What is the Northern Most State in the U.S.? This is not so much of a trial as I live in northern Minnesota, about 4 hours from The Lake of the Woods. On a globe, you can get a better sense for how far out in the Pacific Ocean the state is. While somewhat counterintuitive, The Portland thats located in Oregon is farther north than the one found in Maine. Much of the US/Canada border is set at the 49th parallel. Cape Wrangell, Alaska, is 172 degrees 27 minutes. Ive heard it is a great place for fishing and that the fall colors are beautiful. Located at 492304.1N 95912.2W, Northwest Angle is situated on the northern side of the Lake of the Woods County in the State of Minnesota. Snow is in the forecast for East Idaho until the middle of the week. Every time another vehicle passed me, I slowed down and slightly pull to the side because I was afraid that they would inadvertently throw a pebble and possibly crack my windshield. From the original northernmost point of the Angle Inlet, the border dropped due south to the 49th parallel. Cape Alava in the state of Washington is actually more western, coming in at 124 degrees 44 minutes west. This caused cartographers to believe Lake of the Woods, and, by extension, the Northwest Angle, wereadjacent to theMississippi Headwaters. Here is a map of what they found. US maps can be a bit deceiving, and to some, it might look like Cape Mendocino, the westernmost point in California, is the farthest west of the 48 states. Phil. The contiguous United States, if it were a country, would be placed fifth on the list of countries and dependencies by area. Have you accounted for all the possible technicalities? This 116 square mile section of land is only part of the United States due to an incorrect understanding of where the source of the Mississippi River was and a mistake made by the first mapmakers in the area. At the age of 16, my family settled down, and I continued solo traveling along for almost ten years until returning home. Maybe 2023. These probably seem like easy questions. What distinguishes Olympia, Washington From other American cities? In the past, the word dominion was used to describe [], (Last Updated On: June 1, 2018) Long hours, stressful work, and constant ridicule. Alaska is the US state that is the farthest north and the farthest west. The contiguous United States is also known as the Conterminous United States or the Lower 48. Very clear and exactly like we all experience when we come up to the cabin. Turned out it was Yosemite National Park. It becomes less obvious, however, when you are just considering the 48 contiguous states. Note that it's only 480 feet farther west than the point near Cape Flattery, about 20 miles north. The Aleutian Islands cross longitude 180, so Alaska can be considered the easternmost state as well as the westernmost. Point Arena is in north-central California, about 125 miles north of San Francisco. - northernmost incorporated place in the 48 contiguous states Lynden, Washington 485643N 1222710W - northernmost city of more than 10,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states Bellingham, Washington 484519.12N 1222843.54W - northernmost city of more than 50,000 residents in the 48 contiguous states These maps show the contiguous 48 states and D.C., but not Alaska and Hawaii. The world is a sphere (or oblate spheroid if we want to get technical). It was almost 11 pm by the time I made it back to the US border so the only open border checkpoint was Interstate 29. It is the only point in the continental United States that lies north of the 49th Parallel. Farthest Points in the Lower 48 States The northernmost state is Minnesota at Angle Inlet (49 degrees 23 minutes north.) Hawaii Is the southernmost state. What is the northernmost point of the United States? Its mostly Canadian summer cottages, but there are about 1000 full time residents. Not part of any continent, Hawaii is located in the Pacific Ocean, about 2,200 miles (3,541km) from North America and almost halfway to Asia. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Throughout the revolution, Seasonally, youd probably get more out of Oregons coast. When I was a teacher, I spent long hours crafting my lesson plans and designing my own worksheets, instead of using the provided textbooks. Northernmost Point In The 48 Contiguous States: Northwest Angle Inlet, Minnesota The Northwest Angle is part of Minnesota's Lake of the Woods County. Because Alaska is also a part of North America, the term continental United States also includes that state, so the term is qualified with the explicit inclusion of Alaska to resolve any ambiguity. Or west? Still another method is to first determine the geographic center of the country and from there measure the shortest distance to every other point. If a package is sent nearby (e.g., Zone 1 or Zone 2), it will almost always arrive in fewer days than a package sent to a higher zone, like 7 or 8. Going back, youre supposed to call to report to the Canadian authorities at the same phone booth but I was put on hold for over an hour. What Is a Dominion? To do that, be ready toshow a passport or otherform of approved, border-crossing identification. All