / 46.45; -117.047 (Clarkston)
C	Colville		48.5631°N 117.9009°W / 48.5631; -117.9009 (Colville)
C	Creston		47.7449°N 118.5289°W / 47.7449; -118.5289 (Creston)
E	East Wenatchee		47.4428°N 120.2824°W / 47.4428; -120.2824 (East Wenatchee)
FOSS	Tacoma	Foss High School	47.236°N 122.4937°W / 47.236; -122.4937 (Foss High School)
G	Goldendale		45.8016°N 120.7957°W / 45.8016; -120.7957 (Goldendale)
K	Kelso		46.1475°N 122.8962°W / 46.1475; -122.8962 (Kelso)
KF	Kettle Falls		48.6164°N 118.04°W / 48.6164; -118.04 (Kettle Falls)
K	Klickitat		45.8143°N 121.1493°W / 45.8143; -121.1493 (Klickitat)
LYLE	Lyle		45.4136°N 121.16247°W
L	Union Gap	La Salle High School	46.5317°N 120.4639°W / 46.5317; -120.4639 (La Salle High School)
OK	Okanogan		48.3658°N 119.5876°W / 48.3658; -119.5876 (Okanogan)
R	Richland		46.2364°N 119.3126°W / 46.2364; -119.3126 (Richland)
R	Rosalia		47.228168°N 117.375771°W / 47.228168; -117.375771 (Rosalia)
S	Selah		46.631846°N 120.529443°W / 46.631846; -120.529443 (Selah)
T (uncertain existence)	Touchet

Wyoming

Between 24 and 25 monograms

Monogram	Town	Description	Coordinates
B	Burlington		44.466°N 108.4315°W / 44.466; -108.4315 (Burlington)
C	Cody		44.5262°N 109.101°W / 44.5262; -109.101 (Cody)
D	Douglas		42.7524°N 105.3615°W / 42.7524; -105.3615 (Douglas)
E	Evanston		41.2583°N 110.9559°W / 41.2583; -110.9559 (Evanston)
F	Fairview		42.6807°N 111.0112°W / 42.6807; -111.0112 (Fairview)
FORT WASHAKIE	Fort Washakie		43.0132°N 108.8805°W / 43.0132; -108.8805 (Fort Washakie)
G	Glenrock		42.8585°N 105.8511°W / 42.8585; -105.8511 (Glenrock)
GR	Green River		41.5147°N 109.4796°W / 41.5147; -109.4796 (Green River)
G	Greybull		44.5°N 108.0742°W / 44.5; -108.0742 (Greybull)
G	Guernsey		42.2644°N 104.7335°W / 42.2644; -104.7335 (Guernsey)
H (uncertain existence)	Hartville		42.3272°N 104.7272°W / 42.3272; -104.7272 (Hartville) (uncertain location)
WORLDS LARGEST MINERAL HOT SPRING	Thermopolis	Hot Springs State Park	43.6562°N 108.1929°W / 43.6562; -108.1929 (Hot Springs State Park)
K	Kemmerer	This is an old location see below	41.7929°N 110.5265°W / 41.7929; -110.5265 (Kemmerer)
K	Kemmerer	The new location.	41.788611°N 110.529444°W
L	Lovell		44.825629°N 108.297097°W / 44.825629; -108.297097 (Lovell)
M	Meeteetse		44.1526°N 108.8703°W / 44.1526; -108.8703 (Meeteetse)
M	Meeteetse		44.1526°N 108.8703°W / 44.1526; -108.8703 (Meeteetse)
MV	Mountain View		41.2620°N 110.3408°W / 41.2620; -110.3408 (Rawlins)
R	Basin	Riverside High School	44.3797°N 108.0575°W / 44.3797; -108.0575 (Riverside High School)
RS	Rock Springs		41.6°N 109.2136°W / 41.6; -109.2136 (Rock Springs)
*	Afton	Star Valley	42.7302°N 110.9118°W / 42.7302; -110.9118 (Star Valley)
S	Sunrise		42.3307°N 104.7149°W / 42.3307; -104.7149 (Sunrise)
T	Ten Sleep		44.0448°N 107.4467°W / 44.0448; -107.4467 (Ten Sleep)
T	Thermopolis		43.655°N 108.2064°W / 43.655; -108.2064 (Thermopolis)
W	Laramie	University of Wyoming	41.3287°N 105.5721°W / 41.3287; -105.5721 (University of Wyoming)
W	Worland		44.0109°N 108.0055°W / 44.0109; -108.0055 (Worland)
WBS	McNutt	Wyoming Boys' School

