Mountains are wondrous things. They dominate the landscape where they exist. Geologically they are formed from an uplift, either from tectonic plates colliding or an up-welling from beneath the Earth as in a volcano.  Usually they are not alone, although some volcanoes may be. More often they are found in ranges. The Mountains of the USA are varied and prominent especially in the Western part of America where the younger and taller Rockies exist and in the East where the ancient Appalachians are slowly being worn down by erosion.

This installment of the mountains of the USA encompass a huge part of the US, from Colorado and Central California to Hawaii.

Pike’s Peak, Colorado — Looming over Colorado Springs, the state’s second largest city, Pike’s Peak was the inspiration for the song, America the Beautiful.

Pike’s Peak

El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California — Technically not a mountain, this giant, monolithic stone, (like Stone Mountain, Georgia — see earlier post) is nevertheless a significant landmark within Yosemite.

El Capitan

Grand Teton, Wyoming — The impressive Tetons rise abruptly above the relatively flat landscape to towering heights, making them some of the most dramatic mountains on the planet. Grand Teton is the tallest of the group.

Grand Teton

Telescope Mountain, Death Valley National Park, California — Rising above the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, Telescope Mountain looks much taller than it actually is.

Telescope Mountain in the Distance

Red Mountain, Colorado — One of the most prominent peaks along the San Juan Skyway (the Million Dollar Highway) in southwestern Colorado, Red Mountain gets its color from iron oxides.

Red Mountain

Diamond Head, Oahu, Hawaii — This extinct volcanic crater dominates the landscape around Waikiki Beach.

Diamond Head

Mount Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii — The centerpiece of Haleakala National Park is an ancient volcano whose crater is an otherworldly landscape of colorful, dark sands and cinder cones.

Mount Haleakala