How high is Vail?

Vail sits at 8,192 ft (2,497 m) above sea level, measured from Copernicus GLO-30 satellite data. That sits above Colorado’s average of 6,867 ft (2,093 m) — a relatively high spot, with only about 29% of the state higher.

Interactive 3D elevation map of the Vail, Colorado area, from the Copernicus GLO-30 model

A live 3D slice of the terrain around Vail, from our satellite elevation model. Vail is marked at 8,192 ft (2,497 m); the highest ground in view reaches 14,226 ft (4,336 m). Drag to spin it (tap to start on mobile).

Vail in Colorado

Here’s the useful context: Vail, at 8,192 ft (2,497 m), sits roughly 1,325 ft (404 m) above Colorado’s average elevation of 6,867 ft (2,093 m). It is one of the higher places in its state — our model puts only about 29% of Colorado’s land higher.

3,333 ft — Colorado low▲ Vail 8,192 ft · avg 6,867 ft ┈14,416 ft — Colorado high

The terrain around Vail

Across this view the land rises toward the east. The western third of the frame averages about 8,615 ft (2,626 m); the eastern third about 10,535 ft (3,211 m) — a climb of roughly 1,919 ft (585 m), topping out near 14,226 ft (4,336 m) at the edge of the frame. That is the mountain front Vail sits against.

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 Vail’s altitude means

At 8,192 ft (2,497 m), Vail is genuine high-altitude country — at or above the ~8,000 ft (2,400 m) threshold where altitude sickness becomes a real possibility, not just a nuisance. Arriving from sea level, many people feel headache, shortness of breath, poor sleep, and fatigue in the first day or two.

This is ski-town altitude, and the standard advice applies: give yourself a day to acclimatize before hard exertion, drink far more water than feels necessary, ease off alcohol at first, and watch for symptoms that worsen rather than settle. Anyone with a heart or lung condition should take it seriously.

How Vail compares

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

Vail — 8,192 ft (2,497 m)
Steamboat Springs — 6,736 ft (2,053 m)
Durango — 6,549 ft (1,996 m)
Colorado Springs — 6,020 ft (1,835 m)
Montrose — 5,814 ft (1,772 m)
Cañon City — 5,361 ft (1,634 m)
Denver — 5,285 ft (1,611 m)

Vail elevation FAQ

How high is Vail?: Vail’s elevation is about 8,192 ft (2,497 m) above sea level at the city center, measured from Copernicus GLO-30 satellite data.
Is Vail high or low for Colorado?: High. At 8,192 ft (2,497 m) it sits above Colorado’s average of 6,867 ft (2,093 m), with only about 29% of the state higher.
Does Vail’s altitude affect visitors?: Yes. At 8,192 ft (2,497 m), Vail is at genuine high altitude, near or above the ~8,000 ft (2,400 m) line where altitude sickness is a real risk; give yourself a day to acclimatize and hydrate hard.

Explore more

↑ Colorado’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 Colorado’s 6,867 ft (2,093 m) mean ranks.
· Blog: Elevation vs Altitude — what a city’s elevation figure actually measures.

Vail’s elevation is a native ~30 m windowed-median sample from Copernicus GLO-30 (ESA); the Colorado figures are computed across the state from the same model. The 3D view is a fine windowed sample at roughly 210 m resolution, sharp enough to resolve the surrounding ridgelines. Data as of 2026-08-17.