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altitude.elevation

California Towns Listed by Elevation California Mountains California Deserts

Elevation = Vegetation

The extreme terrain of California suprises many newcomers as to how different one part of the state looks to another. Below is a general overview on elevation pertaining to most California landscapes. Western mountain slopes are greener & get more moisture from the west, plus the first rains of a storm. The lower altitude coastal foothill mountains can get a lot of moisture. The Eastern slopes are drier and face the desert. Desert Mountain regions are quite different. Most dry ranges are in the "rain-shadow" of the taller Sierra Nevada mountain range and get very little moisture.

10' - 2000' elevation

coastline areas cities / suburbs - population centers in California rolling foothills of seashore central valley agricultural areas / farms dry chaparral tall redwoods trees - Northern California wildflowers in spring, oak hills north central valley - more vegetation	coastal country city

2000' - 4000' elevation

foothills of mountains inland areas above the suburbs rolling hills countryside lakes & reservoirs farming & livestock horse stables dry chaparral manzanita oak trees meadows rivers & creeks some pine trees wildflowers in spring creek side areas: alder ash birch cottonwood maple sycamore	Kernville Kern River Julian Descanso Tecate, BC MX Springville Eastern Sierra Historic Gold Country Ranch Cuyamaca SP Cleveland National Forest Inyo National Forest Burney Quincy Crestline Inyo National Forest

4000' - 6000' elevation

mountainous terrain usual snow level for winter storms reservoirs & some natural lakes creeks & rivers pine trees cedar pines jeffrey pines ponderosa pines sequoia trees oaks wildflowers in spring & summer	Idyllwild Gold Lake Lake Almanor Dardanelle Twain Harte Sequoia National Forest Cleveland National Forest Inyo National Forest El Dorado National Forest Los Padres National Forest Eastern Sierra Pine Mountain Club Frazier Park Monache Meadows Camp Nelson Alta Sierra Truckee

6000' - 9000' elevation

considered high-mountains, sub-alpine decent snow during winter months lakes & reservoirs pine trees cedar pines jeffrey pines sequoias oak trees wildflowers in summer	Mount Baldy Huntington Lake Shaver Lake Eastern Sierra Wishon Reservoir Courtright Reservoir El Dorado National Forest Sierra National Forest Los Padres National Forest Kennedy Meadows

9000' - 10,000' elevation

mountain meadows, sub-alpine snow during many months streams & waterfalls lakes pine trees cedar pines wildflowers in summer little ground vegetation	Aspendell Coyote Flats Eastern Sierra

 

10,000' - 14,000' elevation

considered - alpine level snow & ice during most months alpine lakes pine trees cedar pines bristlecone pines very little ground vegetation