Chalk Hill topographic map

San Diego is characterized by a diverse topography that features coastal plains, rolling hills, and rugged mountain ranges. The city is situated along the Pacific Ocean, where it boasts an extensive shoreline with sandy beaches and tidal zones. As you move inland, the landscape transitions from the flat…

Average elevation: 125 m

San Francisco is characterized by its striking and varied topography, making it one of the most distinctive cities in the United States. The landscape features a mix of rolling hills and steep inclines, with the highest elevation reaching approximately 922 feet at Twin Peaks. The average elevation across the…

Average elevation: 65 m

Los Angeles is characterized by a diverse and dynamic topography. The city is predominantly situated in a basin bordered by mountain ranges, including the Santa Monica Mountains to the north and the San Gabriel Mountains to the east, with elevations reaching up to about 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) in certain…

Average elevation: 241 m

Average elevation: 10 m

San Jose, located in Santa Clara County, California, features a diverse topography characterized by a mix of low-lying plains and rolling hills. The city sits at an average elevation of approximately 82 feet (25 meters) above sea level, with the surrounding terrain including the foothills of the Santa Cruz…

Average elevation: 265 m

Average elevation: 111 m

Los Angeles is characterized by a diverse and dynamic topography. The city is predominantly situated in a basin bordered by mountain ranges, including the Santa Monica Mountains to the north and the San Gabriel Mountains to the east, with elevations reaching up to about 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) in certain…

Average elevation: 241 m

Lake Tahoe is renowned for its dramatic topography, characterized by rugged mountain ranges and deep, crystal-clear waters. Nestled in the Sierra Nevada, the lake itself lies at an elevation of approximately 6,225 feet (1,897 meters) and spans about 22 miles (35 kilometers) in length and 12 miles (19…

Average elevation: 2,077 m

Newport Beach, located in Orange County, California, features a dynamic and varied topography shaped by its coastal position and surrounding hills. The city spans from sea level along its beaches to elevations of over 1,100 feet (335 meters) in the nearby San Joaquin Hills. These hills, particularly noticeable…

Average elevation: 14 m

Oakland features a diverse topography shaped by its location along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay and the presence of the nearby coastal hills. The city sits on a flat coastal plain that gradually ascends toward the Oakland Hills to the east, where elevations can exceed 1,700 feet. The highest point…

Average elevation: 51 m

Berkeley, located on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, features a diverse topography characterized by rolling hills and steep slopes. The city sits at an elevation that ranges from sea level along the bay to about 1,300 feet (396 meters) in the Berkeley Hills. This hilly landscape provides stunning views…

Average elevation: 109 m

Average elevation: 69 m

The Santa Cruz Mountains are a region of great biological diversity, encompassing cool, moist coastal ecosystems as well as warm, dry chaparral. Much of the area in the Santa Cruz mountains is considered temperate rainforest. In valleys and moist ocean-facing slopes some of the southernmost coast redwoods…

Average elevation: 230 m

Sonoma County, as is often the case with coastal counties in California, has a great degree of climatic variation and numerous, often very different, microclimates. Key determining factors for local climate are proximity to the ocean, elevation, and the presence and elevation of hills or mountains to the east…

Average elevation: 210 m

The geology of the Yosemite area is characterized by granite rocks and remnants of older rock. About 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and tilted to form its unique slopes, which increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting in the formation of deep, narrow canyons. About one…

Average elevation: 2,337 m

Eureka, located along Humboldt Bay in Northern California, has a diverse and varied topography. The city itself is situated at relatively low elevations, with the bay’s narrow point serving as a key feature in the landscape. Its average elevation is around 50 feet (15 meters), and the terrain gently rises…

Average elevation: 15 m

Roseville has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate that is characterized by cool, wet, usually snowless winters and hot, dry summers (Köppen Csa). The wet season is generally October through April. Because Roseville is east of Sacramento and at a higher elevation, it receives slightly more rainfall. Average…

Average elevation: 67 m

The elevation is 68 feet (21 m) below sea level, as the eastern half of the Coachella Valley is below sea level. The saltwater lake, Salton Sea, 10 miles (16 km) south of Coachella, is 228 feet (69 m) below sea level.

