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List of U.S. National Parks by elevation facts for kids

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

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 altitude. 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.

Highest and lowest points in each US National Park

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 AK0573Flag of Alaska.svg Denali Alaska Range 20,310 feet (6,190 m) Yentna River 240 feet (73 m) 20,070 feet (6,120 m)
2 Wrangell-St. Elias AK0573Flag of Alaska.svg 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 AK0573Flag of Alaska.svg 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 CA0621Flag of California.svg Mount Whitney Sierra Nevada 14,505 feet (4,421 m) Kaweah River 1,360 feet (410 m) 13,145 feet (4,007 m)
5 Mount Rainier WA0621Flag of Washington.svg 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 CO0621Flag of Colorado.svg 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 CA0621Flag of California.svg 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 WY0621Flag of Wyoming.svg Grand Teton Teton Range 13,770 feet (4,200 m) Fish Creek 6,310 feet (1,920 m) 7,460 feet (2,270 m)
9 Hawaii Volcanoes HI0621Flag of Hawaii.svg 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 CO0621Flag of Colorado.svg Tijeras Peak 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 CA0573Flag of California.svg 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 NV0573Flag of Nevada.svg 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 WY0573Flag of Wyoming.svgMT0621Flag of Montana.svgID0621Flag of Idaho.svg 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 CA0621Flag of California.svgNV0621Flag of Nevada.svg Telescope Peak Panamint Range 11,049 feet (3,368 m) Badwater −279 feet (−85 m) 11,328 feet (3,453 m)
15 Glacier MT0621Flag of Montana.svg Mount Cleveland Lewis Range 10,466 feet (3,190 m) Flathead River 3,150 feet (960 m) 7,316 feet (2,230 m)
16 Lassen Volcanic CA0621Flag of California.svg 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 AK0621Flag of Alaska.svg Redoubt Volcano Aleutian Range 10,197 feet (3,108 m) Cook Inlet 0 feet (0 m) 10,197 feet (3,108 m)
18 Haleakala HI0621Flag of Hawaii.svg Haleakala Hawaiian Islands 10,023 feet (3,055 m) Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 10,023 feet (3,055 m)
19 North Cascades WA0621Flag of Washington.svg Goode Mountain Cascade Range 9,206 feet (2,806 m) Goodell Creek 605 feet (184 m) 8,601 feet (2,622 m)
20 Grand Canyon AZ0621Flag of Arizona.svg Lookout tower near the North Rim's main entrance Kaibab Plateau 9,165 feet (2,793 m) Lake Mead 1,173 feet (358 m) 7,992 feet (2,436 m)
21 Bryce Canyon UT0621Flag of Utah.svg Rainbow Point [1] Paunsaugunt Plateau 9,115 feet (2,778 m) Yellow Creek 6,565 feet (2,001 m) 2,550 feet (780 m)
22 Black Canyon of the Gunnison CO0621Flag of Colorado.svg Poison Spring Hill 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 UT0621Flag of Utah.svg 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 OR0621Flag of Oregon.svg Mount Scott Cascade Range 8,929 feet (2,722 m) SW corner of park 3,990 feet (1,220 m) 4,939 feet (1,505 m)
25 Guadalupe Mountains TX0621Flag of Texas.svg 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 UT0621Flag of Utah.svg Horse Ranch Mountain 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 AZ0621Flag of Arizona.svg Mica Mountain 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 CO0621Flag of Colorado.svg Park Point Lookout [2] Colorado Plateau 8,571 feet (2,612 m) Soda Canyon 6,015 feet (1,833 m) 2,556 feet (779 m)
29 Gates of the Arctic AK0621Flag of Alaska.svg Mount Igikpak Brooks Range 8,276 feet (2,523 m) Kobuk River 280 feet (85 m) 7,996 feet (2,437 m)
30 Olympic WA0573Flag of Washington.svg 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 TX0621Flag of Texas.svg 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 AK0573Flag of Alaska.svg Mount Denison Aleutian Range 7,606 feet (2,318 m) Shelikof Strait 0 feet (0 m) 7,606 feet (2,318 m)
