Elevation Finder
Click anywhere on the map, search a place or paste coordinates to see the ground elevation above sea level in feet and meters. Drop several pins to compare heights and get an elevation profile with total climb and descent between them.
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Click anywhere to drop a pin. Drag a pin to move it. Pins are joined in order to draw an elevation profile.
Pins
Elevation profile along the pins
Look up many coordinates at once
How to use the Elevation Finder
- Find the area: search a place or address, type coordinates like
39.7392, -104.9903, or press Find my location. - Click the map to drop a pin. Its elevation appears in the panel in feet or meters.
- Drop more pins to compare heights. Drag a pin to move it, or rename it in the list.
- Read the elevation profile below the map to see the terrain between pins, the total climb and the total descent. Hover the chart to see any point.
- Copy or export the coordinates and elevations, or paste a list of coordinates into the batch box to look them all up at once.
How elevation is measured
Each pin's elevation is read from a digital elevation model (DEM): a global grid of ground heights built from satellite radar. This tool uses the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 through the Open-Meteo Elevation API. Heights are given above the EGM2008 geoid, which is a model of mean sea level extended under the continents, so a beach shows about 0 and a desert basin below sea level shows a negative number.
Distances between pins use the haversine great-circle formula on a 6,371 km sphere: d = 2R · asin(√(sin²(Δφ/2) + cos φ₁ · cos φ₂ · sin²(Δλ/2))). Conversions use 1 m = 3.28084 ft and 1 mi = 1,609.344 m.
Reference elevations
| Place | Elevation (ft) | Elevation (m) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Everest summit (Nepal/China) | 29,032 | 8,849 | Highest point on Earth (2020 survey) |
| Denali (Alaska) | 20,310 | 6,190 | Highest point in North America |
| Mount Whitney (California) | 14,505 | 4,421 | Highest point in the contiguous US |
| Leadville (Colorado) | 10,152 | 3,094 | Among the highest incorporated US cities |
| Denver (Colorado) | 5,280 | 1,609 | The "Mile High City" (state capitol step) |
| Badwater Basin (California) | −282 | −86 | Lowest point in North America |
| Dead Sea shore (Israel/Jordan) | about −1,410 | about −430 | Lowest land on Earth; falling every year |
Expect the map value for a sharp summit like Whitney or Everest to come out somewhat lower than the surveyed figure, because a 90 m grid cell averages the peak with the slopes around it.
Tips for better results
- Zoom in before clicking on steep ground. On the Topo layer, contour lines help you place the pin exactly on a summit, saddle or valley floor.
- Plan a hike by dropping pins at the trailhead, junctions and the summit in order. The profile's total climb is a good estimate of the effort, although switchbacks add distance that a straight line between pins does not.
- Use the batch box for survey lists, campsites or a spreadsheet of addresses you have already geocoded, then download the CSV.
- Cooking or baking at altitude? Use the elevation with the High Altitude Baking Calculator. For the height of the spot you are standing on right now, try What Is My Elevation.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the elevation data come from?
Elevations come from the free Open-Meteo Elevation API, which uses the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 global terrain model with about 90 m (300 ft) grid spacing. Only the coordinates you click are sent to look up the height; nothing else about you is shared.
How accurate is the elevation?
For open terrain the value is usually within a few meters of the true ground height. Because each grid cell is about 90 m across, sharp peaks, cliffs, narrow canyons and steep slopes can be off by tens of meters, and summits are often shown a little lower than their surveyed height.
Is this the height of buildings or trees?
The model is designed to represent the bare ground (a digital terrain model), but in dense forest or cities some surface heights can remain in the data. It does not give the height of a building, the floor you are on, or an aircraft's altitude.
What does elevation above sea level mean?
It is the vertical distance from mean sea level to the ground surface. Modern datasets measure it relative to a geoid model (here EGM2008), which approximates where sea level would be under the land. Places below sea level, such as Death Valley or the Dead Sea shore, show negative values.
How is the elevation profile calculated?
The line between your pins is split into about 100 evenly spaced points along great-circle paths, and the elevation of each point is looked up. Total climb adds up every rise between neighboring points and total descent adds up every drop, so the result depends on the 90 m data and the sampling spacing.
Why is my phone's GPS altitude different?
GPS altitude is measured above the WGS84 ellipsoid or converted with a simple geoid model, and its vertical error is often 10–30 m or more. This tool looks up the mapped ground height at the coordinates instead, so it is usually steadier than a phone's GPS reading.
Can I find the elevation of many places at once?
Yes. Open Look up many coordinates at once, paste one latitude and longitude per line with an optional name, and press Find elevations. Up to 50 pins are kept, and you can download them all as CSV.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.