Utah Has The 5th Highest Low Spot In The Nation, California Wins High and Low

You probably know that the highest peak in Utah is King’s Peak—well, maybe you don’t! We often hiked it when I was a teen as a task of accomplishment. I honestly thought at one point in my naïve youth that since I had summited King’s Peak, I’d be a candidate for Everest. Such a newb.

But did you know that Utah’s lowest point is only the fifth-lowest spot in the U.S.? Did I say that confusingly enough? Let’s start with the definition of Utah’s lowest point: it’s at 2,000 feet above sea level. Utah ranks as the fifth-highest state overall, meaning only four states have a higher low point. And interestingly, about ten states have highest points that are actually lower than Utah’s low point.

No wonder Utah’s slogan is "Life Elevated!"

If you want to visit Utah’s lowest point, it’s just north of Arizona’s Beaver Dam on your way to Mesquite. The spot lies on the border of Utah and Arizona in the Beaver Dam Wash. There isn’t really a road to it, and definitely not a sign honoring the spot, but you can see it if you look west while traveling down Old Highway 91 on your way to Beaver Dam.

Read More: SURPRISED? This is the LONELIEST City in Utah

Now, that might be brag-worthy, but California has a unique claim to fame with both the tallest and lowest spots in the continental U.S. Just head over to Mount Whitney at 14,505 feet, and then drop down the road to the east just 135 miles to find the lowest point in the country at Badwater Basin, sitting at -282 feet, this is 282 feet below sea level. Now that’s an extreme elevation difference.