Cockscomb 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: 63 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

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

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

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

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

There are two major valleys in the park, Death Valley and Panamint Valley. Both of these valleys were formed within the last few million years and both are bounded by north–south-trending mountain ranges. These and adjacent valleys follow the general trend of Basin and Range topography with one modification:…

Average elevation: 1,171 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

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: 111 m

Average elevation: 98 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

Average elevation: 146 m

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 994 square miles (2,570 km2), of which 965 square miles (2,500 km2) is land and 29 square miles (75 km2) (3.0%) is water. Most of the county is at an elevation close to sea level, with some areas below sea level. The highest point in the…

Average elevation: 62 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

Average elevation: 10 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

Average elevation: 10 m

Average elevation: 89 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: 54 m

Average elevation: 26 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: 264 m

Average elevation: 1,188 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

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

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

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

Average elevation: 186 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: 140 m

Average elevation: 30 m

The Angeles National Forest manages the habitats, flora and fauna ecosystems, and watersheds. Some of the rivers with watersheds within its boundaries provide valuable non-groundwater recharge water for Southern California. The existing protected and restored native vegetation absorb and slow surface runoff of…

Average elevation: 782 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

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: 46 m

Average elevation: 454 m

Average elevation: 89 m

Due to its topography of rolling hills, Chino Hills was primarily rural prior to the mid-1970s; most land was utilized for equestrian purposes and for dairies, except for the multi-use purposes of the State of California, promoting jobs for the community through day labor from the Chino Institute for Men on…

Average elevation: 255 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: 60 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: 63 m

Average elevation: 20 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

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

Average elevation: 136 m

Average elevation: 133 m

Centerville was the main town in Washington Township. Centerville is located at 37°33′15″N 121°59′57″W / 37.55417°N 121.99917°W / 37.55417; -121.99917 (Centerville). It lies at an elevation of 52 feet (16 m). Centerville was started by George Lloyd who started selling cold beer to stage…

Average elevation: 93 m

Average elevation: 102 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: 18 m

Average elevation: 69 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

Nordhoff Ridge, the western extension of the Topatopa Mountains, towers over the north side of the valley at more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Sulphur Mountain creates the southern ranges bounding the Ojai Valley, a little under 3,000 feet (910 m) in elevation. The Sulphur and Topatopa mountains are part of the…

Average elevation: 289 m

The coastal zone of the county experiences very wet, cool winters and dry, mild foggy summers. In the winter, temperatures range from highs of 40–59 °F (4–15 °C) to lows of 32–49 °F (0–9 °C). Coastal summers are cool to mild, with average highs of 60–69 °F (16–21 °C) and frequent fogs.…

Average elevation: 540 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

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

Average elevation: 276 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

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: 763 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: 25 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

Average elevation: 45 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: 133 m

Average elevation: 84 m

Average elevation: 527 m

Average elevation: 160 m

Average elevation: 571 m

Average elevation: 659 m

Average elevation: 118 m

Average elevation: 461 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

Average elevation: 24 m

Average elevation: 136 m

Average elevation: 387 m

Average elevation: 219 m

Average elevation: 82 m

Average elevation: 770 m

Average elevation: 85 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

Lone Pine is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. Lone Pine is located 16 mi (26 km) south-southeast of Independence, at an elevation of 3,727 ft (1,136 m). The population was 2,035 at the 2010 census, up from 1,655 at the 2000 census. The town is located in the Owens…

Average elevation: 1,298 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

Average elevation: 92 m

Average elevation: 52 m

Average elevation: 77 m

Average elevation: 109 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: 175 m

Average elevation: 66 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: 90 m

Average elevation: 52 m

Napa is warmer in the summer than Sonoma County, to the west, or Santa Barbara County, a wine-producing county in southern California. Thus, the Napa wineries favor varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, while Pinot noir and Chardonnay are more the specialty of Sonoma and Santa Barbara wineries. At the north…

Average elevation: 232 m

Average elevation: 1,074 m

Fort Yuma is located on the banks of the Colorado River in Winterhaven, California. First established after the end of the Mexican–American War in 1848, it was originally located in the bottoms near the Colorado River, less than 1 mile (1.6 km) below the mouth of the Gila River. It was to defend the newly…

Average elevation: 190 m

Average elevation: 1,228 m