Merced County topographic map

The San Francisco Bay Area is characterized by a diverse and dynamic topography shaped by geological processes over millions of years. This region features a combination of coastal plains, steep hills, and rugged mountains, all influenced by the tectonic activity associated with the nearby San Andreas Fault…

Average elevation: 113 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

Average elevation: 496 m

In January 2006, Ramona Valley was designated the country's 162nd American Viticultural Area (AVA) by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which recognized the area for its distinctive microclimate, elevation, and soil attributes.

Average elevation: 469 m

Cajon Pass (/kəˈhoʊn/; Spanish: Puerto del Cajón or Paso del Cajón) is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in…

Average elevation: 1,169 m

Average elevation: 1,709 m

The highest peaks of the crest of the coast range are located at an average distance from the coast of three and a half miles [5.6 km]. In this distance they rise to elevations of from three thousand six hundred to five thousand feet [1,100 to 1,500 m] above the sea-level. From San Carpoforo Creek to…

Average elevation: 193 m

Average elevation: 282 m

Average elevation: 1,371 m

Average elevation: 367 m

Average elevation: 57 m

Pollock Pines is a census-designated place (CDP) in El Dorado County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. Pollock Pines lies at an elevation of 3,980 feet (1,210 m) in the Sierra Nevada. The population was 6,871 at the 2010 census,…

Average elevation: 1,118 m

Average elevation: 2,082 m

Average elevation: 3,888 m

Average elevation: 3,888 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: 57 m

Average elevation: 938 m

Mount Shasta (Shasta: Waka-nunee-Tuki-wuki; Karuk: Úytaahkoo) is a potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. At an elevation of 14,179 feet (4,321.8 meters), it is the second-highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth-highest in the state. Mount Shasta…

Average elevation: 3,717 m

In the 1860s, San Franciscans began to feel the need for a spacious public park similar to Central Park, which was then taking shape in New York City. Golden Gate Park was carved out of unpromising sand and shore dunes that were known as the Outside Lands, in an unincorporated area west of San Francisco's…

Average elevation: 71 m

Average elevation: 521 m

Groveland is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California. Groveland sits at an elevation of 3,136 feet (956 m). The 2020 United States census reported Groveland's population was 540.

Average elevation: 898 m

Average elevation: 934 m

Average elevation: 950 m

Mount Whitney (Paiute: Tumanguya; Too-man-i-goo-yah) is the highest mountain in the contiguous United States and the Sierra Nevada, with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m). It is in East–Central California, on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, 84.6 miles (136.2 km) west-northwest…

Average elevation: 3,903 m

Average elevation: 1,640 m

Average elevation: 2,124 m

Average elevation: 464 m

Average elevation: 642 m

The highest point in the community is Black Mountain, which rises to an elevation of 1,500 feet (460 m).

Average elevation: 157 m

Average elevation: 65 m

Average elevation: 230 m

Running Springs is a mountain community in the San Bernardino Mountains. It is an inholding in the San Bernardino National Forest. Situated at the junction of State Route 18 and State Route 330, it is a major gateway to the mountain communities of Lake Arrowhead, Arrowbear, Green Valley Lake, and Big Bear and…

Average elevation: 1,673 m

Average elevation: 745 m

Average elevation: 1,126 m

Average elevation: 57 m

Shaver Lake (formerly, Musick Creek and Musick Creek Heights) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 634 at the 2010 census, down from 705 at the 2000 census. Shaver Lake is on the southwest end of the lake of the same name, 10 miles (16 km) east of…

Average elevation: 1,437 m

The Berkeley Hills are bounded by the major Hayward Fault along their western base, and the minor Wildcat fault on their eastern side. The highest peaks are Grizzly Peak with an elevation of 1,754 feet (535 m) and Round Top, an extinct volcano with an elevation of 1,761 feet (537 m) and William Rust Summit at…

Average elevation: 158 m

Average elevation: 2,005 m

Average elevation: 117 m

McKinleyville (formerly Minorsville) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Humboldt County, California McKinleyville is located 5.25 miles (8.4 km) north of Arcata, at an elevation of 141 feet (43 m). The population was 15,177 at the 2010 census, up from 13,599 at the time of the 2000 census.