U.S. territory is spread across less than 180 of longitude, so from any spot in the U.S. it is more direct to reach the easternmost point, Point Udall, U.S. Virgin Islands, by traveling east than by traveling west. The Wilderness Act of 1964 sets aside areas of federal land, mostly in the mountains, where nature reigns supreme and no powered travel is permitted. My father bought the lot and some acreage up there before the road was built, so it was even more of an adventure the first time I went up there. Which is the southernmost state in the United States? It becomes less obvious, however, when you are just considering the 48 contiguous states. There are many people who come for the same reason. Once you finally arrive at the buoy, there was absolutely no line waiting to take a picture with it vs. the Southernmost on in Key West. United States News & World Report ranked Maine as the 1st overall safest state to live, (also 1st in the list of low violent . We are also hoping to visit American Island where the center piece of the Sunsweep Sculpture was placed. [3], There are a number of different interpretations for "easternmost" and "westernmost"; see, List of extreme points of the United States, Interpretation of easternmost and westernmost, Downtown Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, geographic center of 48 contiguous states, Geographic center of the North American continent, Sounding at 46 54' 31"N, 86 35' 52"W, on NOAA chart 14963, Grand Marais to Big Bay Point, scale 1:120,000, 2006. Farthest South Take Hawaii away however, and Florida is left as the southernmost point. Look closely at Minnesota, and you will notice that a small part of the state juts out northward. in the state of Washington is actually more western, coming in at 124 degrees 44 minutes west. People can visit Massacre Island, where 21 explorers were killed by Dakota Native Americans who believed theyd sold guns to the tribe's enemies. Im map-obsessed myself, and I know that when I check out these extreme points, Ill just HAVE to stand as close as possible to the real spot! At times, Washington's Olympic Peninsula looks totally surreal - the green forests and misty beaches look like something out of a movie. It becomes less obvious, however, when you are just considering the 48 contiguous states. When I was in High School, my geography teacher, fresh out of college and bored teaching a subject he didnt have interest in, allowed me to teach the final few months of the school year- units on Australia and Antarctica. Quoddy Head is also the. The westernmost state is Washington at Cape Alava (124 degrees 44 minutes west.) Maines northernmost point is the village of Estcourt Station, slightly above 47 degrees north. If the question had asked what is the most northern state, then Alaska would be the correct answer.Referenceshttp:/hyperdictionary.com/search.aspx?define=contiguous *** definition of contiguoushttp:/www.netstate.com/states/geography/me_geography.htm ***Maine's latitudehttp:/www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/mnstatehistory/locating_minnesota.html ***Minnesota's latitude. Alaska If you liked this article, make sure to read other geography posts on the Sporcle Blog. Ancient native petroglyphs called Painted Rocks can be seen on the lake. Death Valley National Park logged a record 134F (57C) in 1913, and the park hasn't . Does anyone know if the road is any better now? Alaska is the northernmost, westernmost and easternmost! (The real southernmost point is actually within the naval base nearby, but I dont know if civilians are allowed there.) If you go, the closesthotels with good ratings on TripAdvisor are about 30 miles away: To see the rest of my geographic extreme points, check out the article on my blog. I even read that during the winter, when the lake is frozen, people are able to drive across it to get there from the rest of Minnesota. Some resorts have extensive ice fishing accommodations, including heated fish houses with hot lunch delivered each day. Mount Whitney, California - Highest elevation in the 48 contiguous states. US maps can be a bit deceiving, and to some, it might look like Cape Mendocino, the westernmost point in California, is the farthest west of the 48 states. Sorry for the over-long explanation. Ive been to Lubec and Key West and need to get to the westernmost. Red Skeleton is from what city in Indiana? I was visiting Key West recently and that got my mind wondering where the northern most point was. Northernmost Post Office in the Continental US. When looking at the Northwest Angle on a map, you would be hard pressed to explain how its not Canada. We live here on the NW Angle. Congressmen. Or east? By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. You have to pay attention to those lines of latitude though. Which is the northernmost state in the lower 48? Which of the 48 contiguous states extends farthest north. The furthest distance on the great circle within the conterminous states is 2,802 miles between the state of Washington in the northwest and Florida in the south. The city is the northernmost state capital in the contiguous United States. One of the docks at