Average elevation: 2 m

Most of Bakersfield's major streets are six-lane divided roads with bike lanes, with almost every street in the city having proper lane signage for bicycle traffic. Bikes are a popular method of transportation in Bakersfield, due to the city's relatively flat topography and grid-like street system. Newer…

Average elevation: 157 m

Average elevation: 66 m

Catalina is primarily composed of two distinct rock units: Catalina Schist from the Early Cretaceous (95 to 109 million years ago), and Miocene volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks. The island is rich in quartz, to the extent that some beaches on the seaward side have silvery-grey sand. These formations…

Average elevation: 60 m

Escondido has a borderline semi-arid climate (Köppen: Bsh) and hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) with hot summers and cool wet winters. Owing to its inland setting it is considerably warmer than coastal cities like San Diego, Carlsbad or Oceanside during the summertime, and cooler in the winter.…

Average elevation: 273 m

Average elevation: 98 m

One possible origin of palm in the place name comes from early Spanish explorers who referred to the area as La Palma de la Mano de Dios or "The Palm of God's hand". The earliest use of the name "Palm Springs" is from United States Topographical Engineers who used the term in 1853 maps. According to William…

Average elevation: 859 m

Average elevation: 102 m

Joshua Tree National Park is an American national park in southeastern California, east of San Bernardino and Los Angeles and north of Palm Springs. It is named after the Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) native to the Mojave Desert. Originally declared a national monument in 1936, Joshua Tree was redesignated…

Average elevation: 639 m

During winter, snow occasionally falls in the higher elevations of the Santa Lucia Mountains and Gabilan Mountains that overlook Monterey, but snow in Monterey itself is extremely rare. A few unusual events in January 1962, February 1976, and December 1997 brought a light coating of snow to Monterey. In March…

Average elevation: 50 m

Willow Springs Park was founded as a part of the Willow Springs Wetlands Restoration Project which opened in October 2017. The project restored 11 acres of a 48-acre degraded oil well site into wetlands. These highlight the pivotal role the ecosystem played in the City of Long Beach’s establishment in the…

Average elevation: 12 m

El Dorado County (/ˌɛl dəˈrɑːdoʊ/ (listen)), officially the County of El Dorado, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 191,185. The county seat is Placerville. The county is part of the Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA Metropolitan…

Average elevation: 1,286 m

Average elevation: 136 m

Average elevation: 387 m

Average elevation: 89 m

The Malibu Coast lies on the fringe of an extensive chaparral and woodland wilderness area, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Various environmental elements collectively create a recipe for natural disasters: the mountainous and geologically unstable terrain; seasonal rainstorms that result…

Average elevation: 144 m

Average elevation: 30 m

Santa Clara County features a diverse and varied topography characterized by both low-lying valleys and rugged mountainous regions. The county encompasses a significant portion of Silicon Valley, where flat, urbanized areas are interspersed with rolling hills and foothills that rise sharply in the Santa Cruz…

Average elevation: 323 m

Average elevation: 10 m

The official elevation of the city is 1,207 feet (368 m), the elevation of the historic Newhall Airport which was northwest of Via Princessa and Railroad Avenue from the 1930s through the 1950s. Elevation varies substantially throughout the city. The lowest point in Santa Clarita is near the junction of CA-126…

Average elevation: 514 m

Laguna Niguel consists of mostly hilly terrain, being located within the San Joaquin Hills. The average elevation is 400 feet (120 m); elevations range from near sea level to 936 feet (285 m) at the summit of Niguel Hill, in the southwest corner of the city. Neighboring cities are Aliso Viejo and Laguna Hills…

Average elevation: 110 m

Average elevation: 66 m

Average elevation: 538 m

The geology of the Yosemite area is characterized by granite rocks and remnants of older rock. About 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and tilted to form its unique slopes, which increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting in the formation of deep, narrow canyons. About one…

Average elevation: 2,337 m

Amador County ranges in elevation from approximately 250 feet (76 m) in the western portion of the county to over 9,000 feet (2,700 m) in the eastern portion of the county, the tallest point being Thunder Mountain. The county is bordered on the north by the Cosumnes River and El Dorado County and on the south…

Average elevation: 896 m

Average elevation: 112 m

Average elevation: 7 m

Average elevation: 86 m

Joshua Tree National Park is an American national park in southeastern California, east of San Bernardino and Los Angeles and north of Palm Springs. It is named after the Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) native to the Mojave Desert. Originally declared a national monument in 1936, Joshua Tree was redesignated…

Average elevation: 639 m

Average elevation: 282 m

An altitude record for unmanned gas balloons was set in Chico in October 1972 (51.8 km or 32.2 mi). The record was broken on May 23, 2002.

