When you ask someone about the tallest mountain in the United States of America, they usually give you one of two answers. If they’re a trivia buff, they’ll shout "Denali!" with total confidence. If they’re trying to be a smart-aleck, they might mention Mauna Kea in Hawaii, arguing it’s actually taller if you count the stuff underwater.
Honestly? They’re both right, but for very different reasons.
But here’s the thing. Most people don't realize that the "height" of a mountain depends entirely on how you hold the ruler. If we’re talking about the highest point above sea level—the one that actually makes your lungs burn and your head spin from lack of oxygen—there is only one king.
The Absolute King: Denali
Standing at a staggering 20,310 feet ($6,190$ meters) above sea level, Denali is the undisputed heavyweight champion. It’s located in the heart of the Alaska Range and serves as the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.
For a long time, the federal government called it Mount McKinley. That name came from a gold prospector in 1896 who wanted to support then-presidential candidate William McKinley. But the local Koyukon Athabascan people had been calling it Denali—meaning "The High One"—for centuries. In 2015, the name was officially changed back.
Why Denali is "Taller" Than Everest (Sorta)
This is where it gets wild. Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world at $29,032$ feet. However, Everest sits on top of the Tibetan Plateau, which is already about $14,000$ feet high.
Denali, on the other hand, rises from a plain that's only about $2,000$ feet high.
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Basically, the vertical rise of Denali from its base to its peak is about $18,000$ feet. Everest’s vertical rise is "only" about $12,000$ to $15,000$ feet. If you’re standing at the bottom looking up, Denali actually looks more imposing than the world's highest peak.
It’s just a massive wall of rock and ice.
The "Technically Taller" Contender: Mauna Kea
You’ve probably heard the argument that Mauna Kea in Hawaii is the real tallest mountain in the United States of America.
If you measure from the very bottom (the ocean floor) to the top, Mauna Kea is over $33,500$ feet tall. That is significantly taller than Denali and Everest. However, only 13,803 feet of it are above sea level.
Unless you’re a submarine or a very adventurous crab, you’re only going to experience about $40%$ of that mountain. In the world of geography and mountaineering, we usually stick to "elevation above sea level" because that’s the part that affects weather, biology, and human survival.
What It’s Actually Like on the Mountain
Climbing Denali is no joke. It’s often considered the coldest mountain in the world outside of Antarctica because of its high latitude ($63^{\circ}$ North).
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I’ve talked to climbers who say the "feels like" temperature at the summit can easily drop to $-50$ or $-60$ degrees Fahrenheit. Because it's so far north, the barometric pressure is lower than it would be at the equator. This makes the air feel even thinner than the $20,310$-foot elevation suggests.
- The Success Rate: Only about $50%$ of people who try to summit actually make it.
- The Time: It usually takes $2$ to $3$ weeks to reach the top. You can't just run up; you have to spend days sitting in a tent waiting for your body to create more red blood cells so you don't pass out.
- The Gear: You aren't just carrying a backpack. You’re usually wearing a heavy pack and towing a plastic sled full of food and fuel behind you.
It's a slog. A cold, beautiful, exhausting slog.
The Pretty Rocks Problem
If you’re planning to visit the tallest mountain in the United States of America in 2026, you need to know about the road.
The Denali Park Road is the only way into the heart of the park. Since 2021, a massive landslide at "Pretty Rocks" (Mile 43) has cut the road in half. As of early 2026, the bridge construction is still underway. This means you can't drive or take a bus to the famous reflection ponds at Wonder Lake like people used to.
You have to fly in on a small ski plane if you want to see the north face up close.
The Runner-Ups (The Best of the Rest)
While Denali takes the gold, Alaska basically owns the entire leaderboard. In fact, the top ten tallest mountains in the U.S. are all in Alaska.
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- Mount Saint Elias: $18,008$ feet. It sits right on the border of Alaska and Canada. It’s famous for being one of the highest peaks so close to the ocean.
- Mount Foraker: $17,400$ feet. Often called "Denali's Wife" by the local Indigenous groups.
- Mount Whitney: $14,505$ feet. Finally, a mountain not in Alaska! This is the tallest point in the "Lower 48" states, located in California.
It’s kind of funny—Mount Whitney is a massive deal in California, but if you moved it to Alaska, it wouldn't even crack the top 10.
A Quick Reality Check on "Shrinking" Mountains
You might see older textbooks saying Denali is $20,320$ feet.
In 2015, the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) used GPS technology to get a more accurate reading. They found the mountain was actually 20,310 feet. The mountain didn't actually shrink; we just got better at measuring it. Ten feet might not seem like much when you're four miles up, but to geographers, that's a huge correction.
Actionable Tips for Seeing the Peak
Most people who go to Alaska never actually see Denali. It’s so big it creates its own weather, and it’s covered in clouds about $70%$ of the time.
If you want the best chance of seeing the tallest mountain in the United States of America, keep these things in mind:
- Go to Talkeetna: This little town south of the park is the base for flightseeing tours. Even if the mountain is "clouded in" at the park entrance, a plane can often fly you above the clouds to see the summit.
- Wake up at 3:00 AM: The air is usually clearest in the very early morning before the sun starts heating up the glaciers and creating "mountain clouds."
- Visit in late August: The bugs are gone, the tundra is turning bright red and orange, and the weather is often more stable than in mid-summer.
Next Steps for Your Trip:
Check the current status of the Denali Park Road bridge project on the official NPS website before booking your shuttle tickets. If you're looking for the most iconic view, consider a "flightseeing" tour out of Talkeetna that includes a glacier landing; it's the only way to truly feel the scale of the $20,310$-foot summit without spending three weeks on a rope team.