Denali elevation
Denali rises to 20,310 ft (6,191 m) above sea level, the highest point in Alaska.
Published summit elevation
20,310ft
6,191 m above sea level
Summit · NAVD 88 (current U.S. vertical datum) · 2015 GPS survey by USGS and NOAA's National Geodetic Survey; replaces the 1950s figure of 20,320 ft.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey news release: New Elevation for Nation's Highest Peak (2015-09-02)
- USGS 3DEP grid value (secondary)
- 20,228 ft (6,165 m)
- 82 ft below the published figure. Elevation grids average each cell, so they under-read sharp summits.
- Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program
- Rise above Anderson, AK
- 19,795 ft
- 103 mi from the summit; nearest incorporated place
- Source: USGS 3DEP at the town center
- Rank in state
- Highest point in Alaska
- Source: USGS Elevations and Distances
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Check your exact spot in the Denali area
Elevation changes from street to street. Use your location, search an address or click the map to get the USGS value for one point. Green pins mark the points named on this page.
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Data sources:
Life at 20,228 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the summit of Denali (20,228 ft, from the USGS grid value). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 46 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- Canning adjustments · Baking
Sources: pressure from the U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA, NASA, USAF); boiling point from the Antoine equation for water (Lange's Handbook of Chemistry); canning thresholds from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Not medical or food-safety advice; follow the tested USDA recipe for your altitude.
Health note: the CDC says unacclimatized travelers risk altitude illness when sleeping at about 8,000 ft or higher, and sometimes lower. This page is general information, not medical advice; read the CDC guidance on high-altitude travel and talk to a clinician before a high climb.
Denali and other Alaska peaks on this site
- Denali20,310 ft
- Mount Foraker17,358 ft
- Mount Bona16,552 ft
- Mount Blackburn16,390 ft
- Mount Sanford16,225 ft
- Mount Fairweather15,325 ft
- Mount Wrangell14,135 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Published summit elevation | 20,310 ft (6,191 m) | U.S. Geological Survey news release: New Elevation for Nation's Highest Peak (2015-09-02) |
| Highest USGS 3DEP value near the summit | 20,228 ft (6,165 m) | USGS 3DEP, 81 points within 250 m |
| USGS 3DEP at the GNIS summit point | 20,228 ft (6,165 m) | USGS 3DEP + GNIS coordinates |
| Nearest town: Anderson, AK | 515 ft (157 m) · 103 mi away | Census Gazetteer + USGS 3DEP |
| Nearest public airport: Kantishna (PAAH) | 1,578 ft (481 m) · 33 mi away | FAA field elevation |
| Carter Horn (nearby summit) | 19,882 ft (6,060 m) · 0.3 mi away | GNIS position, USGS 3DEP at that point |
| Archdeacons Tower (nearby summit) | 19,588 ft (5,970 m) · 0.5 mi away | GNIS position, USGS 3DEP at that point |
| North Peak (nearby summit) | 19,392 ft (5,911 m) · 1.9 mi away | GNIS position, USGS 3DEP at that point |
Denali at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| County | Denali | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Denali A-3 SE | USGS GNIS |
| Summit coordinates | 63.06910, -151.00626 | USGS GNIS |
| Name in GNIS | Mount McKinley | USGS GNIS |
More peaks and tools
- Mount Foraker, AK — 17,358 ft, 14 mi away
- Mount Hayes, AK — 13,652 ft, 138 mi away
- Mount Drum, AK — 11,788 ft, 213 mi away
- Mount Sanford, AK — 16,225 ft, 226 mi away
- Mount Wrangell, AK — 14,135 ft, 234 mi away
- All Alaska elevations
Frequently asked questions
How tall is Denali?
Denali is 20,310 ft (6,191 m) above sea level, according to U.S. Geological Survey news release: New Elevation for Nation's Highest Peak (2015-09-02), on the NAVD 88 datum. The highest USGS 3DEP grid value near the summit is 20,228 ft.
Why does the USGS map value differ from the published height of Denali?
The USGS 3D Elevation Program stores ground elevation as a grid of cells. Each cell holds one value for its whole area, so a pointed summit is averaged with the slopes around it and the grid reads lower than a survey of the top. Here the difference is 82 ft.
Where is Denali?
Denali is in Denali County, Alaska, at 63.0691, -151.0063, about 103 mi from Anderson. It appears on the USGS Denali A-3 SE 7.5-minute topographic map.
How much oxygen is there at the top of Denali?
At 20,228 ft, water boils at about 174.9 °F (79.4 °C) and standard air pressure is 13.62 inHg (461 hPa), so each breath holds about 46% of the oxygen it would at sea level. The CDC says unacclimatized travelers risk altitude illness when they sleep at about 8,000 ft or higher, and sometimes lower.
What is the closest airport to Denali?
The nearest public-use airport is Kantishna (PAAH), 33 mi away in a straight line, at 1,578 ft (FAA).
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey news release: New Elevation for Nation's Highest Peak (2015-09-02) — elevation of Summit
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) — grid elevation near the summit, nearby summits and the nearest town
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Domestic Names — summit name, position, county and topo map
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files (places) — nearest incorporated town
- FAA Aeronautical Information Services, Airports (field elevation) — airport field elevation
- U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA/NASA/USAF); water boiling point by the Antoine equation (Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry) — boiling point, air pressure and oxygen
- CDC Yellow Book: High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness — altitude illness threshold
How each number is produced: methodology and data sources.
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made