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List of national parks of the United States by elevation

(Redirected from List of U.S. National Parks by elevation)

This is a list of United States National Parks by elevation. Most of America's national parks are located in mountainous areas. Even among those located close to the ocean, not all are flat. Those few that are low-lying preserve important natural habitats that could never exist at high altitudes. Several national parks protect deep canyons with great vertical relief. There are also three national parks whose primary features are caves, the depths of which are still being explored.

Death Valley National Park, notorious for its below sea level desert, also has soaring mountains, including Telescope Peak, its highest.

Highest and lowest points in each US National Park

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Criteria: Points on this list are the highest and lowest points within each national park and its associated national preserve, if it has one. It does not include adjacent or associated national recreation areas, parkways, memorials, or forests, but does include private property within park boundaries. Footnotes are given to mention other notable high or low points, when appropriate.

Rank Park Location Peak name Mountain range Elevation Location of lowest point Minimum elevation Vertical relief
1 Denali AK0573  Denali Alaska Range 20,310 feet (6,190 m) Yentna River[1] 240 feet (73 m) 20,070 feet (6,120 m)
2 Wrangell-St. Elias AK0573  Mount Saint Elias Saint Elias Mountains 18,008 feet (5,489 m) Gulf of Alaska 0 feet (0 m) 18,008 feet (5,489 m)
3 Glacier Bay AK0573  Mount Fairweather Saint Elias Mountains 15,300 feet (4,700 m) Gulf of Alaska 0 feet (0 m) 15,300 feet (4,700 m)
4 Sequoia CA0621  Mount Whitney Sierra Nevada 14,505 feet (4,421 m) Kaweah River[2] 1,360 feet (410 m) 13,145 feet (4,007 m)
5 Mount Rainier WA0621  Mount Rainier Cascade Range 14,411 feet (4,392 m) Ohanapecosh River 1,610 feet (490 m) 12,801 feet (3,902 m)
6 Rocky Mountain CO0621  Longs Peak Front Range 14,259 feet (4,346 m) Big Thompson River 7,630 feet (2,330 m) 6,629 feet (2,021 m)
7 Kings Canyon CA0621  North Palisade Sierra Nevada 14,242 feet (4,341 m) Kaweah River (North Fork) 3,480 feet (1,060 m) 10,762 feet (3,280 m)
8 Grand Teton WY0621  Grand Teton Teton Range 13,770 feet (4,200 m) Fish Creek[3] 6,310 feet (1,920 m) 7,460 feet (2,270 m)
9 Hawaii Volcanoes HI0621  Mauna Loa Hawaiian Islands 13,679 feet (4,169 m) Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 13,679 feet (4,169 m)
10 Great Sand Dunes CO0621  Tijeras Peak[4] Sangre de Cristo Range 13,610 feet (4,150 m) near San Luis Lakes 7,520 feet (2,290 m) 6,090 feet (1,860 m)
11 Yosemite CA0573  Mount Lyell Sierra Nevada 13,114 feet (3,997 m) Merced River 2,105 feet (642 m) 11,009 feet (3,356 m)
12 Great Basin NV0573  Wheeler Peak Snake Range 13,065 feet (3,982 m) Snake Creek 6,195 feet (1,888 m) 6,870 feet (2,090 m)
13 Yellowstone WY0573 MT0621 ID0621  Eagle Peak Absaroka Range 11,358 feet (3,462 m) Reese Creek 5,282 feet (1,610 m) 6,076 feet (1,852 m)
14 Death Valley CA0621 NV0621  Telescope Peak Panamint Range 11,049 feet (3,368 m) Badwater −282 feet (−86 m)[5] 11,328 feet (3,453 m)
15 Glacier MT0621  Mount Cleveland Lewis Range 10,466 feet (3,190 m) Flathead River[6] 3,150 feet (960 m) 7,316 feet (2,230 m)
