One of the general goals we have for our travels with Loki is to get to the highest point, or the summit, in each State of the United States. Clearly this is a massive range from 345 feet in Florida to the 20,310 feet of Mount Denali in Alaska, so accessibility varies tremendously, but we thought for comic relief we would also create a “lowest point” list. These are much easier than our Highest Point in Each State list.
Lowest Point by State
Complete list of the official lowest points in each U.S. state, with elevations and accessibility notes. Many coastal states are at sea level (0 ft), and most low points are much easier to reach than high points!
| State | Lowest Point | Elevation (ft) | Accessibility Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Gulf of Mexico | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the Gulf coast. |
| Alaska | Pacific Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Arizona | Colorado River | 70 | Easy: Accessible by road near the border. |
| Arkansas | Ouachita River | 55 | Easy: Along the river at Louisiana border. |
| California | Badwater Basin in Death Valley | -282 | Easy: Paved road and short walk/boardwalk in national park. |
| Colorado | Arikaree River | 3,317 | Moderate: Remote dirt roads in eastern Colorado. |
| Connecticut | Long Island Sound | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Delaware | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Florida | Atlantic Ocean / Gulf of Mexico | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Georgia | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Hawaii | Pacific Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Idaho | Snake River (Lewiston) | 710 | Easy: Accessible in Lewiston area. |
| Illinois | Mississippi River (Cairo) | 279 | Easy: At the confluence near Cairo. |
| Indiana | Ohio River | 320 | Easy: Along the river border. |
| Iowa | Mississippi River (Keokuk) | 480 | Easy: Along the river. |
| Kansas | Verdigris River | 679 | Easy: Along the river near Oklahoma border. |
| Kentucky | Mississippi River | 257 | Easy: At Kentucky Bend. |
| Louisiana | New Orleans | -8 | Easy: Within city limits (below sea level areas). |
| Maine | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Maryland | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Massachusetts | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Michigan | Lake Erie | 571 | Very easy: Shore of Lake Erie. |
| Minnesota | Lake Superior | 601 | Very easy: Shore of Lake Superior. |
| Mississippi | Gulf of Mexico | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the Gulf coast. |
| Missouri | St. Francis River | 230 | Easy: Along the river at Arkansas border. |
| Montana | Kootenai River | 1,800 | Easy: Along the river near Idaho border. |
| Nebraska | Missouri River | 840 | Easy: Along the river at southeast border. |
| Nevada | Colorado River | 479 | Easy: Along the river near California border. |
| New Hampshire | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the short coast. |
| New Jersey | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| New Mexico | Red Bluff Reservoir | 2,842 | Easy: At the reservoir on Texas border. |
| New York | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| North Carolina | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| North Dakota | Red River of the North | 750 | Easy: Along the river valley. |
| Ohio | Ohio River | 455 | Easy: Along the river at Indiana border. |
| Oklahoma | Little River | 289 | Easy: Along the river at Arkansas border. |
| Oregon | Pacific Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Pennsylvania | Delaware River | 0 | Very easy: Sea level at the river mouth. |
| Rhode Island | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| South Carolina | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| South Dakota | Big Stone Lake | 966 | Easy: At the lake on Minnesota border. |
| Tennessee | Mississippi River | 178 | Easy: Along the river at Mississippi border. |
| Texas | Gulf of Mexico | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the Gulf coast. |
| Utah | Beaver Dam Wash | 2,000 | Easy: Remote area near Arizona border. |
| Vermont | Lake Champlain | 95 | Very easy: Shore of Lake Champlain. |
| Virginia | Atlantic Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| Washington | Pacific Ocean | 0 | Very easy: Sea level along the coast. |
| West Virginia | Potomac River | 240 | Easy: At Harpers Ferry. |
| Wisconsin | Lake Michigan | 579 | Very easy: Shore of Lake Michigan. |
| Wyoming | Belle Fourche River | 3,099 | Easy: Along the river near South Dakota border. |
Enjoy your lowpointing adventures—these are generally much easier than the high points!
This is a relatively new idea for us, so as we get photos of each summit we will link each post to the list above. Until then, enjoy the list as inspiration.
Other Travel Lists
Below are some of the other travel related lists we are working on as well.