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List of highest counties in the United States

List of the highest United States counties by mean elevation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following table ranks the 50 highest United States counties or county-equivalents[a] by mean elevation.[b] This list uses the "mean of extremes" elevation which is the arithmetic mean of the highest and lowest elevations.

An enlargeable map of the counties and county equivalents located in the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. as of 2020. Connecticut's nine councils of government and the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are not on this map.

Lake County, Colorado has the highest U.S. county mean elevation of 11,702 feet (3,567 m). Lake County is the home of Mount Elbert and Mount Massive, the two highest summits of the Rocky Mountains of the United States and Canada. Lake County is also the home of the highest U.S. county low point, the Arkansas River at the Chaffee County line with an elevation of 8,965 feet (2,733 m).

With the highest mountain of all North America, the Denali Borough of Alaska has both the highest U.S. county high point, the summit of Denali at 20,310 feet (6,190.5 m) elevation, and the greatest U.S. county elevation range of 19,925 feet (6,073 m).

Of these 50 highest U.S. counties, 34 counties are located in Colorado, four counties in Wyoming, four counties in New Mexico, three counties in Utah, two boroughs in Alaska, and one county each in California, Idaho, and Nevada.

Highest U.S. counties

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See also: List of highest U.S. county high points
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The 50 highest United States counties ranked by mean elevation
Rank[c] County.[a][2] State Mean elevation[b] High point[3][d] Highest elevation[4][5][2][3][e] Low point[2][f] Lowest elevation[4][2][e] Elevation range[g] High point coordinates[h]
1 Lake County[i] Colorado 11,702 feet
3,567 m		 Mount Elbert[8][9][j] 14,439.6 feet
4,401.2 m		 Arkansas River[k] 8,965 feet
2,733 m		 5,475 feet
1,669 m		 39.20°N 106.34°W / 39.20; -106.34 (1. Lake County, Colorado)
2 Hinsdale County Colorado 11,300 feet
3,444 m		 Uncompahgre Peak[10][l] 14,315 feet
4,363 m		 Lake Fork Gunnison River 8,285 feet
2,525 m		 6,030 feet
1,838 m		 37.82°N 107.30°W / 37.82; -107.30 (2. Hinsdale County, Colorado)
3 Mineral County Colorado 11,116 feet
3,388 m		 Phoenix Peak[11] 13,902 feet
4,237 m		 Rio Grande 8,330 feet
2,539 m		 5,572 feet
1,698 m		 37.67°N 106.92°W / 37.67; -106.92 (3. Mineral County, Colorado)
4 San Juan County Colorado 11,085 feet
3,379 m		 Vermilion Peak[12] 13,900 feet
4,237 m		 Animas River 8,270 feet
2,521 m		 5,630 feet
1,716 m		 37.76°N 107.68°W / 37.76; -107.68 (4. San Juan County, Colorado)
5 Summit County Colorado 10,936 feet
3,333 m		 Grays Peak[13][14][m] 14,276 feet
4,351 m		 Blue River 7,595 feet
2,315 m		 6,681 feet
2,036 m		 39.63°N 106.12°W / 39.63; -106.12 (5. Summit County, Colorado)
6 Alamosa County Colorado 10,928 feet