Average elevation: 49 m

Average elevation: 1,171 m

Groveland-Big Oak Flat is located at 37°50′45″N 120°12′28″W / 37.845867°N 120.207697°W / 37.845867; -120.207697. Elevation is 867 m (2,846 ft).

Average elevation: 809 m

Average elevation: 197 m

Average elevation: 1,977 m

Bodie (/ˈboʊdiː/ BOH-dee) is a ghost town in the Bodie Hills east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Mono County, California, United States. It is about 75 miles (121 km) southeast of Lake Tahoe, and 12 mi (19 km) east-southeast of Bridgeport, at an elevation of 8,379 feet (2554 m). Bodie became a boom…

Average elevation: 2,627 m

Average elevation: 98 m

Average elevation: 45 m

Average elevation: 34 m

Average elevation: 981 m

The Half Dome Cable Route hike runs from the valley floor to the top of the dome in 8.2 mi (13 km) (via the Mist Trail), with 4,800 ft (1,460 m) of elevation gain. The length and difficulty of the trail used to keep it less crowded than other park trails, but in recent years the trail traffic has grown to as…

Average elevation: 1,887 m

Average elevation: 1,560 m

Average elevation: -1 m

Average elevation: 2,011 m

Average elevation: 201 m

Lassen Peak (/ˈlæsən/ LASS-ən), commonly referred to as Mount Lassen, is a 10,457 ft (3,187 m) lava dome volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. Located in the Shasta Cascade region above the northern Sacramento Valley, it is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range of…

Average elevation: 2,689 m

Average elevation: 186 m

Average elevation: 271 m

Average elevation: 511 m

Average elevation: 3,805 m

Average elevation: 383 m

The resort is 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of Yosemite Village, at an elevation of 4,003 feet (1,220 m), and occupies a central position in the Yosemite Valley. It lies on a talus cone of debris from old rockfalls.

Average elevation: 1,621 m

Average elevation: 1,087 m

Average elevation: 484 m

Average elevation: 514 m

Average elevation: 42 m

Average elevation: 200 m

Average elevation: 268 m

Average elevation: 3,281 m

Average elevation: 1,904 m

Average elevation: 1,680 m

Average elevation: 57 m

The area is surrounded on the southwest by the Santa Rosa Mountains, by the San Jacinto Mountains to the west, the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the east and San Gorgonio Mountain to the north. These mountains peak at around 11,000 feet (3,400 m) and tend to average between 5,000 and 7,000 feet (1,500 and…

Average elevation: 72 m

Average elevation: 1,241 m

Average elevation: 36 m

Average elevation: 1 m

Average elevation: 155 m

Average elevation: 671 m

Average elevation: 2,164 m

Average elevation: 2,955 m

Average elevation: 150 m

Average elevation: 1,757 m

Average elevation: 1,434 m

Average elevation: 347 m

Average elevation: 144 m

Average elevation: 1,304 m

Average elevation: 28 m

Average elevation: 1,676 m

Average elevation: 471 m

Average elevation: 324 m

Average elevation: 393 m

Average elevation: 943 m

Swall Meadows sits partway up the Sherwin Grade below the Wheeler Crest of the eastern Sierra Nevada, at an elevation range of approximately 6,000 to 7,000 feet (1,800 to 2,100 m). It is in pinon-juniper/subalpine zone habitat, with views south along the Sierra Crest of Mt. Tom, and east across the Owens…

Average elevation: 2,086 m

Average elevation: 664 m

Average elevation: 649 m

Average elevation: 540 m

Average elevation: 19 m

Average elevation: 599 m

San Jacinto Peak is one of the most topographically prominent peaks in the United States, and is ranked the sixth most prominent peak in the 48 contiguous states. According to John W. Robinson and Bruce D. Risher, authors of The San Jacintos, "No Southern California hiker worth his salt would miss climbing…

Average elevation: 2,880 m

Average elevation: 35 m

Average elevation: 158 m