Tallest Mountains in the Lower 48

Tallest Mountains in the Lower 48 States

The highest peaks in the contiguous United States—the “Lower 48″—are concentrated in two primary regions: the Sierra Nevada of California and the Sawatch and Sangre de Cristo ranges of the Colorado Rockies. Unlike the state-specific lists where one or two ranges might compete, this list is dominated by Colorado, which is home to the vast majority of the “Fourteeners” (peaks over 14,000 feet) in the country. Mount Whitney in California remains the undisputed king of the lower 48, serving as the highest point in the contiguous U.S., while Washington’s Mount Rainier stands as the most prominent volcanic giant in the Pacific Northwest.



 

The following table lists the top 25 highest mountain peaks in the lower 48 states, measured in feet.

RankMountain PeakStateElevation (ft)Range
1Mount WhitneyCalifornia14,505Sierra Nevada
2Mount ElbertColorado14,440Sawatch Range
3Mount MassiveColorado14,428Sawatch Range
4Mount HarvardColorado14,421Sawatch Range
5Mount RainierWashington14,417Cascade Range
6Mount WilliamsonCalifornia14,379Sierra Nevada
7Blanca PeakColorado14,351Sangre de Cristo
8La Plata PeakColorado14,343Sawatch Range
9Uncompahgre PeakColorado14,321San Juan Mountains
10Crestone PeakColorado14,300Sangre de Cristo
11Mount LincolnColorado14,293Mosquito Range
12Castle PeakColorado14,279Elk Mountains
13Grays PeakColorado14,278Front Range
14Mount AnteroColorado14,276Sawatch Range
15Torreys PeakColorado14,275Front Range
16Quandary PeakColorado14,271Mosquito Range
17Mount Blue SkyColorado14,265Front Range
18Longs PeakColorado14,259Front Range
19Mount WilsonColorado14,252San Miguel Mtns
20White Mountain PeakCalifornia14,252White Mountains
21North PalisadeCalifornia14,248Sierra Nevada
22Mount ShavanoColorado14,235Sawatch Range
23Mount PrincetonColorado14,204Sawatch Range
24Mount BelfordColorado14,203Sawatch Range
25Mount YaleColorado14,200Sawatch Range