Most of the mountains in the United States are rather small compared to those found in other parts of the world. Incredibly, the U.S. only has a single mountain over 20,000 feet, a height that doesn’t even register on the list of the top 100 highest mountains worldwide. At the top of that list, of course, is Mount Everest, which stands at an incredible 29,031 feet high. It is located in Nepal, a country with a population of 28 million, where many of the world’s other tallest mountains are located.
The majority of America’s tallest mountains are found in Alaska, with the tallest of those being Denali, also know as Mount McKinley. Initially named in honor of U.S. president William McKinley, the name was used from 1917 to 2015. However, the official designation was changed to Denali, the name given to it by the Koyukon people, who are indigenous to Alaska.
Denali’s peak is approximately 20,310 feet above sea level, making it the tallest mountain in the U.S. by a margin of around 2,000 feet. Mount Saint Elias, which is located on the border between Alaska and Yukon, Canada, is the second highest U.S. mountain weighing in with an elevation of roughly 18,000 feet. (Read about the most beautiful natural wonder in every state.)
Throughout the years, there have been questions regarding the precise elevation of Denali. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that recent technological advancements have led to a reevaluation of the mountain’s common accepted height. The document “New Elevation for Nation’s Highest Peak” states that researchers have declared that the new official height for Denali is 20,310 feet, which is 10 feet less than the previous measurement of 20,320 feet, which was based on 1950s technology. The updated measurement was established by climbers using tools like GPS.
A mountaineer named Bradford Washburn established the most commonly used route for reaching the summit of Denali in 1951.
Here are the 15 tallest mountains in America:
15. Browne Tower
- Height: 14,530 feet
14. Mount Hunter
- Height: 14,573 feet
13. East Buttress
- Height: 14,730 feet
12. Mount Bear
- Height: 14,831 feet
11. Mount Hubbard
- Height: 14,950 feet
10. Mount Fairweather
- Height: 15,300 feet
9. Mount Churchill
- Height: 15,638 feet
8. South Buttress
- Height: 15,885 feet
7. Mount Vancouver
- Height: 15,979 feet
6. Mount Sanford
- Height: 16,237 feet
5. Mount Blackburn
NPS photo by Neal Herbert
- Height: 16,390 feet
4. Mount Bona
- Height: 16,500 feet
3. Mount Foraker
- Height: 17,400 feet
2. Mount Saint Elias
NPS photo by Neal Herbert
- Height: 18,008 feet
1. Mount Denali
- Height: 20,320 feet