16 Lassen Volcanic CA0621  Lassen Peak Cascade Range 10,457 feet (3,187 m) Hot Springs Creek 5,275 feet (1,608 m) 5,182 feet (1,579 m)
17 Lake Clark AK0621  Redoubt Volcano Aleutian Range 10,197 feet (3,108 m) Cook Inlet 0 feet (0 m) 10,197 feet (3,108 m)
18 Haleakala HI0621  Haleakala Hawaiian Islands 10,023 feet (3,055 m) Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 10,023 feet (3,055 m)
19 North Cascades WA0621  Goode Mountain Cascade Range 9,206 feet (2,806 m) Goodell Creek[7] 605 feet (184 m) 8,601 feet (2,622 m)
20 Grand Canyon AZ0621  Lookout tower near the North Rim's main entrance[8] Kaibab Plateau 9,165 feet (2,793 m) Lake Mead[9] 1,173 feet (358 m) 7,992 feet (2,436 m)
21 Bryce Canyon UT0621  Rainbow Point [1][permanent dead link‍][10] Paunsaugunt Plateau 9,115 feet (2,778 m) Yellow Creek[11] 6,565 feet (2,001 m) 2,550 feet (780 m)
22 Black Canyon of the Gunnison CO0621  Poison Spring Hill[12] Grand Mesa 9,040 feet (2,760 m) Gunnison River 5,440 feet (1,660 m) 3,600 feet (1,100 m)
23 Capitol Reef UT0621  park boundary near Billings Pass Colorado Plateau 8,960 feet (2,730 m) Halls Creek 3,877 feet (1,182 m) 5,083 feet (1,549 m)
24 Crater Lake OR0621  Mount Scott Cascade Range 8,929 feet (2,722 m) SW corner of park[13] 3,990 feet (1,220 m)[14] 4,939 feet (1,505 m)
25 Guadalupe Mountains TX0621  Guadalupe Peak Guadalupe Mountains 8,749 feet (2,667 m) SW corner near Williams Road 3,636 feet (1,108 m) 5,113 feet (1,558 m)
26 Zion UT0621  Horse Ranch Mountain[15] Colorado Plateau 8,726 feet (2,660 m) SW corner near Rt.9 3,640 feet (1,110 m) 5,086 feet (1,550 m)
27 Saguaro AZ0621  Mica Mountain[16] Rincon Mountains 8,666 feet (2,641 m) Rudasill & Sanders Roads, Tucson Mountain District 2,180 feet (660 m) 6,486 feet (1,977 m)
28 Mesa Verde CO0621  Park Point Lookout [2][17] Colorado Plateau 8,571 feet (2,612 m)[18] Soda Canyon[19] 6,015 feet (1,833 m) 2,556 feet (779 m)
29 Gates of the Arctic AK0621  Mount Igikpak Brooks Range 8,276 feet (2,523 m) Kobuk River[20] 280 feet (85 m) 7,996 feet (2,437 m)
30 Olympic WA0573  Mount Olympus Olympic Mountains 7,962 feet (2,427 m) Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 7,962 feet (2,427 m)
31 Big Bend TX0621  Emory Peak Chisos Mountains 7,825 feet (2,385 m) Rio Grande 1,715 feet (523 m) 6,110 feet (1,860 m)
32 Katmai AK0573  Mount Denison[21] Aleutian Range 7,606 feet (2,318 m) Shelikof Strait 0 feet (0 m) 7,606 feet (2,318 m)
33 Canyonlands UT0621  Cathedral Point[22] Colorado Plateau 7,120 feet (2,170 m) Colorado River[23] 3,730 feet (1,140 m) 3,390 feet (1,030 m)
34 Great Smoky Mountains TN0621 NC0621  Kuwohi Great Smoky Mountains 6,643 feet (2,025 m) Chilhowee Lake 874 feet (266 m) 5,769 feet (1,758 m)
35 Carlsbad Caverns NM0621  Guadalupe Ridge Guadalupe Mountains 6,535 feet (1,992 m) Black River[24] 3,596 feet (1,096 m)[25] 2,939 feet (896 m)
36 Kenai Fjords AK0573  unnamed nunatak Harding Icefield 6,450 feet (1,970 m) Gulf of Alaska 0 feet (0 m) 6,450 feet (1,970 m)
37 Petrified Forest AZ0621  Pilot Rock[26] Painted Desert 6,234 feet (1,900 m) BNSF Railway 5,200 feet (1,600 m) [27] 1,034 feet (315 m)
38 Joshua Tree CA0621  Quail Mountain Little San Bernardino Mountains 5,813 feet (1,772 m) Southeast boundary of the park 536 ft

(163 m)[28]