3,331 m		 Blanca Peak[15][n] 14,351 feet
4,374 m		 Rio Grande 7,506 feet
2,288 m		 6,845 feet
2,086 m		 37.57°N 105.79°W / 37.57; -105.79 (6. Alamosa County, Colorado)
7 Saguache County Colorado 10,915 feet
3,327 m		 Crestone Peak[16] 14,300 feet
4,359 m		 San Luis Creek 7,530 feet
2,295 m		 6,770 feet
2,063 m		 38.08°N 106.28°W / 38.08; -106.28 (7. Saguache County, Colorado)
8 Costilla County Colorado 10,866 feet
3,312 m		 Blanca Peak[15][n] 14,351 feet
4,374 m		 Rio Grande 7,380 feet
2,249 m		 6,971 feet
2,125 m		 37.28°N 105.43°W / 37.28; -105.43 (8. Costilla County, Colorado)
9 Park County Colorado 10,706 feet
3,263 m		 Mount Lincoln[17][18][o] 14,293 feet
4,356.5 m		 South Platte River 7,118 feet
2,170 m		 7,175 feet
2,187 m		 39.12°N 105.72°W / 39.12; -105.72 (9. Park County, Colorado)
10 Chaffee County Colorado 10,658 feet
3,249 m		 Mount Harvard[19][20][p] 14,421.3 feet
4,395.6 m		 Arkansas River 6,895 feet
2,102 m		 7,526 feet
2,294 m		 38.75°N 106.19°W / 38.75; -106.19 (10. Chaffee County, Colorado)
11 Clear Creek County Colorado 10,608 feet
3,233 m		 Grays Peak[13][14][q] 14,276 feet
4,351 m		 Clear Creek 6,940 feet
2,115 m		 7,336 feet
2,236 m		 39.69°N 105.64°W / 39.69; -105.64 (11. Clear Creek County, Colorado)
12 Rio Grande County Colorado 10,402 feet
3,171 m		 Bennett Peak[21] 13,209 feet
4,026 m		 Rock Creek 7,595 feet
2,315 m		 5,614 feet
1,711 m		 37.58°N 106.38°W / 37.58; -106.38 (12. Rio Grande County, Colorado)
13 Jackson County Colorado 10,353 feet
3,156 m		 Clark Peak[22][23][r] 12,956 feet
3,949 m		 North Platte River 7,750 feet
2,362 m		 5,206 feet
1,587 m		 40.67°N 106.34°W / 40.67; -106.34 (13. Jackson County, Colorado)
14 Denali Borough[s] Alaska 10,348 feet
3,154 m		 Denali[24][t] 20,310 feet
6,190.5 m		 Nenana River 385 feet
117 m		 19,925 feet
6,073 m		 63.79°N 150.19°W / 63.79; -150.19 (14. Denali Borough, Alaska)
15 Conejos County Colorado 10,279 feet
3,133 m		 Conejos Peak[25][26] 13,178 feet
4,017 m		 Rio Grande 7,380 feet
2,249 m		 5,798 feet
1,767 m		 37.20°N 106.19°W / 37.20; -106.19 (15. Conejos County, Colorado)
16 Pitkin County Colorado 10,269 feet
3,130 m		 Castle Peak[27][28][u] 14,278.9 feet
4,352.2 m		 Crystal River 6,260 feet
1,908 m		 8,019 feet
2,444 m		 39.22°N 106.92°W / 39.22; -106.92 (16. Pitkin County, Colorado)
17 Ouray County Colorado 10,249 feet
3,124 m		 Mount Sneffels[29][30][v] 14,158.1 feet
4,315.4 m		 Uncompahgre River 6,340 feet
1,932 m		 7,818 feet
2,383 m		 38.16°N 107.77°W / 38.16; -107.77 (17. Ouray County, Colorado)
18 Grand County Colorado 10,197 feet
3,108 m		 Pettingell Peak[31] 13,559 feet
4,133 m		 Colorado River 6,835 feet
2,083 m		 6,724 feet
2,049 m		 40.10°N 106.12°W / 40.10; -106.12 (18. Grand County, Colorado)
19 Sublette County Wyoming 10,190 feet
3,106 m		 Gannett Peak[32][33][w] 13,809.4 feet
4,209.1 m		 Green River 6,570 feet
2,003 m		 7,239 feet
2,206 m		 42.76°N 109.92°W / 42.76; -109.92 (19. Sublette County, Wyoming)
20 Gilpin County Colorado 10,120 feet
3,085 m		 James Peak[34] 13,300 feet
4,054 m		 Clear Creek 6,940 feet
2,115 m		 6,360 feet
