Sierra Nevada

mountains · California · geology

Massive mountain chain. The Sierra Nevada stretches for about 400 miles along California's eastern edge, making it one of North America's longest mountain ranges. Most of it sits in California, though a small piece called the Carson Range dips into Nevada.

Higher than most peaks. Many of the Sierra Nevada's mountains reach above 10,000 feet, with Mount Whitney being the tallest mountain in the continental United States at 14,505 feet tall. You could stand on a beach in California and look east to see these snow-capped giants.

Two different worlds. The Sierra Nevada sits between California's flat Central Valley on one side and the dry Great Basin desert on the other. This position makes it a natural wall that changes where rain falls and what plants and animals live on each side.

Part of the Americas. The Sierra Nevada is one piece of the American Cordillera, which is an almost unbroken chain of mountain ranges running from Canada all the way down through Central and South America. It's like the mountains form a giant backbone down the western side of the continents.

Home to special places. The Sierra Nevada includes famous areas like Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, and the giant sequoia groves, making it one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world.