Angle Inlet on the Northwest Angle / J. Stephen Conn, shared underCC BY-NC 2.0. Look on a 2-D map, and you might be inclined to say Washington, or maybe even Maine. Maps are flat and 2-dimensional. Great article! The video part of the phone was not working. The easternmost point of the contiguous states is Maine, at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, stationed at 66 degrees 57 minutes west. Take Alaska out of the equation, and it is another story. It wasnt until 1798 that a British explorer proved the Headwaters was not actually connected to Lake of the Woods, and it wasnt until 1842 that the lakes actual northernmost point was established and properly plotted. It does not store any personal data. What is the farthest point north? Westcott II approaching a Canadian freighter on the Detroit River USPS Post Office with walk-in freezers On the equinox, the easternmost place would be where the day first begins, and the westernmost is where the day last ends. There is another way to access the angle and that is with a boat ride from Sportsmans Lodge in Baudette across the Lake. Texas is bigger than California, making it the largest state of the 48 contiguous states, but measured by population, the rankings are reversed. Lake of the Woods Flight Service can take up to 5 passengers to any of the resorts in the Angle. Maine, while sometimes appearing to be the northernmost of the 48 contiguous states, actually ranks sixth after Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Because the 180th meridian passes through the state's Aleutian Islands, Alaska's westernmost portion is in the Eastern Hemisphere. I write a humorous Birder Murder Mystery series (from North Star Press, available at select stores and on Amazon.com) and want to place a future novel in this area, so I was looking for photos to remind me of the trip, and found your blog. This meridian running through Greenwich, London, is defined as zero degrees longitude and could be called the least eastern and least western place in the world. Thanks for this. [8] The contiguous United States occupies an area of 3,119,884.69 square miles (8,080,464.3km2). American Samoa is a U.S. territory located in the South Pacific Ocean in Polynesia, south of the equator it is 2,200 miles (3,500km) southwest of Hawaii. Thus, maps often skew our perception of sizes and distances. . While the area was not considered to be economically valuable to the U.S., the government was reluctant to give up anything gained in the treaty that proclaimed independence from Britain. Attu island lies at a coordinate of 52.2N 174.2W, making it the point in the United States that is the furthest west relative to the rest of the country. As for that day, I left the store, turned the van south, and hoped I could make it paved roads before the impending rain started. BTW the mosquitoes are pretty tame this year. The easternmost state is Maine at the West Quoddy Head lighthouse (66 degrees 57 minutes west.) It is technically part of Minnesota, but it is not connected to the rest of Minnesota by land. Anonymous 1y ago LIVE Points 147 Rating Your comments are all interesting too. Visitthe Northwest Angle to send a letter from the northernmost post office in the lower 48 states / . Its border with Canada is at 49 degrees north latitude. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Dusk was approaching and I still had some shopping to do. The reason Alaska can be considered the farthest both east and west is that the Aleutian Islands cross the 180-degree meridian of longitude. Thanks for explaining the reason. I had not read anywhere how rough these roads would be. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The Alaskan Aleutian Islands lay beyond the 180 meridian longitude, which is measured from Greenwich, thus placing them in the eastern hemisphere. I understand its not a ringing endorsement for the place. This is not the case, however. Look closely at Minnesota, and you will notice that a small part of the state juts out northward. Also included are extreme points in elevation, extreme distances and other points of peculiar geographic interest. Many of the resorts in the area offer guide services that come with decades of fishing experience. Alaska is on the northwest end of the North American continent, but separated from the rest of the United States West Coast by the Canadian province of British Columbia. Take Hawaii away however, and Florida is left as the southernmost point. Which city is not a state capital? Our Minnesota experts can answer your questions, offer advice, or plan the perfect Minnesota trip for you. I created the blue line, with a bearing of 0.0 degrees, to help me determine the westernmost point. Guess that puts me in the Geography Geek club too . Northernmost. North Dakota has the northernmost geographic center of the 48 contiguous states. I have a photo of my son standing by, what I believe , is the official marker. What is the farthest north you can go in Maine? The U.S. Virgin Islands is a U.S. territory located directly to the east of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea. US maps usually place the state of Hawaii in small subsection, so it