1,939 m		 39.86°N 105.52°W / 39.86; -105.52 (20. Gilpin County, Colorado)
21 Gunnison County Colorado 10,094 feet
3,077 m		 Castle Peak[27][28][u] 14,278.9 feet
4,352.2 m		 North Fork Gunnison River 5,910 feet
1,801 m		 8,369 feet
2,551 m		 38.67°N 107.03°W / 38.67; -107.03 (21. Gunnison County, Colorado)
22 Custer County Colorado 10,076 feet
3,071 m		 Crestone East Peak[35][x] 14,266 feet
4,348 m		 Hardscrabble Creek 5,885 feet
1,794 m		 8,381 feet
2,555 m		 38.11°N 105.37°W / 38.11; -105.37 (22. Custer County, Colorado)
23 Eagle County Colorado 10,068 feet
3,069 m		 Mount of the Holy Cross[36][37][y] 14,011 feet
4,271 m		 Colorado River 6,125 feet
1,867 m		 7,886 feet
2,404 m		 39.63°N 106.70°W / 39.63; -106.70 (23. Eagle County, Colorado)
24 La Plata County Colorado 10,012 feet
3,052 m		 Windom Peak[38][z] 14,093 feet
4,296 m		 Animas River 5,930 feet
1,807 m		 8,163 feet
2,488 m		 37.29°N 107.84°W / 37.29; -107.84 (24. La Plata County, Colorado)
25 Teller County Colorado 9,892 feet
3,015 m		 Devils Playground[39][aa] 13,075 feet
3,985 m		 Fourmile Creek 6,710 feet
2,045 m		 6,365 feet
1,940 m		 38.88°N 105.16°W / 38.88; -105.16 (25. Teller County, Colorado)
26 Teton County Wyoming 9,790 feet
2,984 m		 Grand Teton[40][41][ab] 13,775.3 feet
4,198.7 m		 Snake River 5,804 feet
1,769 m		 7,971 feet
2,430 m		 43.92°N 110.57°W / 43.92; -110.57 (26. Teton County, Wyoming)
27 Huerfano County Colorado 9,779 feet
2,981 m		 Blanca Peak Tripoint[42][ac] 14,326 feet
4,367 m		 Cucharas River 5,232 feet
1,595 m		 9,094 feet
2,772 m		 37.68°N 104.96°W / 37.68; -104.96 (27. Huerfano County, Colorado)
28 Dolores County Colorado 9,721 feet
2,963 m		 Mount Wilson[43][ad] 14,252 feet
4,344 m		 Spook Canyon 5,190 feet
1,582 m		 9,062 feet
2,762 m		 37.75°N 108.52°W / 37.75; -108.52 (28. Dolores County, Colorado)
29 Archuleta County Colorado 9,669 feet
2,947 m		 Summit Peak[44][45][ae] 13,307.7 feet
4,056.2 m		 Navajo Reservoir[af] 6,027 feet
1,837 m		 7,278 feet
2,218 m		 37.19°N 107.05°W / 37.19; -107.05 (29. Archuleta County, Colorado)
30 San Miguel County Colorado 9,666 feet
2,946 m		 Wilson Peak[46][ag] 14,023 feet
4,274 m		 Dolores River 5,310 feet
1,618 m		 8,713 feet
2,656 m		 38.00°N 108.41°W / 38.00; -108.41 (30. San Miguel County, Colorado)
31 El Paso County Colorado 9,580 feet
2,920 m		 Pikes Peak[47][48][ah] 14,115.2 feet
4,302.31 m		 Chico Creek 5,045 feet
1,538 m		 9,070 feet
2,765 m		 38.83°N 104.53°W / 38.83; -104.53 (31. El Paso County, Colorado)
32 Boulder County Colorado 9,578 feet
2,919 m		 Longs Peak[49][50][ai] 14,260 feet
4,346 m		 Saint Vrain Creek 4,895 feet
1,492 m		 9,365 feet
2,854 m		 40.09°N 105.36°W / 40.09; -105.36 (32. Boulder County, Colorado)
33 Taos County New Mexico 9,524 feet
2,903 m		 Wheeler Peak[51][52][53][aj] 13,166 feet
4,013 m		 Rio Grande 5,882 feet
1,793 m		 7,284 feet
2,220 m		 36.57°N 105.63°W / 36.57; -105.63 (33. Taos County, New Mexico)
34 Mono County California 9,452 feet
2,881 m		 White Mountain Peak[54][55][ak] 14,252 feet
4,344 m		 Owens River 4,652 feet
1,418 m		 9,600 feet
2,926 m		 38.08°N 119.87°W / 38.08; -119.87 (34. Mono County, California)