4,033 feet (1,229 m)
39 Arches UT0621  Elephant Butte [3] Colorado Plateau 5,653 feet (1,723 m) Colorado River 3,960 feet (1,210 m) 1,693 feet (516 m)
40 Wind Cave SD0573  Rankin Ridge[4] Black Hills 5,013 feet (1,528 m) Windy City Lake[29] 3,559 feet (1,085 m) 1,454 feet (443 m)
41 Kobuk Valley AK0573  Mount Angayukaqsraq[30] Baird Mountains 4,760 feet (1,450 m) Kobuk River 40 feet (12 m) 4,720 feet (1,440 m)
42 White Sands NM0621  NE30[31] Tularosa Basin 4,116 feet (1,255 m) Lake Lucero 3,887 feet (1,185 m) 229 feet (70 m)
43 Shenandoah VA0573  Hawksbill Mountain Blue Ridge Mountains 4,051 feet (1,235 m) unnamed stream at north end 530 feet (160 m) 3,521 feet (1,073 m)
44 Badlands SD0573  Red Shirt Table The Badlands 3,340 feet (1,020 m) runoff channel SE of Ben Reifel Visitor Center 2,365 feet (721 m) 975 feet (297 m)
45 Pinnacles CA0621  North Chalone Peak Gabilan Range 3,304 feet (1,007 m) [32] SE Corner [33] 824 feet (251 m) [34] 2,480 feet (760 m)
46 New River Gorge WV0573  Swell Mountain Allegheny Mountains 3,291 feet (1,003 m) [35] New River[36] 900 feet (270 m) 2,391 feet (729 m)
47 American Samoa AS0573  Lata Mountain Ta'u Island, Samoan Islands 3,170 feet (970 m) [37] Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 3,170 feet (970 m)
48 Redwood CA0573  Coyote Peak Bald Hills 3,170 feet (970 m) Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 3,170 feet (970 m)
49 Theodore Roosevelt ND0573  Peck Hill The Badlands 2,860 feet (870 m) Little Missouri River 1,940 feet (590 m) 920 feet (280 m)
50 Channel Islands CA0573  Devils Peak, Santa Cruz Island Channel Islands 2,450 feet (750 m)[38] Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 2,450 feet (750 m)
51 Acadia ME0573  Cadillac Mountain 1,530 feet (470 m) Atlantic Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 1,530 feet (470 m)
52 Voyageurs MN0573  Tower near Mead Wood Road entrance 1,410 feet (430 m) Rainy Lake 1,108 feet (338 m) 302 feet (92 m)
53 Hot Springs AR0573  Music Mountain Ouachita Mountains 1,405 feet (428 m) Bull Bayou 415 feet (126 m) 990 feet (300 m)
54 Isle Royale MI0573  Mount Desor Superior Upland 1,394 feet (425 m) Lake Superior 600 feet (180 m) 794 feet (242 m)
55 Virgin Islands VI0573  Bordeaux Mountain Saint John Island, Virgin Islands 1,277 feet (389 m) [39] Atlantic Ocean
(Caribbean Sea) 		0 feet (0 m) 1,277 feet (389 m)
56 Cuyahoga Valley OH0573  Black & Brush Roads Glaciated Allegheny Plateau 1,164 feet (355 m)[40] Cuyahoga River 590 feet (180 m) 574 feet (175 m)
57 Mammoth Cave KY0573  Mammoth Cave Ridge near Park Ridge Road Pennyroyal Plateau 925 feet (282 m) Green River 421 feet (128 m) 504 feet (154 m)
58 Indiana Dunes IN0573  Upland Trail, Pinhook Bog Unit[41] 900 feet (270 m) Lake Michigan 577 feet (176 m)[42] 323 feet (98 m)
59 Gateway Arch MO0573  Old Courthouse[43] 470 feet (140 m) Mississippi River 433 feet (132 m)[44] 37 feet (11 m)
60 Congaree SC0573  Old Bluff Road near main entrance 140 feet (43 m) Congaree River 80 feet (24 m) 60 feet (18 m)
61 Everglades FL0573  Calusa shell mound 20 feet (6.1 m)[45] Atlantic Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 20 feet (6.1 m)
62 Dry Tortugas FL0573  Loggerhead Key Florida Keys 10 feet (3.0 m) Gulf of Mexico 0 feet (0 m) 10 feet (3.0 m)
63 Biscayne FL0573  Totten Key, Old Rhodes Key Florida Keys 9 feet (2.7 m) Atlantic Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 9 feet (2.7 m)

Selected Profiles

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See also

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References

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  1. ^
     
    1
    Denali topo – The Yentna River is in the preserve portion of Denali; the Bearpaw River is the lowest point in the designated park, at 493 feet (150 m).
  2. ^
     
    2
    Sequoia topo
  3. ^
     
    4
    Teton topo
  4. ^ Great Sand Dunes FAQ's; #11 – Tijeras Peak is in the preserve portion of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The highest point in the park excluding the preserve is on the north border line between park and preserve, southwest of Mount Herard, at an altitude of 10,520 feet (3,210 m) feet.
  5. ^ "Highest and Lowest Elevations". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  6. ^ Glacier
  7. ^
     
    7
    N. Cascades topo – Goodell Creek is at the lowest elevation in N. Cascades Nat'l Park; the adjoining and jointly managed Ross Lake National Recreation Area descends to 350 feet (110 m) at the Skagit River.
  8. ^
     
    8

    Grand Canyon topo – The highest lookout on the rim itself is Point Imperial whose elevation as given by the NPS is 8,803 feet (2,683 m).