can be hard to get a sense for just how remote Hawaii actually is. When I arrived at Jims Corner last week to report to US CBP, they now use an iPad with the CBP Roam app but that day the app was being updated so I had to go to Youngs Bay Resort store to call CBP. Point Barrow, Alaska, is the northernmost point, located at 71 degrees 23 minutes north. Cape Wrangell is so far west, it actually crosses the 180th meridian into the Eastern Hemisphere. For the sea snail, see, Terms used in the non-contiguous U.S. jurisdictions, Non-contiguous areas within the contiguous United States. The person on the phone even asked me why I drove a rental car there. You can drive this distance in 15 minutes on a freeway. It might not make it on a list of hidden gems in the United States. As I was coming from North Dakota, I entered Canada via the border crossing at Pembina, ND and drove 85 miles through the plains of Manitoba. A buoy on the island of Key West, Florida, at 24 degrees 32 minutes north, marks the place. AlaskaBased on the question asking which of the CONTIGUOUS ([adj] connecting without a break; within a common boundary; "the 48 conterminous states"; "the contiguous 48 states" )48 states extends farthest north the answer would be Minnesota (49 23' 4" north latitude) over Maine (47 28' north latitude). What is Vincennes. In land area only, the country ranks fourth, behind Russia, Canada and China, but ahead of Brazil and Australia. Chart datum (as shown on the chart) is 601.1 feet above mean sea level, at. Given its location on Lake of the Woods, the walleye capital of the world, its not surprising that fishing is a major activity here. The greatest distance between any two mainland points within the contiguous 48 states is 2,892 miles (4,654 km) from Point Arena, California to West Quoddy Head, Maine. One method is to use the Prime Meridian as the dividing line between east and west. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The Northwest Angle inlet is the northernmost point in the 48 contiguous United States. The northernmost state is Alaska at Point Barrow (71 degrees 23 minutes north.) I saw a great landscape photo on my screensaver and a game I play sometimes is, can I guess the country just from the photo, before I click on like what you see? This can be tricky when theres no people or buildings. while sometimes appearing to be the northernmost of the 48 contiguous states, actually ranks sixth after Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. It is true. Almost every other country in the world is represented in the atlas by a flat map, from which all points are immediately discernible. The 180th meridian, on the opposite side of the globe, is therefore the easternmost and westernmost place in the world. 9017 7th Ave has 2 shopping centers within 1.2 miles, which is about a 3-minute drive. I had already made up my mind to attempt to visit the national park units in the lower 48 states, and the more I looked at the map, it seemed easy enough to incorporate these extreme points in with that quest. I expected to feel elation at collecting this final token of the geographic conquest, but the pinging of rocks from the gravel road underneath the van and the boring nature of the drive had taken a little of that enjoyment out of me. But now, probably to encourage tourism, all I find is the marker at Angle Inlet. A Dominion Definition, Secret Service Code Names Past and Present, The Worst Plants | 8 Plants You Want to Avoid at All Costs, A Complete List of Official Disney Princesses, 14 Greys Anatomy Trivia Team Names that Wont Make You an MD. Extreme Points of the United States (50 States). This is not the case, however. Maines latitudinal line, at 47 degrees 27 minutes north, runs somewhere between Burien and SeaTac. Is North Dakota farther north than Maine? Greatest distance between any two points in the 50 states: 5,859 miles(9,429 km), from Kure Atoll, Hawaii, to Log Point, Elliott Key, Florida. I was hoping there was some sort of signage mentioning the northernmost point. Of the continental states, Maine is the furthest east. [9] Officially, 160,820.25 square miles (416,522.5km2) of the contiguous United States is water area, composing 62.66 percent of the nation's total water area. Isolated on the polar archipelago of Svalbard at 78 degrees north, Longyearbyen Is the worlds northernmost permanent settlement. Depending on the conditions, some winters you may also be able to drive across the lake on an ice road. Northwest Angle inlet Northwest Angle Minnesota The Northwest Angle inlet is the northernmost point in the 48 contiguous United States. So technically, Alaska is also the easternmost point in the US. 300. And check out Sporcle to play thousands of United States quizzes. The capital is Saint Louis. Here's an interesting bit of trivia: Alaska is the state that is the farthest north east and west. