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Elevation

Wheeler Peak elevation

13,161ft

above sea level · 4,011 m

Wheeler Peak is the highest point in New Mexico and the 8th highest of the 50 state high points. It’s in Taos County, according to the USGS gazetteer.

By the Mapsfera Team

Elevation profile

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Place facts

Coordinates
36.56° N · 105.42° W
In degrees, minutes and seconds: 36° 33′ 25″ N · 105° 25′ 1″ W
UTM coordinates
13S · 462,696 E · 4,045,802 N
Zone 13 · NAD83, the official US datum
County
Taos County
Where the summit point falls
State
New Mexico
NM · capital: Santa Fe
Time zone
Mountain Time
UTC−7 · UTC−6 in summer (daylight saving time)
Ground height (3DEP)
13,157 ft
What the USGS model gives at this exact point, on a 1 m grid. The official elevation is 13,161 ft.

Compared with other state high points

At 13,161 ft (4,011 m), Wheeler Peak is the 8th highest of the 50 state high points. The highest is Denali, in Alaska (20,310 ft), and the lowest is Britton Hill, in Florida (345 ft).

The USGS table “Elevations and Distances in the United States” gives it 13,161 ft. The 3DEP elevation model gives 13,157 ft at the gazetteer point: 4 ft less.

New Mexico’s capital, Santa Fe, is 67 mi away in a straight line and 6,164 ft lower.

The nearest city with more than 250,000 people is Albuquerque, 123 mi away in a straight line and 8,206 ft lower.

New Mexico’s lowest point is the Red Bluff Reservoir, at 2,842 ft: a total relief of 10,319 ft.

  1. 6 Mauna Kea 13,796 ft
  2. 7 Kings Peak 13,528 ft
  3. 8 Wheeler Peak 13,161 ft
  4. 9 Boundary Peak 13,140 ft
  5. 10 Granite Peak 12,799 ft

Each color band is 500 m (1,640 ft), the same colors as the map. See the full list

Nearest cities with a page

Tools for this place

Elevation profile Draw a route from Wheeler Peak and see how much it climbs and drops. Elevation of a point Compare the elevation of Wheeler Peak with any other point on the map. Map of Taos County The county on the map with all its cities and towns, ready to print or download. Time zone The time right now in Wheeler Peak and its clock changes. GPX route profile Upload the GPX of a hike up Wheeler Peak and see its elevation gain. Blank map of New Mexico counties Print it blank, with names or to color in.

Frequently asked questions

What people most often ask about the elevation of Wheeler Peak.

How tall is Wheeler Peak?

Wheeler Peak is 13,161 feet (4,011 m) above sea level. That’s the official USGS figure, from its table of state high points.

What are the coordinates of Wheeler Peak?

Latitude 36.55691 and longitude -105.41686, in decimal degrees (36° 33′ 25″ N · 105° 25′ 1″ W). In UTM, zone 13: 462,696 E and 4,045,802 N, on NAD83.

Is Wheeler Peak the highest mountain in the US?

No. It’s the 8th highest of the 50 state high points. The highest is Denali, in Alaska, at 20,310 ft.

What county is Wheeler Peak in?

The summit point falls in Taos County, New Mexico. The USGS table lists Taos.

How is elevation measured?

Elevation is the height above mean sea level. In the US the official reference is the NAVD88 vertical datum. Summits are surveyed on the ground, with leveling and precise GPS. The USGS 3DEP is an elevation model of the whole country, largely from 1-meter lidar: it gives the ground height at every point. That’s why it can differ by a few feet from the official figure of a sharp summit.

Sources

  • USGS, “Elevations and Distances in the United States” The official elevation of the summit. Public domain.
  • USGS 3DEP (EPQS service) The ground height at the summit point, to check the figure. Public domain.
  • USGS GNIS (official gazetteer) The position and official name of the summit. Public domain.
  • TIGERweb (U.S. Census Bureau) Which county and city the point falls in. Public domain.
  • timezone-boundary-builder The point’s time zone (ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors).
  • Terrain Tiles, OpenStreetMap and OpenFreeMap The relief shading and the base map (ODbL).

Methodology and sources · Spotted a mistake? Let us know