35 Park County Wyoming 9,354 feet
2,851 m		 Francs Peak[56][57][al] 13,158 feet
4,011 m		 Yellowstone River 5,550 feet
1,692 m		 7,608 feet
2,319 m		 44.49°N 109.56°W / 44.49; -109.56 (35. Park County, Wyoming)
36 Summit County Utah 9,352 feet
2,850 m		 Gilbert Peak[58][am] 13,448 feet
4,099 m		 Weber River 5,255 feet
1,602 m		 8,193 feet
2,497 m		 40.88°N 110.97°W / 40.88; -110.97 (36. Summit County, Utah)
37 Rio Arriba County New Mexico 9,321 feet
2,841 m		 Truchas Peak[59][60][an] 13,107 feet
3,995 m		 Rio Grande 5,535 feet
1,687 m		 7,572 feet
2,308 m		 36.51°N 106.70°W / 36.51; -106.70 (37. Rio Arriba County, New Mexico)
38 Routt County Colorado 9,208 feet
2,807 m		 Mount Zirkel[61][ao] 12,185 feet
3,714 m		 Yampa River 6,230 feet
1,899 m		 5,955 feet
1,815 m		 40.48°N 106.99°W / 40.48; -106.99 (38. Routt County, Colorado)
39 Duchesne County Utah 9,192 feet
2,802 m		 Kings Peak[62][ap] 13,534 feet
4,125 m		 Ninemile Creek 4,850 feet
1,478 m		 8,684 feet
2,647 m		 40.28°N 110.44°W / 40.28; -110.44 (39. Duchesne County, Utah)
40 Fremont County Wyoming 9,184 feet
2,799 m		 Gannett Peak[32][33][w] 13,809.4 feet
4,209.1 m		 Wind River 4,558 feet
1,389 m		 9,251 feet
2,820 m		 43.03°N 108.63°W / 43.03; -108.63 (40. Fremont County, Wyoming)
41 Larimer County Colorado 9,176 feet
2,797 m		 Hagues Peak[63][64][aq] 13,566 feet
4,135 m		 Cache la Poudre River 4,785 feet
1,458 m		 8,781 feet
2,676 m		 40.67°N 105.46°W / 40.67; -105.46 (41. Larimer County, Colorado)
42 Custer County Idaho 9,109 feet
2,776 m		 Borah Peak[65][66][67][ar] 12,668 feet
3,861 m		 Big Lost River 5,550 feet
1,692 m		 7,118 feet
2,170 m		 44.23°N 114.29°W / 44.23; -114.29 (42. Custer County, Idaho)
43 White Pine County Nevada 9,073 feet
2,765 m		 Wheeler Peak[68][69][as] 13,065.3 feet
3,982.3 m		 Utah border 5,080 feet
1,548 m		 7,985 feet
2,434 m		 39.44°N 114.90°W / 39.44; -114.90 (43. White Pine County, Nevada)
44 Santa Fe County[at] New Mexico 9,040 feet
2,755 m		 Santa Fe Baldy[70][71] 12,627 feet
3,849 m		 Santa Fe River 5,452 feet
1,662 m		 7,175 feet
2,187 m		 35.51°N 105.98°W / 35.51; -105.98 (44. Santa Fe County, New Mexico)
45 Fremont County Colorado 9,028 feet
2,752 m		 Bushnell Peak[72][73] 13,111 feet
3,996 m		 Arkansas River 4,945 feet
1,507 m		 8,166 feet
2,489 m		 38.47°N 105.44°W / 38.47; -105.44 (45. Fremont County, Colorado)
46 Colfax County New Mexico 9,017 feet
2,748 m		 Little Costilla Peak[74] 12,589 feet
3,837 m		 Canadian River 5,445 feet
1,660 m		 7,144 feet
2,177 m		 36.61°N 104.64°W / 36.61; -104.64 (46. Colfax County, New Mexico)
47 Yakutat Borough Alaska 9,004 feet
2,744 m		 Mount Saint Elias[75][au] 18,008 feet
5,489 m		 Gulf of Alaska sea level 18,008 feet
5,489 m		 59.55°N 139.73°W / 59.55; -139.73 (47. Yakutat Borough, Alaska)
48 Piute County Utah 8,982 feet
2,738 m		 Delano Peak[76][77][av] 12,174 feet
3,711 m		 Sevier River 5,790 feet
1,765 m		 6,384 feet
1,946 m		 38.34°N 112.13°W / 38.34; -112.13 (48. Piute County, Utah)
49 Las Animas County Colorado 8,978 feet
2,736 m		 West Spanish Peak[78][aw] 13,631 feet