  9. ^ Lake Mead Water Level, 1935–present; 1,173 feet (358 m) is the mean. The min and max are 1,125 feet (343 m) and 1,229 feet (375 m), respectively.
  10. ^ Bryce Canyon; Nature
  11. ^
     
    11
    Bryce topo
  12. ^ Black Canyon; Located on private property within the park boundaries.
  13. ^
     
    14
    Crater Lake topo
  14. ^ This is even lower than the bottom of the crater, which, at 1,943 feet (592 m) deep and with a surface elevation of 6,178 feet (1,883 m), would be at approximately 4,235 feet (1,291 m).
  15. ^ Zion
  16. ^ Saguaro
  17. ^ Mesa Verde For Teachers; #6
  18. ^ Mesa Verde Answer Sheet; #6 – The park map is mislabeled; therefore the answer given is incorrect.
  19. ^
     
    20
    Mesa Verde topo
  20. ^ Arctic – As the Kobuk River flows from park to preserve, its elevation is 675 feet (206 m); as it flows out of the preserve its elevation is 280 feet (85 m).
  21. ^ Katmai (Mt. Denison) – Other sources list Mount Griggs as highest.
  22. ^ Canyonlands
  23. ^
     
    24
    Canyonlands topo
  24. ^ Carlsbad Caverns – Cave Tours; The deepest cave chamber is 1,027 feet (313 m) feet below the surface.
  25. ^ Carlsbad Caverns; Hiking.
  26. ^ Petrified Forest
  27. ^ Petrified Forest topo; Official park map – As the Puerco River flows westward, it crosses out of federally owned land at 5,305 feet (1,617 m) feet; private land within park boundaries along the river to the west is at lower elevation.
  28. ^ Palms, Mailing Address: 74485 National Park Drive Twentynine; Us, CA 92277-3597 Phone: 760 367-5500 Contact. "Park Statistics - Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2024-01-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ "Wind Cave Exploration". National Park Service. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  30. ^ Kobuk Valley FAQ's; #3
  31. ^ https://www.nps.gov/whsa/learn/news/parkstatistics.htm Park statistics - White Sands National Park. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  32. ^ https://www.usgs.gov/science-support/osqi/yes/national-parks/ecology-pinnacles-national-park USGS Ecology of Pinnacles National Park. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  33. ^ https://en-us.topographic-map.com/maps/aeey/Pinnacles-National-Park/ Pinnacles National Park topographic map, elevation, relief. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  34. ^ https://www.usgs.gov/science-support/osqi/yes/national-parks/ecology-pinnacles-national-park USGS Ecology of Pinnacles National Park. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  35. ^ https://peakvisor.com/park/new-river-gorge-national-river.html Peakvisor, New River Gorge National River. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  36. ^ Suiter, Dale W.; Evans, Dan K. (1999). "Vascular Flora and Rare Species of New River Gorge National River, West Virginia". Castanea. 64 (1): 23–49. ISSN 0008-7475. JSTOR 4034121.
  37. ^ https://www.nps.gov/npsa/planyourvisit/upload/manua.pdf U.S. National Park Service. National Park of American Samoa - Plan Your Visit. [Map of the Manu'a Islands]. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  38. ^ Island Facts: Santa Cruz Island
  39. ^ https://www.nps.gov/viis/planyourvisit/maps.htm U.S. National Park Service. Virgin Islands National Park - Plan Your Visit; Maps. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  40. ^ Cuyahoga – Land ownership in Cuyahoga Nat'l Park is often difficult to ascertain, and therefore there is some ambiguity regarding this park's true highpoint.
  41. ^ Indiana Dunes National Park high point. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  42. ^ Facts about the lakes. Retriefed July 16, 20221.
  43. ^ Gateway Arch National Park high point. Retrieved July 16, 20221.
  44. ^ Elevation of Mississippi River, St. Louis, MO. Retrieved July 16, 20221.
  45. ^ NPS search
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