Special Report
The Highest Point in Every State
February 18, 2020 6:01 pm
Last Updated: February 28, 2023 3:03 pm
1. Alabama
> Highest peak: Cheaha Mountain
> Elevation above sea level: 2,407 ft.
> Coordinates: 33.5° N, 85.8° W
> Value added in 2017 camping, hiking, boating, and hunting: $1.51 billion
> 2018 population: 4,887,871
The name “Cheaha” comes from the Muskogee word “chaha,” which translates to “high place.”
2. Alaska
> Highest peak: Denali
> Elevation above sea level: 20,320 ft.
> Coordinates: 63.1° N, 151.0° W
> Value added in 2017 camping, hiking, boating, and hunting: $1.51 billion
> 2018 population: 737,438
For over a century, Denali was known as Mount McKinley, but the moniker was returned to the original Native Alaskan name in 2015.
3. Arizona
> Highest peak: Humphreys Peak
> Elevation above sea level: 12,633 ft.
> Coordinates: 35.3° N, 111.7° W
> Value added in 2017 camping, hiking, boating, and hunting: $2.20 billion
> 2018 population: 7,171,646
Though it was named Humphreys Peak around 1870, the mountain was also named San Francisco Peak due to a General Land Office error. It wasn’t fixed until 1933.
4. Arkansas
> Highest peak: Magazine Mountain
> Elevation above sea level: 2,753 ft.
> Coordinates: 35.2° N, 93.6° W
> Value added in 2017 camping, hiking, boating, and hunting: $1.17 billion
> 2018 population: 3,013,825
Mount Magazine got its peculiar name when French explorers heard a landslide and mistook the loud sound for an exploding ammunition magazine.
5. California
> Highest peak: Mount Whitney
> Elevation above sea level: 14,494 ft.
> Coordinates: 36.6° N, 118.3° W
> Value added in 2017 camping, hiking, boating, and hunting: $14.90 billion
> 2018 population: 39,557,045
The tallest mountain in the lower 48 states, Mount Whitney is such a popular climbing destination that hikers need a permit to climb it to minimize the ecological impact.
Sponsored: Find a Qualified Financial Advisor
Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.