4,155 m		 Purgatoire River 4,324 feet
1,318 m		 9,307 feet
2,837 m		 37.32°N 104.04°W / 37.32; -104.04 (49. Las Animas County, Colorado)
50 Montezuma County Colorado 8,920 feet
2,719 m		 Hesperus Mountain[79][ax] 13,237 feet
4,035 m		 San Juan River 4,602 feet
1,403 m		 8,635 feet
2,632 m		 37.34°N 108.60°W / 37.34; -108.60 (50. Montezuma County, Colorado)
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Notes

  1. [a]
    Forty-eight U.S. states have counties, Louisiana has parishes, and Alaska has boroughs and census areas in the Unorganized Borough. The entire District of Columbia is considered a county-equivalent, as are the 38 independent cities of Virginia, and the independent cities of Baltimore, Maryland, St. Louis, Missouri, and Carson City, Nevada.[1]
  2. [b]
    The "mean of extremes" elevation is the arithmetic mean of the highest and lowest elevations.
  3. [c]
    Rank among United States counties and county-equivalents by mean elevation.[1]
  4. [d]
    The high point of an area is the point of maximum topographic elevation. The high point may, or may not, be a summit.
  5. [e]
    Topographic elevations are adjusted to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988.[6]
  6. [f]
    The low point of an area is the point of minimum topographic elevation. The low point is often a gulch, stream, river, reservoir, lake, ocean, or endorheic basin.
  7. [g]
    The elevation range is the arithmetic difference between the highest and lowest elevations.
  8. [h]
    Geodetic coordinates are adjusted to the World Geodetic System 1984.[7]
  9. [i]
    Lake County, Colorado is the highest county in the United States by mean elevation[b] at 11,702 feet (3,567 m).
  10. [j]
    Mount Elbert is the highest summit of the Rocky Mountains of the United States and Canada. Mount Elbert is the highest summit of the State of Colorado and the highest point in the Mississippi River Basin.
  11. [k]
    The point where the Arkansas River flows out of Lake County and into Chaffee County, Colorado, is the highest county low point in the United States at 8,965 feet (2,733 m) elevation.
  12. [l]
    Uncompahgre Peak is the highest summit of the San Juan Mountains. Uncompahgre Peak is the highest point in the Colorado River Basin of the United States and México.
  13. [m]
    Grays Peak is the highest summit of the Front Range and the highest point on the Continental Divide in North America.
  14. [n]
    Blanca Peak is the highest summit of the Sangre de Cristo Range and the easternmost point of its elevation in the United States. Blanca Peak is the highest point in the Rio Grande Basin of the United States and México.
  15. [o]
    Mount Lincoln is the highest summit of the Mosquito Range.
  16. [p]
    Mount Harvard is the highest summit of the Collegiate Peaks and the easternmost point of its elevation in the United States.
  17. [q]
    Grays Peak is the highest summit of the Front Range and the highest point on the Continental Divide in North America.
  18. [r]
    Clark Peak is the highest summit of the Medicine Bow Mountains.