Average elevation: 95 m

San Bernardino features a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa in the Köppen climate classification) with mild winters and hot, dry summers. Relative to other areas in Southern California, winters are colder, with frost and with chilly to cold morning temperatures common. The particularly arid climate during…

Average elevation: 662 m

Oceanside features a diverse topography characterized by its coastal setting and gentle inland elevations. The city is predominantly flat, with its elevation averaging around 66 feet (20 meters) above sea level, allowing for expansive views of the Pacific Ocean along its roughly 3.5 miles of coastline. Inland,…

Average elevation: 32 m

The official elevation is 30 feet (9 m) above sea level, but the city boundaries reach well into the peninsula hills.

Average elevation: 187 m

Annual rainfall totals are highly variable and in exceptional years like 1940–1941 and 1997–1998 over 40 inches (1.0 m) of rain have fallen in a year, but in dry seasons less than 6 inches (150 mm) is not unheard of. Snow sometimes covers higher elevations of the Santa Ynez Mountains but is extremely rare…

Average elevation: 119 m

Los Angeles County's topography is characterized by a diverse landscape that includes coastal plains, mountain ranges, and expansive valleys. The county is situated within the Los Angeles Basin, a large sedimentary basin bounded by the Santa Monica Mountains to the north and the San Gabriel Mountains to the…

Average elevation: 378 m

Tehachapi (/təˈhætʃəpi/ (listen); Kawaiisu: Tihachipia, meaning "hard climb") is a city in Kern County, California, United States, in the Tehachapi Mountains, at an elevation of 3,970 feet (1,210 m), between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert. Tehachapi is 35 miles (56 km) east-southeast of…

Average elevation: 1,414 m

Bishop (formerly Bishop Creek) is a city in California, United States. It is the largest populated place and only incorporated city in Inyo County. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4,150 feet (1,260 m). The city was named after Bishop Creek, flowing out of the…

Average elevation: 1,265 m

Truckee is characterized by its dramatic topography set in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The town sits at an elevation of approximately 5,817 feet (1,774 meters), surrounded by a stunning landscape of rugged mountains, rolling hills, and expansive forested areas. Prominent features include Donner Pass,…

Average elevation: 1,918 m

Average elevation: 9 m

Average elevation: 24 m

Average elevation: 46 m

Average elevation: 24 m

Average elevation: 770 m

Sonoma County, as is often the case with coastal counties in California, has a great degree of climatic variation and numerous, often very different, microclimates. Key determining factors for local climate are proximity to the ocean, elevation, and the presence and elevation of hills or mountains to the east…

Average elevation: 210 m

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.6 square miles (43 km2), of which 10.2 square miles (26 km2) is land and 6.4 square miles (17 km2), or 38.80%, is water. Its elevation is about 6,237 feet (1,901 m) above sea level.

Average elevation: 1,979 m

Average elevation: 143 m

Average elevation: 221 m

Elevations in the city range from 500 feet (150 m) in the lower valley areas to about 800 feet (240 m) near the Verdugo Mountains. Most of Burbank features a water table more than 100 feet (30 m) deep, more than the measures found in the 1940s when the water table was within 50 feet (15 m) of the ground…

Average elevation: 290 m

Average elevation: 133 m

The elevation in Redding is 495 feet (151 meters) on average, whereas anywhere to the north, east, or west of downtown ranges between 550 feet (170 m) and 800 feet (240 m) feet. Southern portions range between 400 feet (120 m) and 500 feet (150 m).

Average elevation: 240 m

Average elevation: 7 m

San Diego County's topography is marked by its dramatic variety, ranging from coastal plains to mountainous regions. The county stretches along California's southern border, with a coastline that includes sandy beaches, cliffs, and bays, such as the iconic San Diego Bay. Inland, the terrain rises into the…

Average elevation: 544 m

Average elevation: 1,074 m

Average elevation: 763 m

Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the point of lowest elevation in North America, at 282 feet (86 m) below sea level. It is 84.6 miles (136.2 km) east-southeast of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States, with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m). On the afternoon of July 10, 1913, the…

Average elevation: 1,085 m

Paradise lies within the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, at an elevation that varies between 900 and 2,300 feet (275 to 700 meters) above sea level. The town is perched on a broad ridge, with steep canyons on either side—these are carved by the Feather River to the east and Butte Creek to the…

