West Peak facts for kids

There are 21 mountain peaks named West Peak in the United States! These peaks are officially listed by the US Geological Survey (USGS) in their Geographic Names Information System. It's pretty cool that so many different mountains have the same name, isn't it?

Discovering West Peaks

A "peak" is the highest point of a mountain. When you hear "West Peak," it just means it's a mountain or a high point that's often located to the west of something else, or it's simply a common name given to a mountain.

Why So Many West Peaks?

It might seem strange that 21 different mountains have the exact same name. This often happens because people name natural features based on simple descriptions. If a mountain is west of a town or another landmark, calling it "West Peak" makes sense! It's a simple and clear way to identify it.

Where Can You Find Them?

These 21 West Peaks are spread out across many different states in the USA. You can find them in places like Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Montana, and Washington. Each one is unique, even with the same name!

For example, some of the West Peaks include:

• West Peak in Valdez–Cordova Census Area, Alaska: This one is quite tall, reaching about 4,875 feet (1,486 m) high.
• West Peak in Tuolumne County, California: This peak is even higher, standing at about 10,522 feet (3,207 m). That's over two miles high!
• West Peak in New Haven County, Connecticut: This peak is much smaller, around 1,007 feet (307 m) tall. It's a great spot for hiking.
• West Peak in Fergus County, Montana: This mountain reaches about 8,186 feet (2,495 m) into the sky.

Each of these peaks has its own special location, often marked by coordinates like latitude and longitude, which are like an address on a map. Their elevation tells us how high they are above sea level.

Who Keeps Track of Mountains?

The US Geological Survey (USGS) is a science agency of the U.S. government. They study the Earth, its natural resources, and natural hazards. One of their jobs is to map and name geographic features like mountains, rivers, and lakes.

They use something called the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). This system is like a giant database that holds information about over two million physical and cultural geographic features in the United States. It's how we know exactly how many "West Peaks" there are and where each one is located! The GNIS helps everyone, from hikers to mapmakers, know the official names and locations of places.

This set index article includes a list of mountains that share the same name (or similar names). If an internal link incorrectly led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

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