  19. [s]
    The Denali Borough, Alaska has the greatest elevation range[g] of any U.S. county or county-equivalent[a] at 19,925 feet (6,073 m).
  20. [t]
    The summit of Denali is the highest point in the United States and all of North America with an elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190.5 m). Denali is both the third most topographically prominent summit and the third most topographically isolated summit on Earth after Mount Everest and Aconcagua. Denali is the highest point in the Arctic Ocean Basin.
  21. [u]
    Castle Peak is the highest summit of the Elk Mountains.
  22. [v]
    Mount Sneffels is the highest summit of the Sneffels Range.
  23. [w]
    Gannett Peak is the highest summit of the Wind River Range, the Central Rocky Mountains, and the State of Wyoming. Gannett Peak is the highest point in the Green River Basin.
  24. [x]
    Crestone East Peak is located 432 feet (132 m) east-northeast and 34 feet (10.4 m) below the summit of Crestone Peak.
  25. [y]
    Mount of the Holy Cross is the highest summit of the northern Sawatch Range.
  26. [z]
    Windom Peak is the highest summit of the Needle Mountains.
  27. [aa]
    The Devils Playground is located 2.15 miles (3.46 km) northwest and 1,040 feet (317 m) below the summit of Pikes Peak. The Devils Playground is named for the way lightning sometimes dances around the prominence during lightning storms.
  28. [ab]
    Grand Teton is the highest summit of the Teton Range. Grand Teton is the highest point in the Columbia River drainage basin of Canada and the United States.
  29. [ac]
    The Blanca Peak Tripoint is located 140 feet (43 m) north-northeast and 25 feet (7.6 m) below the summit of Blanca Peak. The Tripoint is the junction of Alamosa, Costilla, and Huerfano counties, Colorado. This point gave surveyors a better point to set the intersection of the three counties than the summit itself.
  30. [ad]
    Mount Wilson is the highest summit of the San Miguel Mountains.
  31. [ae]
    Summit Peak is the highest summit of the southern San Juan Mountains.
  32. [af]
    The elevation of Navajo Reservoir varies seasonally.
  33. [ag]
    Wilson Peak is located 1.51 miles (2.43 km) north-northeast and 229 feet (70 m) lower than the summit of Mount Wilson.
  34. [ah]
    Pikes Peak is the highest summit of the southern Front Range and the easternmost point of its elevation in the United States.
  35. [ai]
    Longs Peak is the highest summit of the northern Front Range.
  36. [aj]
    Wheeler Peak is the highest summit of the Taos Mountains and the State of New Mexico.
  37. [ak]
    White Mountain Peak is the highest summit of the White Mountains.
  38. [al]
    Francs Peak is the highest summit of the Absaroka Range.
  39. [am]
    Gilbert Peak is located 3.7 miles (6.0 km) north-northeast and 86 feet (26 m) lower than the summit of Kings Peak.
  40. [an]
    Truchas Peak is the highest summit of the Santa Fe Mountains.
  41. [ao]
    Mount Zirkel is the highest summit of the Park Range.
  42. [ap]
    Kings Peak is the highest summit of the Uinta Range, the Western Rocky Mountains, and the State of Utah.
  43. [aq]
    Hagues Peak is the highest summit of the Mummy Range.
  44. [ar]
    Borah Peak is the highest summit of the Lost River Range and the State of Idaho.
  45. [as]
    Wheeler Peak is the highest summit of the Snake Range.
  46. [at]
    The full name of the City of Santa Fe is La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís.
  47. [au]
    Mount Saint Elias is the highest summit of the Saint Elias Mountains and the second highest major summit of both Canada and the United States.
  48. [av]
    Delano Peak is the highest summit of the Tushar Mountains.
  49. [aw]
    West Spanish Peak is the higher summit of the two Spanish Peaks. Both Spanish Peaks are the easternmost points of their respective elevation in the United States. The Spanish Peaks were important historic landmarks along the Santa Fe Trail.
  50. [ax]
    Hesperus Mountain is the highest summit of the La Plata Mountains.

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