Sierra Nevada Mountains

Located primarily in California, USA, the Sierra Nevada span a north-south range of 400 miles north-south with a width between 50 and 80 miles. The tallest peak in the contiguous US, Mount Whitney (14,505 ft), is in the Sierra. The Sierra Nevada is home to three national parks, 26 wilderness areas, 10 national forests, and two national monuments. The term “Sierra Nevada” was a general term used by Spanish explorers to describe “snowy mountains.”