How high is Truckee?

Truckee sits at 5,814 ft (1,772 m) above sea level, measured from Copernicus GLO-30 satellite data. That sits above California’s average of 2,802 ft (854 m) — a relatively high spot, with only about 13% of the state higher.

Interactive 3D elevation map of the Truckee, California area, from the Copernicus GLO-30 model

A live 3D slice of the terrain around Truckee, from our satellite elevation model. Truckee is marked at 5,814 ft (1,772 m); the highest ground in view reaches 10,722 ft (3,268 m). Drag to spin it (tap to start on mobile).

Truckee in California

Here’s the useful context: Truckee, at 5,814 ft (1,772 m), sits roughly 3,012 ft (918 m) above California’s average elevation of 2,802 ft (854 m). It is one of the higher places in its state — our model puts only about 13% of California’s land higher.

-282 ft — California low▲ Truckee 5,814 ft · avg 2,802 ft ┈14,465 ft — California high

The terrain around Truckee

The ground right around Truckee is fairly even, close to 5,814 ft (1,772 m), so the city itself feels level underfoot. But the window still catches higher country: the terrain climbs to 10,722 ft (3,268 m) toward the east edge of the view, which is what gives Truckee its mountain backdrop.

You can read the whole story in the map above — the flatter ground where the city sits, and the way the land gathers into peaks nearby. It’s the difference between where you stand and what you can see from it.

What Truckee’s altitude means

High-altitude medicine marks about ~8,000 ft (2,400 m) as the line where thin air starts to cause real trouble, and Truckee, at 5,814 ft (1,772 m), sits comfortably below it. You won’t get altitude sickness just by arriving. But this is high enough that many people notice something on the first day.

The air is meaningfully thinner than at the coast, so expect a quicker pulse, a little breathlessness on stairs, and faster dehydration in dry air — and alcohol tends to hit harder. None of it is dangerous at this elevation; it just rewards drinking more water and taking the first evening easy.

How Truckee compares

Among California’s larger cities, Truckee is the highest by elevation. For a familiar yardstick, that puts it a bit above Denver’s mile-high 5,280 ft (1,609 m).

Truckee — 5,814 ft (1,772 m)
Moreno Valley — 1,634 ft (498 m)
Bakersfield — 410 ft (125 m)
Fresno — 315 ft (96 m)
Los Angeles — 302 ft (92 m)
Santa Maria — 223 ft (68 m)
Chico — 207 ft (63 m)

Truckee elevation FAQ

How high is Truckee?: Truckee’s elevation is about 5,814 ft (1,772 m) above sea level at the city center, measured from Copernicus GLO-30 satellite data.
Is Truckee high or low for California?: High. At 5,814 ft (1,772 m) it sits above California’s average of 2,802 ft (854 m), with only about 13% of the state higher.
Does Truckee’s altitude affect visitors?: Mildly. At 5,814 ft (1,772 m) it’s below the ~8,000 ft (2,400 m) line where altitude sickness usually begins, but the thinner, drier air can still bring a faster pulse and quicker dehydration on the first day.

Explore more

↑ California’s full elevation map — the whole state in interactive 3D, with its high and low points and average elevation.
· Blog: Average Elevation by State — where California’s 2,802 ft (854 m) mean ranks.
· Blog: Elevation vs Altitude — what a city’s elevation figure actually measures.

Truckee’s elevation is a native ~30 m windowed-median sample from Copernicus GLO-30 (ESA); the California figures are computed across the state from the same model. The 3D view is a fine windowed sample at roughly 209 m resolution, sharp enough to resolve the surrounding ridgelines. Data as of 2026-08-19.