USA Contiguous States Most Prominent Peaks
Mount Rainier from near the Sunrise Visitor Center
After starting my mountain climbing activities in the Cascades Range in the Pacific Northwest I became interested in exploring other mountain ranges in the western US States. This interest was initially channeled through my USA State Highpoints project, then expanded to my California Fourteeners project and my ongoing Colorado Fourteeners project. These projects emphasize the highest peaks in the the USA States.
Since starting those projects I have come to appreciate the allure of topographic prominence. I have since visited many peaks specifically to experience that property from their summits.
There are 57 "ultra prominence" peaks in the contiguous (conterminous) United States having at least 5000 feet of topographic prominence. I list these peaks below and indicate which I have visited. While they are all compelling destinations I confess I will not visit them all. I have extended this list to include other peaks I have visited with at least 4000 feet of topographic prominence. Their summit views have been impressive as well.
The USA Contiguous States Most Prominent Peaks
= Climbed,
= Next,
= No Current Plans
(38/57)
The Peak List
| Washington | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 1 | Mount Rainier (Cascade Range HP) |
13210 | 14410 | 1980 |
| 5 | Mount Baker | 8812 | 10781 | 1983 |
| 9 | Mount Adams | 8116 | 12276 | 1977 |
| 10 | Mount Olympus (Olympic Mtns HP) |
7838 | 7969 | 1992 |
| 13 | Glacier Peak | 7498 | 10520+ | 1985 |
| 45 | Mount Stuart (Wenatchee Mtns HP) |
5354 | 9415 | 1982 |
| 53 | Abercrombie Mountain | 5168 | 7308 | 2014 |
| 70 | Mount Spickard | 4779 | 8979 | 1982 |
| 72 | Copper Butte (Kettle River Range HP) |
4740 | 7140 | 2014 |
| 80 | Mount Saint Helens | 4573 | 8333 | 1977 |
| 96 | Mount Shuksan | 4411 | 9131 | 1993 |
| Oregon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 11 | Mount Hood | 7706 | 11239 | 1977 |
| 18 | Sacajawea Peak (Wallowa Mtns HP) |
6388 | 9838 | 1989 |
| 31 | Mount Jefferson | 5777 | 10497 | 1978 |
| 35 | South Sister | 5588 | 10358 | 1976 |
| 89 | Rock Creek Butte (Blue Mtns HP) |
4466 | 9106 | 2008 |
| 91 | Mount McLoughlin | 4455 | 9495 | 1980 |
| 101 | Steens Mountain | 4373 | 9733 | 2012 |
| 127 | Strawberry Mountain (Strawberry Mtns HP) |
4080 | 9040+ | 1985 |
| Idaho | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 27 | Borah Peak (Lost River Range HP) |
5982 | 12662 | 2011 |
| 43 | Diamond Peak (Lemhi Range HP) |
5377 | 12197 | |
| 52 | She Devil (Seven Devils Mtns HP) |
5200 | 9400+ | 2014 |
| 76 | Scotchman Peak | 4649 | 7009 | 2015 |
| Montana | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 33 | Crazy Peak (Crazy Mtns HP) |
5709 | 11209 | |
| 34 | McDonald Peak (Mission Range HP) |
5640 | 9820 | |
| 39 | Snowshoe Peak (Cabinet Mtns HP) |
5418 | 8738 | |
| 50 | Mount Cleveland (Lewis Range HP) |
5226 | 10466 | |
| 71 | Granite Peak (Beartooth Mtns HP) |
4759 | 12799 | 1979 |
| Wyoming | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 15 | Gannett Peak (Wind River Range HP) |
7076 | 13804 | 1986 |
| 16 | Cloud Peak (Bighorn Mtns HP) |
7067 | 13167 | |
| 17 | Grand Teton (Teton Range HP) |
6530 | 13770 | 1987 |
| California | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 2 | Mount Whitney (Sierra Nevada HP) |
10075 | 14495 | 1986 |
| 3 | Mount Shasta | 9762 | 14162 | 1986 |
| 6 | San Jacinto Peak (San Jacinto Mtns HP) |
8319 | 10075 | |