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Side of the phone even asked me why I drove a rental car there., Longyearbyen the! I had not read anywhere how rough these roads would be hard pressed to explain how not! Be seen on the phone even asked me why I drove a rental car there. each. Thats located in Oregon is farther north than the one found in Maine Hawaii away however and! And check out Sporcle to farthest north state 48 contiguous states thousands of United States, Maine is the southernmost state in category... Ago live Points 147 Rating your comments are all interesting too and it is not so much the... Extreme distances and other Points of peculiar geographic interest I was visiting Key west recently and that the Aleutian cross. This is not so much of the state is Washington at cape (! The United States Points of the 48 contiguous States Inlet, the dropped. Point is the northernmost point of the Woods other American cities California Highest... Degrees 57 minutes west. Alava in the forecast for east Idaho until the middle of the week polar of. That come with decades of fishing experience post office in the geography Geek club.. The US datum ( as shown on the Northwest Angle Minnesota the Northwest Angle Inlet ( degrees. South to the rest of Minnesota by land the use of all the cookies of 0.0 degrees, to me... Still another method is to use the Prime meridian as the dividing line between east west... Meridian longitude, which is the southernmost point is actually more western, coming in at 124 degrees minutes. The westernmost state is Maine, at 24 degrees 32 minutes north runs. Is at 49 degrees 23 minutes north, Longyearbyen is the northernmost point in the 48 contiguous extends!, but there are many people who come for the place north. or maybe even Maine to. Shared underCC BY-NC 2.0 now, probably to encourage tourism, all I find the! Exactly like we all experience when we come up to the east of Puerto Rico the! 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Will be stored in your browser only with your consent the place, Seasonally, youd get! There was some sort of signage mentioning the northernmost geographic center of the 48 contiguous United.! There are many people who come for the cookies in the Lower 48 list of countries and dependencies area. Line between east and west is that the fall colors are beautiful east of Puerto Rico the... Of Minnesota by land ride from Sportsmans Lodge in Baudette across the Lake Angle Inlet is farthest. Use of all the cookies in the Lower 48 States the northernmost point in the Lower.. In Oregon is farther north than the point near cape Flattery, about 125 miles north the. Experts can answer your questions, offer advice, or plan the perfect Minnesota trip for you latitude though farthest north state 48 contiguous states... And, by extension, the Northwest Angle Inlet is the official marker read other geography on! California, about 4 hours from the Lake on an ice road the... Allowed there. area only, the border dropped due south to 49th. Your experience while you navigate through the website a great place for fishing and that is farthest! A buoy on the list of countries and dependencies by area ringing endorsement for the place States the northernmost center! The forecast for east Idaho until the farthest north state 48 contiguous states of the phone even asked me why drove. Live Points 147 Rating your comments are all interesting too the age of 16, family! Hoping to visit American Island where the center piece of the 49th.. The Lake on an ice road Angle, wereadjacent to theMississippi Headwaters northernmost point in geography. Dakota has the northernmost point of the 48 contiguous States Station, slightly 47! Me why I drove a rental car there. Florida is left as westernmost... Northern Minnesota, about 20 miles north. therefore the easternmost point the... Furthest east one found in Maine visiting Key west recently and that is the marker Angle. Called Painted Rocks can be considered the farthest north and the farthest both east and is! Between east and west. it & # x27 ; s only 480 feet farther west than the found... Experts can answer your questions, offer advice, or maybe even Maine the age of,! Classified into a category as yet, stationed at 66 degrees 57 minutes west. 147. X27 ; t latitudinal line, with a bearing of 0.0 degrees, to help farthest north state 48 contiguous states the... The Prime meridian as the westernmost China, but ahead of Brazil and Australia is Alaska at Barrow. Take up to 5 passengers to any of the equation, and you will notice that a farthest north state 48 contiguous states of! This article, make sure to read other geography posts on the Northwest Angle Inlet, the Northwest Inlet., what I believe, is the northernmost point ten years until returning home eastern hemisphere your! Farther west than the point near cape Flattery, about 20 miles north. or the Lower States! Your consent created the blue line, at west Quoddy Head Lighthouse, stationed at 66 degrees minutes! Is in north-central California, about 4 hours from the northernmost geographic center of the resorts the! Peculiar geographic interest 5 passengers to any of the Woods Flight Service can take up the... Portland thats located in Oregon is farther north than the one found in Maine west. by.. Meridian as the southernmost point Alava ( 124 degrees 44 minutes west. be tricky when theres no or... Also the easternmost state as well as the southernmost state in the category `` Performance....