Skip to content

Center Peak

Center Peak, seen from above at true elevation

Center Peak rises to 3,880 m in California. Mount Williamson stands 4,383 m to the south-southeast, 5.4 miles off. The nearest named place is Mount Bradley, a peak 1.4 miles away.

The story

Center Peak is a 12,760-foot-elevation (3,890-meter) mountain summit located one mile west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in the northeast corner of Tulare County in northern California. It is situated in eastern Kings Canyon National Park, 11 miles (18 km) southwest of the community of Independence, 1.8 miles (2.9 km) south of University Peak, and two miles north of Forester Pass. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 2,230 feet (680 meters) above Bubbs Creek in one mile. The John Muir Trail which traverses below the west slope of this remote peak provides an approach.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Wikidata Q35733479, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

What the record says

Elevation
3880 m

How to reach it

Coordinates36.72193, -118.36264

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
Springs: 27
Attractions: 26
  • Cyclops Skull Arch: 14.1 mi
  • Boot Arch: 14.1 mi
  • Chicken Ranch: 14.2 mi
  • Man of Steel (movie site): 14.4 mi
  • Iron Man (movie site): 14.8 mi
Historic sites: 23
  • Donald Downs Plaque: 2.2 mi
  • Shorty's Vidette Meadow Cabin: 3.1 mi
  • Shorty's Sphinx Creek Cabin: 9.2 mi
  • Shorty's Bubbs Creek Cabin: 10.1 mi
  • Shorty's Gardiner Basin Cabin: 10.4 mi
Waterfalls: 17
Cliffs: 12
  • Ebersbacher Ledges: 11.2 mi
  • Paul's Paradise: 15.5 mi
  • Muro Blanco: 15.7 mi
  • Valhalla: 16.2 mi
  • Southern Blonde Rock: 16.7 mi
Gardens: 11
  • Bk 34 Mess Hall Garden: 11.2 mi
  • Japanese Garden: 11.3 mi
  • Rose Garden: 11.3 mi
  • Bk 12 Mess Hall Garden: 11.3 mi
  • Arai Pond: 11.4 mi
Natural arches: 8
  • Whitney Portal Arch: 14.1 mi
  • Lathe Arch: 15.1 mi
  • Mobius Arch: 15.1 mi
  • Heart Arch: 15.2 mi
  • Hitching Post Arch: 16.4 mi
Museums: 5
Parks: 5
Picnic sites: 4
  • Whitney Portal Picnic Area: 11.5 mi
  • Grizzly Falls Picnic Area: 21.8 mi
  • Halstead Meadow Picnic Area: 24.6 mi
  • Pinewood Picnic Area: 24.6 mi
Ghost towns: 3
Rest areas: 2
Artworks: 2
  • Paiute Mural: 11.4 mi
  • Miss Alabama: 17.0 mi
Hot springs: 1

Other summits around it

The highest named summits within 9.7 miles of Center Peak. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Mount WilliamsonSSE 148°4,383 m5.4 mi
Mount TyndallSSE 163°4,275 m4.8 mi
Mount BarnardSSE 161°4,266 m6.8 mi
Mount StanfordSW 236°4,260.2 m2.2 mi
Gregory's MonumentSW 233°4,254.4 m2.3 mi
Mount KeithSE 145°4,249 m1.8 mi
Trojan PeakSSE 154°4,245 m6.1 mi
Mount MorgensonSSE 159°4,244 m9.7 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox06:5818:3119:06
June solstice05:3619:3820:16
September equinox06:4218:1818:52
December solstice07:0316:0116:42

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F444754606979858376645243
Precip in1.40.90.70.20.10.10.10.10.10.20.50.9

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Independence, 10 mi away.

Inside the official boundary of Kings Canyon National Park.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikidata
  • USGS Geographic Names Information System feature 258172 — Center Peak, Tulare County, California.

OpenStreetMap element node/358797222

More peaks in California

Day trips start here

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Center Peak.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens