Extreme points of the United States Totally Explained

Everything about Extreme Points Of The United States totally explained

This is a list of the extreme points of the United States, the points that are farther north, south, east, or west than any other location in the country. Also included are extreme points in elevation. ť There are a number of different interpretations for "easternmost" and "westernmost"; see below for full treatment.

Northernmost

Point Barrow, Alaska (71°23'N) — northernmost point in all of US territory
Barrow, Alaska — northernmost town in all of US territory and most northerly community on the North American mainland.
Northwest Angle, Minnesota (49°23' 4.1"N) — northernmost point in the 48 contiguous states

Southernmost

Rose Atoll, American Samoa (14°34'S) — southernmost point in all of US territory

Ka Lae, Hawaii (18°55'N) — southernmost point in the 50 states

Naalehu, Hawaii — southernmost town in the 50 states

Kaalaulu, Hawaii - southernmost town/city in the 50 states

Ballast Key, Florida — southernmost point in the 48 contiguous states continuously above water

Key West, Florida — the southernmost city in the 48 contiguous states

Cape Sable, Florida (25°7'N) — southernmost point on the US mainland

Easternmost

Point Udall, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands (64°34'W) — easternmost point in all of US territory, by direction of travel

Sail Rock (66° 56' 52.08"W), just offshore of West Quoddy Head, Maine (66°57'W) — easternmost point in the 50 states, by direction of travel

West Quoddy Head, Maine (66°57'W) — easternmost point on the US mainland

Lubec, Maine — easternmost town in the 50 states

Pochnoi Point, Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska (179°46'E) — easternmost point in all of US territory, by longitude

Wake Island (166°39'E) — first sunrise (at equinox) in all of US territory

Westernmost

Udall Point, Guam — westernmost point in all of US territory, by direction of travel

Peaked Island, offshore from Cape Wrangell, Attu Island, Alaska (172°26'E) — westernmost point in the 50 states, by direction of travel, and last sunset (at equinox) in all of US territory

Adak, Alaska — westernmost town in the 50 states, by direction of travel

Amatignak Island, Alaska (179°6'W) — westernmost point in all of US territory, by longitude

Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska (168°7'W) — westernmost point on the North American continent

Bodelteh Islands offshore from Cape Alava, Washington (124°46'W) — westernmost point in the 48 contiguous states

Cape Alava (during low tide) and tie between Cape Alava and Cape Flattery (during high tide) - westernmost point on the U.S. mainland (contiguous)

Ozette, Washington — westernmost town in the 48 contiguous states

Extremes in elevation

Mount McKinley, Alaska (20,320 feet; 6,194 meters) — highest point in all of US territory

Mount Whitney, California (14,505 feet; 4,421 meters) — highest point in the 48 contiguous states

Winter Park, Colorado (12,060 feet; 3,676 meters) — highest town in all of US territory

Alma, Colorado (10,355 feet; 3,156 meters) — highest town with permanent residents above 10,000 ft.

Leadville, Colorado (10,152 feet; 3,094 meters) — highest city in all of US territory

Badwater Basin (Death Valley), California (−282 feet; −86 meters) — lowest point in all of US territory

Calipatria, California (−184 feet; −56 meters) — lowest city in all of US territory

Other

Most remote point in all of US territory: Ipnavik River, National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska, ; 120 miles (195 km) from nearest habitation

Geographic center of the 50 states: approximately 20 miles (34 km) north of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, at

Geographic center of the 48 contiguous states: approximately 4 miles (6 km) west of Lebanon, Kansas, at

Interpretation of "easternmost" and "westernmost"

There are three methods for reckoning the eastern and western extremes of the United States.
   One method is to use the Prime Meridian as the dividing line between east and west. This meridian running through Greenwich, England, is defined as 0 degrees longitude and could be called the least eastern and least western place in the world. The 180th meridian, on the opposite side of the globe, is therefore the easternmost and westernmost place in the world.
   Another method is to use the International Date Line as the easternmost–westernmost extreme. On the equinox, the easternmost place would be where the day first begins, and the westernmost is where the day last ends.
   Still another method is to first determine the geographic center of the country and from there measure the shortest distance to every other point. All US territory is spread across less than 180° of longitude, so from any spot in the US it's more direct to reach Point Udall, US Virgin Islands, by travelling east than by travelling west. Likewise, there isn't a single point in US territory from which heading east is a shorter route to Udall Point, Guam, than heading west would be, even accounting for circumpolar routes.

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