Other states

The "M" in Platteville, Wisconsin, lit by lanterns during the annual "M" Ball

"C" Rock on the Harlem River, symbol of the Columbia University rowing team

Monogram	Town	State	Description	Coordinates
DAYTONA BEACH LPGA BLVD	Daytona Beach	Florida		29.2195°N 81.1035°W / 29.2195; -81.1035 (Daytona Beach)
PALM BAY	Palm Bay	Florida		28.0356°N 80.6574°W / 28.0356; -80.6574 (Palm Bay)
L	Lahaina	Hawaii		20.8876°N 156.6415°W / 20.8876; -156.6415 (Lahaina)
KS	Manhattan	Kansas	Kansas State University (K built in 1921)	39.172°N 96.5522°W / 39.172; -96.5522 (Kansas State University)
MANHATTAN	Manhattan	Kansas	Manhattan (built in 1927)	39.19245°N 96.56281°W / 39.19245; -96.56281 (Kansas State University)
OP	Ocean Pines	Maryland		38.3851°N 75.1782°W / 38.3851; -75.1782 (Ocean Pines)
NB	New Bedford	Massachusetts	(Built 2010's)	41.6383°N 70.9247°W / 41.6383; -70.9247 (New Bedford)
C	Chadron	Nebraska		42.8152°N 103.0028°W / 42.8152; -103.0028 (Chadron)
POTTER	Potter	Nebraska		41.2041°N 103.3128°W / 41.2041; -103.3128 (Potter)
VALENTINE	Valentine	Nebraska		42.855412°N 100.541937°W / 42.855412; -100.541937 (Valentine)
C	New York City (Manhattan)	New York	Columbia University	40.8761°N 73.919°W / 40.8761; -73.919 (Columbia University)
HOWE CAVERNS	Cobleskill	New York	Howe Caverns	42.6956°N 74.3989°W / 42.6956; -74.3989 (Howe Caverns)
M (uncertain existence)	Poughkeepsie	New York	Marist College	41.7212°N 73.9477°W / 41.7212; -73.9477 (Marist College) (uncertain location)
A	Alexander	North Dakota		47.8295°N 103.6376°W / 47.8295; -103.6376 (Alexander)
HOME ON THE RANGE	Beach	North Dakota	Home on the Range Ranch	46.9435°N 103.8693°W / 46.9435; -103.8693 (Home on the Range Ranch)
K (uncertain existence)	Kenmare	North Dakota		48.6764°N 102.0814°W / 48.6764; -102.0814 (Kenmare) (uncertain location)
MANDAN	Mandan	North Dakota		46.8336°N 100.8712°W / 46.8336; -100.8712 (Mandan)
PRICE	Price	North Dakota		47.0818°N 100.9432°W / 47.0818; -100.9432 (Price)
Z	Zap	North Dakota		47.2793°N 101.9328°W / 47.2793; -101.9328 (Zap)
AKRON	Akron	Ohio		41.0403°N 81.4572°W / 41.0403; -81.4572 (Akron)
HOBAN	Akron	Ohio	Archbishop Hoban High School	41.0622°N 81.498°W / 41.0622; -81.498 (Archbishop Hoban High School)
LAZY S RANCH	Springer	Oklahoma	Lazy S Ranch	34.349°N 97.1424°W / 34.349; -97.1424 (Lazy S Ranch)
WELCOME TO HERSHEY	Hershey	Pennsylvania	Hersheypark	40.2941°N 76.6623°W / 40.2941; -76.6623 (Hershey Park)
H	Spearfish	South Dakota	Black Hills State College	44.5073°N 103.851°W / 44.5073; -103.851 (Black Hills State College)
SMD	Rapid City	South Dakota	South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (M-Hill)	44.0883°N 103.2494°W / 44.0883; -103.2494 (S. D. School of Mines & Technology)
Σ Φ	Rapid City	South Dakota	South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Fraternal Organizations (Smelter Hill)	44.070798°N 103.201329°W / 44.070798; -103.201329 (S. D. School of Mines & Technology)
LU	Lynchburg	Virginia	Liberty University	37.3595°N 79.1597°W / 37.3595; -79.1597 (Liberty University)
St. Marys Springs	Fond du Lac	Wisconsin	St. Mary's Springs High School	43.7847°N 88.3847°W / 43.7847; -88.3847 (St. Mary's Springs High School)
M	Platteville	Wisconsin	University of Wisconsin-Platteville (formerly the Miners)	42.7636°N 90.4066°W / 42.7636; -90.4066 (University of Wisconsin-Platteville)

More countries

Monogram	Town	Country	Description	Coordinates
LONGVIEW	Longview	Canada		50.5437°N 114.2189°W / 50.5437; -114.2189 (Longview)
PENTICTON	Penticton	Canada		49.51578024674693°N 119.57395238696091°W / 49.51578024674693; -119.57395238696091 (Penticton)
113 51 137 151	Calgary	Canada	Military memorials in Battalion Park	51.021°N 114.173°W / 51.021; -114.173 (Signal Hill)
MOUNT PANORAMA	Bathurst	Australia	Mount Panorama Circuit (and surrounding neighbourhood)	33.455°S 149.552°E / -33.455; 149.552 (Mount Panorama Circuit)
NZ	Bulford	United Kingdom	Writing beneath the Bulford Kiwi	51°11′38.84″N 001°42′54.20″W
Z	Wythenshawe	United Kingdom	Two "Z"s on the A5103 roundabout
주체 조선의 태양 김정은 장군 만세!	Ryanggang Province	North Korea	"Long Live General Kim Jong-un the Shining Sun!"	41.3084°N 128.1575°E / 41.3084; 128.1575
JESUCRISTO ES EL SEÑOR	Tijuana	Mexico		32.4753°N 116.9°W / 32.4753; -116.9
CDJUAREZ LA BIBLIA ES LA VERDAD LEELA	Ciudad Juárez	Mexico	"CIUDAD JUAREZ THE BIBLE IS THE TRUTH READ IT"	31.7047°N 106.5189°W / 31.7047; -106.5189
B	Mexico City	Mexico	El Centro Escolar Benemérito de las Américas	19.539°N 99.1602°W / 19.539; -99.1602
X (no longer exists)	Lima	Peru	Ate District, above the Estadio Monumental	12.052°S 76.9346°W / -12.052; -76.9346
Q (no longer exists)	Lima	Peru	Juventud Torre Blanca football club?	12.0014°S 76.9927°W / -12.0014; -76.9927
GB	Cape Town	South Africa		34.168362°S 18.861338°E / -34.168362; 18.861338

Messages are common on the bare mountains surrounding Lima, Peru; most of them are personal graffiti, not community symbols.

See also

• Gozan no Okuribi, Japanese festival involving giant hillside bonfires in the shape of characters

External links

• Mountain Monograms, a website explaining the origins and with an incomplete list and pictures
• Hillside Letters, a companion website to a book on the subject
• Letters on Hills, a category on waymarking.com for geocachers