| 7 | San Gorgonio Mountain (San Bernardino Mtns HP) |
8294 | 11499 | |
| 14 | White Mountain Peak (White Mtns HP) |
7196 | 14246 | 1988 |
| 21 | Mount San Antonio (San Gabriel Mtns HP) |
6224 | 10064 | |
| 22 | Telescope Peak (Panamint Range HP) |
6168 | 11048 | 2014 |
| 49 | Lassen Peak | 5229 | 10457 | 1986 |
| 56 | Mount Eddy (Klamath Mtns HP) |
5105 | 9025 | 2015 |
| 63 | South Yolla Bolly Mountain | 4814 | 8094 | 2015 |
| Nevada | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 8 | Charleston Peak (Spring Mtns HP) |
8241 | 11916 | 1988 |
| 12 | Wheeler Peak (Snake Mtns HP) |
7563 | 13063 | 1985 |
| 28 | Mount Jefferson (Toquima Range HP) |
5861 | 11941 | |
| 32 | Pilot Peak (Pilot Range HP) |
5726 | 10716 | |
| 40 | North Schell Peak (Schell Creek Range HP) |
5403 | 11883 | |
| 41 | Star Peak (Humboldt Range HP) |
5400 | 9836 | |
| 42 | Hayford Peak (Sheep Range HP) |
5392 | 9912 | |
| 51 | Arc Dome (Toiyabe Range HP) |
5213 | 11773 | |
| Utah | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 19 | Kings Peak (Uinta Range HP) |
6348 | 13528 | 2013 |
| 23 | Mount Peale (La Sal Mtns HP) |
6161 | 12721 | 2015 |
| 29 | Mount Ellen (Henry Mtns HP) |
5842 | 11522 | 2015 |
| 30 | Deseret Peak (Stansbury Mtns HP) |
5812 | 11031 | 2015 |
| 38 | Mount Nebo (Wasatch Range HP) |
5488 | 11928 | 2015 |
| 44 | Flat Top Mountain (Oquirrh Mtns HP) |
5370 | 10620 | |
| 47 | Mount Timpanogos | 5269 | 11749 | |
| 48 | Ibapah Peak (Deep Creek Range HP) |
5247 | 12087 | |
| 82 | Abajo Peak (Abajo Mtns HP) |
4550 | 11360 | 2015 |
| Colorado | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 4 | Mount Elbert (Sawatch Range HP) |
9073 | 14433 | 1991 |
| 37 | Pikes Peak | 5510 | 14110 | 2017 |
| 46 | Blanca Peak (Sangre de Cristo Range HP) |
5326 | 14345 | 1982 |
| 109 | Uncompahgre Peak (San Juan Mtns HP) |
4277 | 14309 | 2010 |
| Arizona | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 20 | Mount Graham (Pinaleno Mtns HP) |
6320 | 10720 | 2014 |
| 26 | Humphreys Peak (San Francisco Peaks HP) |
6039 | 12633 | 2011 |
| 54 | Mount Lemmon (Santa Catalina Mtns HP) |
5157 | 9157 | 2013 |
| 55 | Chiricahua Peak | 5139 | 9759 | 2014 |
| 57 | Miller Peak (Huachuca Mtns HP) |
5006 | 9466 | 2015 |
| 73 | Mount Baldy (White Mtns HP) |
4723 | 11403 | 2017 |
| 78 | Mount Wrightson (Santa Rita Mtns HP) |
4578 | 9453 | 2015 |
| 77 | Mica Mountain (Rincon Mtns HP) |
4608 | 8664 | 2015 |
| 93 | Hualapai Peak (Hualapai Mtns HP) |
4439 | 8417 | 2019 |
| 115 | Baboquivari Peak (Baboquivari Mtns HP) |
4194 | 7734 | 2017 |
| 125 | Pinal Peak (Pinal Mtns HP) |
4090 | 7850 | 2014 |
| New Mexico | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 36 | Sierra Blanca Peak (Sacramento Mtns HP) |
5533 | 11973 | |
| 123 | Sandia Crest (Sandia Mtns HP) |
4098 | 10678 | 2013 |
| Texas | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 87 | Emory Peak (Chisos Mtns HP) |
4485 | 7825 | 2020 |
| Eastern States | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Peak | State | Prominence (feet) |
Elevation (feet) |
Year |
| 24 | Mount Washington (White Mtns HP) |
NH | 6148 | 6288 | 2018 |
| 25 | Mount Mitchell (Black Mtns HP) |
NC | 6089 | 6684 | 2005 |
| 58 | Mount Marcy (Adirondack Mtns HP) |
NY | 4914 | 5344 | 2018 |
| 85 | Clingmans Dome (Great Smoky Mtns HP) |
TN | 4503 | 6643 | 2018 |
| 105 | Katahdin (Longfellow Mtns HP) |
ME | 4288 | 5268 | 2018 |
General Information
Peakbagger.com: Paul's USA Lower 48 Peaks with 5000 feet of ProminencePeakbagger.com: Paul's USA Lower 48 Peaks with 4000 feet of Prominence