33 Canyonlands UT0621Flag of Utah.svg Cathedral Point Colorado Plateau 7,120 feet (2,170 m) Colorado River 3,730 feet (1,140 m) 3,390 feet (1,030 m)
34 Great Smoky Mountains TN0621Flag of Tennessee.svgNC0621Flag of North Carolina.svg Clingmans Dome Great Smoky Mountains 6,643 feet (2,025 m) Chilhowee Lake 874 feet (266 m) 5,769 feet (1,758 m)
35 Carlsbad Caverns NM0621Flag of New Mexico.svg Guadalupe Ridge Guadalupe Mountains 6,535 feet (1,992 m) Black River 3,596 feet (1,096 m) 2,939 feet (896 m)
36 Kenai Fjords AK0573Flag of Alaska.svg 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 AZ0621Flag of Arizona.svg Pilot Rock Painted Desert 6,234 feet (1,900 m) BNSF Railway 5,200 feet (1,600 m) 1,034 feet (315 m)
38 Joshua Tree CA0621Flag of California.svg Quail Mountain Little San Bernardino Mountains 5,813 feet (1,772 m) Colorado River Aqueduct 1,780 feet (540 m) 4,033 feet (1,229 m)
39 Arches UT0621Flag of Utah.svg 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 SD0573Flag of South Dakota.svg Rankin Ridge[4] Black Hills 5,013 feet (1,528 m) Windy City Lake 3,559 feet (1,085 m) 1,454 feet (443 m)
41 Kobuk Valley AK0573Flag of Alaska.svg Mount Angayukaqsraq Baird Mountains 4,760 feet (1,450 m) Kobuk River 40 feet (12 m) 4,720 feet (1,440 m)
42 Shenandoah VA0573Flag of Virginia.svg 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)
43 Badlands SD0573Flag of South Dakota.svg 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)
44 American Samoa AS0573Flag of American Samoa.svg Lata Mountain Ta'u Island, Samoan Islands 3,170 feet (970 m) Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 3,170 feet (970 m)
44 Redwood CA0573Flag of California.svg Coyote Peak Bald Hills 3,170 feet (970 m) Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 3,170 feet (970 m)
46 Theodore Roosevelt ND0573Flag of North Dakota.svg Peck Hill The Badlands 2,860 feet (870 m) Little Missouri River 1,940 feet (590 m) 920 feet (280 m)
47 Channel Islands CA0573Flag of California.svg El Montañon, Santa Cruz Island Channel Islands 1,812 feet (552 m) Pacific Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 1,812 feet (552 m)
48 Acadia ME0573Flag of Maine.svg Cadillac Mountain 1,530 feet (470 m) Atlantic Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 1,530 feet (470 m)
49 Voyageurs MN0573Flag of Minnesota.svg Tower near Mead Wood Road entrance 1,410 feet (430 m) Rainy Lake 1,108 feet (338 m) 302 feet (92 m)
50 Hot Springs AR0573Flag of Arkansas.svg Music Mountain Ouachita Mountains 1,405 feet (428 m) Bull Bayou 415 feet (126 m) 990 feet (300 m)
51 Isle Royale MI0573Flag of Michigan.svg Mount Desor Superior Upland 1,394 feet (425 m) Lake Superior 600 feet (180 m) 794 feet (242 m)
52 Virgin Islands VI0573Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg Bordeaux Mountain Saint John Island, Virgin Islands 1,277 feet (389 m) Atlantic Ocean
(Caribbean Sea)
0 feet (0 m) 1,277 feet (389 m)
53 Cuyahoga OH0573Flag of Ohio.svg Black & Brush Roads Glaciated Allegheny Plateau 1,164 feet (355 m) Cuyahoga River 590 feet (180 m) 574 feet (175 m)
54 Mammoth Cave KY0573Flag of Kentucky.svg Mammoth Cave Ridge near Park Ridge Road Pennyroyal Plateau 925 feet (282 m) Green River 421 feet (128 m) 504 feet (154 m)
55 Congaree SC0573Flag of South Carolina.svg Old Bluff Road near main entrance 140 feet (43 m) Congaree River 80 feet (24 m) 60 feet (18 m)
56 Everglades FL0573Flag of Florida.svg Calusa shell mound 20 feet (6.1 m) Atlantic Ocean 0 feet (0 m) 20 feet (6.1 m)
57 Dry Tortugas FL0573Flag of Florida.svg Loggerhead Key Florida Keys 10 feet (3.0 m) Gulf of Mexico 0 feet (0 m) 10 feet (3.0 m)
58 Biscayne FL0573Flag of Florida.svg 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

    • North Cascades – Washington section K
    • Mount Rainier – Washington section I
    • Crater Lake – Oregon section C
    • Lassen Volcanic – California section N
    • Yosemite – California sections H & I
    • Kings Canyon – California section H
    • Sequoia – California sections G & H
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List of U.S. National Parks by elevation Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.