Tallest Mountains in the U.S. (14,000 Feet+)

Updated July 30, 2023 | Infoplease Staff
Mountains on a road trip
Source: Getty Images

Mountaineering is much more than scaling the highest peak and dreaming of the next trek you’re going to take. For many, it’s a lifelong dream to climb the highest mountain possible, whether that is isolated to a stretch of summits in Canada, a particular peak in North America, or even the highest point in the world – Mount Everest.

But for climbers looking for a challenge closer to home, the United States is home to a variety of mountain range treks that will still leave you feeling accomplished, including the 92 peaks that stretch to 14,000 feet above sea level. 

You can locate these summits dotting the contiguous United States and central Alaska, including mountains found in a national park, peaks that are stratovolcanoes, and towering heights that poke through the clouds.

From the Alaska Range to the Sierra Nevada, Denali National Park to the Rocky Mountains on the Canadian border, and the Cascade Range to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the highest mountain peaks offer goals, challenges, and different perspectives for all interested climbers.

What Is the Highest Mountain in the United States?

In the entire United States, Alaska has the highest mountain peak, now called Denali. The mountain was formerly known as Mount McKinley, but former president Barak Obama restored its native Alaskan name in 2015, renaming it Denali.

Denali, Alaska reaches a staggering height of 20,320 feet above sea level – the tallest mountain in the United States as a whole.

What Is the Highest Mountain in the Continental 48 States?

Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the continental U.S. It is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of eastern California, and west of Lone Pine. The foot of the mountain is dotted with trees and lies on the edge of Sequoia National Park.

What Is the Highest Peak in Hawaii?

You might notice that Hawaii is not included in this list of the highest peaks in the U.S. that tower above 14,000 feet. Well, that’s because Hawaii’s tallest peak is Mauna Kea, a volcanic mountain that only reaches 13,796 feet. 

However, Mauna Kea is still an important geographical and geological landmark. It is considered the world’s largest active volcano, and when it is measured from where the slope begins on the sea floor, the entire volcano is almost 33,500 feet high — taller than Mount Everest (29,029 feet)! Mauna Kea's last eruption occurred in late November 2022, breaking a 38-year dry spell.

Where Are the Highest Mountains in the United States?

To help you plan your next foray into the wilds of the United States, read on for a list of the 92 mountain peaks in the U.S. that surpass 14,000 feet, along with their height and their state. From Washington to California, Colorado to Alaska, we have pinpointed the tallest peak in each range!

Rank Mountain Name State Height
(ft.)
1 Denali1 Alaska 20,320
2 Mount St. Elias Alaska 18,008
3 Mount Foraker Alaska 17,400
4 Mount Bona Alaska 16,500
5 Mount Blackburn Alaska 16,390
6 Mount Sanford Alaska 16,237
7 Mount Vancouver Alaska 15,979
8 South Buttress Alaska 15,885
9 Mount Churchill Alaska 15,638
10 Mount Fairweather Alaska 15,300
11 Mount Hubbard Alaska 14,950
12 Mount Bear Alaska 14,831
13 East Buttress Alaska 14,730
14 Mount Hunter Alaska 14,573
15 Browne Tower Alaska 14,530
17 Mount Whitney California 14,500.242
16 Mount Alverstone Alaska 14,500
18 University Peak Alaska 14,470
19 Mount Elbert Colorado 14,433
20 Mount Massive Colorado 14,421
21 Mount Harvard Colorado 14,420
22 Mount Rainier Washington 14,410
23 Mount Williamson California 14,370
24 La Plata Peak Colorado 14,361
25 Blanca Peak Colorado 14,345
26 Uncompahgre Peak Colorado 14,309
27 Crestone Peak Colorado 14,294
28 Mount Lincoln Colorado 14,286
29 Grays Peak Colorado 14,270
30 Mount Antero Colorado 14,269
31 Torreys Peak Colorado 14,267
32 Castle Peak Colorado 14,265
33 Quandary Peak Colorado 14,265
34 Mount Evans Colorado 14,264
35 Longs Peak Colorado 14,255
36 Mount Wilson Colorado 14,246
37 White Mountain California 14,246
38 North Palisade California 14,242
39 Mount Cameron Colorado 14,238
40 Mount Shavano Colorado 14,229
41 Crestone Needle Colorado 14,197
42 Mount Belford Colorado 14,197
43 Mount Princeton Colorado 14,197
44 Mount Yale Colorado 14,196
45 Mount Bross Colorado 14,172
46 Kit Carson Mountain Colorado 14,165
47 Mount Wrangell Alaska 14,163
48 Mount Sill California 14,162
49 Mount Shasta California 14,162
50 El Diente Peak Colorado 14,159
51 Point Success Washington 14,158
52 Maroon Peak Colorado 14,156
53 Tabeguache Mountain Colorado 14,155
54 Mount Oxford Colorado 14,153
55 Mount Sneffels Colorado 14,150
56 Mount Democrat Colorado 14,148
57 Capitol Peak Colorado 14,130
58 Liberty Cap Washington 14,112
59 Pikes Peak Colorado 14,110
60 Snowmass Mountain Colorado 14,092
61 Mount Russell California 14,088
62 Mount Eolus Colorado 14,083
63 Windom Peak Colorado 14,082
64 Mount Columbia Colorado 14,073
65 Mount Augusta Alaska 14,070
66 Missouri Mountain Colorado 14,067
67 Humboldt Peak Colorado 14,064
68 Mount Bierstadt Colorado 14,060
69 Sunlight Peak Colorado 14,059
70 Split Mountain California 14,058
71 Handies Peak Colorado 14,048
72 Culebra Peak Colorado 14,047
73 Mount Lindsey Colorado 14,042
74 Ellingwood Point Colorado 14,042
75 Middle Palisade California 14,040
76 Little Bear Peak Colorado 14,037
77 Mount Sherman Colorado 14,036
78 Redcloud Peak Colorado 14,034
79 Mount Langley California 14,027
80 Conundrum Peak Colorado 14,022
81 Mount Tyndall California 14,019
82 Pyramid Peak Colorado 14,018
83 Wilson Peak Colorado 14,017
84 Wetterhorn Peak Colorado 14,015
85 North Maroon Peak Colorado 14,014
86 San Luis Peak Colorado 14,014
87 Middle Palisade California 14,012
88 Mount Muir California 14,012
89 Mount of the Holy Cross Colorado 14,005
90 Huron Peak Colorado 14,003
91 Thunderbolt Peak California 14,003
92 Sunshine Peak Colorado 14,001
1. In August 2015, President Barack Obama renamed Mount McKinley, restoring the Alaskan native name, Denali. The mountain's height was also reassessed in 2015 and found to be 10 feet shorter than previous measurements, rising to 20,310 feet instead of 20,320 feet in elevation.
2. For years, scientists and climbers thought Mount Whitney was 14,494, based on the USGS benchmark of a NGVD29 elevation, but this was later rectified.

Mountain Peaks in the United States Higher Than 14,000 Feet

Across the U.S., you can find various extremes, including the lowest points and highest peaks. But when you take a look at the 92 American peaks that rise above 14,000 feet to become the tallest mountains in the U.S., it’s easy to see a variety of adventurous opportunities ready to be embraced.

If you want to know more about highs and lows, check out the Extreme Points of the United States, or become a virtual mountaineer and take our Climbing Mount Everest quiz!

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