The 10 highest mountain peaks in the United States, ranked by elevation above sea level — all located in Alaska.
Quick answer: 1. Denali (Mount McKinley), 2. Mount Saint Elias, 3. Mount Foraker, 4. Mount Bona, 5. Mount Blackburn, 6. Mount Sanford, 7. Mount Fairweather, 8. Mount Hubbard, 9. Mount Bear, 10. Mount Hunter.
The 10 highest mountains in the United States are all located in Alaska, a fact that surprises many who assume the Rockies or the Sierra Nevada hold the country's tallest peaks. These are massive, glaciated mountains — Denali alone rises over 6,190 meters (20,310 feet) from sea level, making it the tallest mountain in North America and the third most topographically prominent peak on Earth after Everest and Aconcagua. This list covers the 10 highest major summits of the United States, all of which exceed 4,400 meters (14,500 feet) in elevation. Many of these peaks are located in some of the most remote and challenging terrain on the continent, including the Alaska Range and the Saint Elias Mountains — a coastal range that produces some of the world's fastest-glacier flow rates.
The highest mountain in North America and the third most prominent peak on Earth. Denali rises 6,190 meters from the Alaska Range floor, with a vertical relief that rivals Everest's. Its extreme latitude (63°N) produces notoriously cold and unpredictable weather.
The second highest peak in the US and Canada, straddling the Alaska-Yukon border. Its massive 18,009-foot rise from sea level — visible from the Gulf of Alaska coastline just 10 miles away — makes it one of the most dramatic coastal mountain views in the world.
Denali's neighbor in the Alaska Range, visible from the same Kahiltna Glacier base camp. Foraker is a challenging technical climb known for its steep, icy southeast ridge and extreme avalanche risk.
A massive stratovolcano in the Saint Elias Mountains, Mount Bona is one of the largest volcanoes in the United States by volume. It is almost entirely covered in ice and feeds the Klutlan Glacier, one of the largest valley glaciers in the world.
The highest peak in the Wrangell Mountains and the fifth highest in the US. Mount Blackburn is an ancient shield volcano whose summit is covered by the massive Nabesna Glacier, and its east face features one of the longest continuous vertical drops in North America.
A massive shield volcano in the Wrangell Volcanic Field, Mount Sanford is one of the highest volcanoes in the United States. It is also the sixth highest peak in the country by any measure, though its lower topographic prominence (2,343m) means it is not always counted as a separate major peak.
A massive peak on the Alaska-British Columbia border, Mount Fairweather rises nearly 4,600 meters directly from the Pacific Ocean coastline, giving it one of the greatest vertical rises from sea level of any mountain on Earth.
Located on the Alaska-Yukon border, Mount Hubbard is a prominent peak in the Saint Elias Mountains. It is named after Gardiner Greene Hubbard, the first president of the National Geographic Society, and is a challenging technical climb.
A remote peak in the Saint Elias Mountains, Mount Bear is almost entirely covered in ice and snow. Its isolation and the difficulty of access make it one of the least-climbed peaks in the top 10, with only a handful of recorded ascents.
The tenth highest peak in the United States, Mount Hunter is a striking granite and ice peak in the Alaska Range, just south of Denali. It is known for its technical climbing routes, including the notoriously difficult Moonflower Buttress.
| # | Name | elevationFeet | state | range | prominence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denali (Mount McKinley) | 20310 | Alaska | Alaska Range | 6141 |
| 2 | Mount Saint Elias | 18009 | Alaska / Yukon | Saint Elias Mountains | 3429 |
| 3 | Mount Foraker | 17400 | Alaska | Alaska Range | 2210 |
| 4 | Mount Bona | 16550 | Alaska | Saint Elias Mountains | 2103 |
| 5 | Mount Blackburn | 16390 | Alaska | Wrangell Mountains | 3548 |
| 6 | Mount Sanford | 16237 | Alaska | Wrangell Mountains | 2343 |
| 7 | Mount Fairweather | 15325 | Alaska / British Columbia | Saint Elias Mountains | 3955 |
| 8 | Mount Hubbard | 14951 | Alaska / Yukon | Saint Elias Mountains | 2455 |
| 9 | Mount Bear | 14831 | Alaska | Saint Elias Mountains | 1540 |
| 10 | Mount Hunter | 14573 | Alaska | Alaska Range | 1420 |
Mountains are ranked by topographic elevation (height above geodetic sea level) in meters, as measured by the US Geological Survey and reported in Wikipedia's list of mountain peaks of the United States. The ranking includes only peaks with at least 500 meters of topographic prominence (a standard filter for major summits). All figures are from the most recent USGS surveys and NAVD88 datum. Elevations are reported in both meters and feet. The highest elevation is rank 1, descending to rank 10.
Denali (also known as Mount McKinley) in Alaska is the highest mountain in the United States at 6,190.5 meters (20,310 feet) above sea level. It is also the highest peak in North America.
Mount Whitney in California is the highest peak in the contiguous United States at 4,421 meters (14,505 feet). It is not in the top 10 highest overall US peaks, which are all in Alaska.
Yes. The 10 highest major summits in the United States are all located in Alaska. The states of Colorado, California, Washington, and Wyoming have the highest peaks in the lower 48, but none reach the elevation of Alaska's giants.
Several of the top 10 are volcanic in origin, including Mount Bona, Mount Blackburn, and Mount Sanford. They are part of the Wrangell Volcanic Field, a region of massive shield volcanoes in eastern Alaska.