The Highest Places in America

In the most literal sense, the highest you can get in the United States is 20,237 feet above sea level, the peak of Alaska’s Denali and the high point in the state. Each of the 50 states, as well as D.C., has its own such geographic marker, sought out by a particular niche of explorers known as highpointers.

Scaling each of the state high points means spanning the whole spectrum of the country’s diverse landscape. These markers can be found in deserts and dense forests, from the remote wilderness to urban areas and everything in between. Here are 51 places to get high in the United States.