Average elevation: 464 m

El Dorado Hills (EDH), as defined by the 2010 census-designated place (CDP), is at the western border of El Dorado County, between the City of Folsom and the unincorporated community of Cameron Park. The northern limits of the CDP are Folsom Lake and the South Fork of the American River, where river rafters…

Average elevation: 254 m

An obscure portion of the Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2) in the San Gabriel Mountains cuts through Pasadena near the Angeles Crest Ranger Station. This 2-mile (3.2 km) stretch of highway in the Angeles National Forest is north of La Cañada Flintridge and west of Mount Wilson and is approximately 3,000 feet (910…

Average elevation: 548 m

Average elevation: 380 m

Average elevation: 65 m

Average elevation: 65 m

The climate in San Diego, like most of Southern California, often varies significantly over short geographical distances, resulting in microclimates. In San Diego, this is mostly because of the city's topography (the Bay, and the numerous hills, mountains, and canyons). Frequently, particularly during the "May…

Average elevation: 125 m

Average elevation: 109 m

Average elevation: 5 m

Average elevation: 220 m

The climate in the San Diego area, like much of California, often varies significantly over short geographical distances, resulting in micro-climates. In San Diego's case, this is mainly due to the city's topography (the Bay, and the numerous hills, mountains, and canyons). Frequently, particularly during the…

Average elevation: 171 m

Kings Canyon is characterized by some of the steepest vertical relief in North America, with numerous peaks over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) on the Sierra Crest along the park's eastern border, falling to 4,500 feet (1,400 m) in the valley floor of Cedar Grove just ten miles (16 km) to the west. The Sierran crest…

Average elevation: 2,591 m

Average elevation: 144 m

Volcano (formerly Soldier's Gulch and The Volcano) is a census-designated place in Amador County, California. It lies at an elevation of 2,070 feet (631 m). The population was 104 at the 2020 census. It is located at 38°26′35″N 120°37′51″W / 38.44306°N 120.63083°W / 38.44306; -120.63083,…

Average elevation: 748 m

Sonora is located at 37°59′04″N 120°22′54″W / 37.984361°N 120.381767°W / 37.984361; -120.381767, around the intersection of California State Highways 49 and 108 The altitude is 1,825 feet (556 m). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles…

Average elevation: 615 m

Several golf courses are located within or straddle the border with San Francisco. The Olympic Club has hosted the USGA U.S. Open five times, most recently in 2012, and will host both the 2028 PGA Championship and the 2032 Ryder Cup. The private San Francisco Golf Club and Lake Merced Golf Club have part or…

Average elevation: 75 m

Average elevation: 209 m

Average elevation: 60 m

Encinitas lies on rugged coastal terrace. The city is bisected by a low-lying coastal ridge that separates New and Old Encinitas. In the north of the city, the coast rises in elevation and the land is raised up in the form of many coastal bluffs. These cliffs are subject to collapsing on the narrow beach. The…

Average elevation: 32 m

The topography of San Ramon is varied, featuring a mix of the rolling hills of the Diablo Range and the flatter basin of the San Ramon Valley. The city is predominantly urban and residential with many new housing developments; however, much of the land around the city's perimeter regions remains undeveloped,…

Average elevation: 210 m

The topography of the sea floor surrounding Crescent City has the effect of focusing tsunamis. According to researchers at Humboldt State University and the University of Southern California, the city experienced tsunami conditions 31 times between the years 1933 and 2008. Although many of these incidents were…

Average elevation: 31 m

Average elevation: 175 m

In the mid-1950s, the Ventura Freeway was completed from Los Angeles to points north, making it an easy one-hour trip to Camarillo. The Old Town was bisect by the Ventura Freeway. On the southern side of the freeway contains a strip of businesses, churches, schools, and parks. The freeway was originally…

Average elevation: 90 m

Average elevation: 20 m

Average elevation: 486 m

Ventura County can be separated into two major parts, East County and West County, which are divided by the Conejo Grade. East County consists of all cities east of the Conejo Grade. Geographically East County is the end of the Santa Monica Mountains, in which the Conejo Valley is located, and where there is a…

Average elevation: 331 m

La Cañada Flintridge varies in elevation from about 970 feet (300 m) just below Devil's Gate Dam in the Arroyo Seco to about 2,400 feet (730 m) at the highest neighborhood, along the mountain front east of Pickens Canyon, at the upper end of Ocean View Blvd. The city limits extend into the San Gabriel…

Average elevation: 503 m