Along with visiting the 16 extreme compass points, I also visited over 50 other extreme geographic places during my eight-month, 32,0000-mile road trip around America in 2016. Here's a list (these are shown on my accompanying map):
Washington
- Wettest city in the contiguous United States
- Forks, Washington: 120" of rain per year
- News: April 29, 2016 | See Google Map
- Westernmost settlement in the contiguous United States
- Ozette, Washington
- News: April 29, 2016 | See Google Map
- Westernmost (and northwesternmost) town in the contiguous United States
- Neah Bay, Washington
- News: May 1, 2016 | See Google Map
- Driest city on the west coast north of Santa Barbara, California
- Sequim, Washington: 17" of rain per year
- News: May 1, 2016 | See Google Map
- Southwesternmost point in Washington
- Cape Disappointment, Washjngton
- News: April 3, 2016 | See Google Map
- Mouth of the Columbia River
- Cape Disappointment, Washington
- News: April 3, 2016 | See Google Map
Oregon
- World's shortest river (?)
- D River, Lincoln City, Oregon
- News: May 13, 2016 | See Google Map
- World's smallest harbor (?)
- Depoe Bay, Oregon
- News: May 13, 2016 | See Google Map
- Beginning of the longest road in America
- U.S. Highway 20, Newport, Oregon: 3,365 miles to Boston, Massachusetts
- News: May 14, 2016 | See Google Map
- Westernmost point in Oregon
- Cape Blanco, Oregon
- News: May 14, 2016 | See Google Map
- Westernmost city in the contiguous United States
- Port Orford, Oregon
- News: May 14, 2016 | See Google Map
California
- Lowest point in North America
- Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California: 282 feet below sea level
- News: May 18, 2016 | See Google Map
- Hottest recorded temperature in the world
- Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley, California: 134 degrees (1913)
- News: May 18, 2016 | See Google Map
- Driest place in North America
- Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley, California: 0-2" of rain per year
- News: May 18, 2016 | See Google Map
- Lowest settlement in North America
- Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley, California: 190 feet below sea level
- News: May 18, 2016 | See Google Map
- Lowest airfield in North America
- Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley, CA): 190 feet below sea level
- News: May 18, 2016 | See Google Map
- Largest National Park in the contiguous U.S.
- Death Valley National Park
- News: May 18, 2016 | See Google Map
- Largest county in the U.S.
- San Bernardino County, California: 20,105 sq. miles
- News: May 18, 2016 | See Google Map
- Lowest lake in North America
- Salton Sea, California: 234 feet below sea level
- News: May 23, 2016 | See Google Map
- Lowest city in North America
- Calipatria, California: 180 feet below sea level
- News: May 23, 2016 | See Google Map
Arizona
- Driest city in the United States
- Yuma, Arizona: Averages 3" of rain per year
- News: May 23, 2016 | See Google Map
New Mexico
- Lowest point on the U.S. Continental Divide
- Near Lordsburg, New Mexico: 4,460'
- News: May 25, 2016 | See Google Map
Texas
- Longest section of Interstate freeway in one state
- Interstate 10, Texas: 878 miles
- News: May 27, 2016 | See Google Map
Oklahoma
- Highest point in Oklahoma
- Black Mesa, near Kenton, Oklahoma: 4,973'
- News: June 9, 2016 | See Google Map
- Tri-State Marker
- Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado boundary; near Kenton, Oklahoma
- News: June 9, 2016 | See Google Map
- Westernmost town in Oklahoma
- Kenton, Okahoma
- News: June 9, 2016 | See Google Map
Colorado
- Highest state, by average elevation, in the United States
- Colorado: 6,800'
- See Google Map
- Highest city in the United States
- Leadville, Colorado: 10,152'
- News: July 9, 2016 | See Google Map
- Highest airfield in the United States
- Leadville, Colorado: 9,927'
- News: July 9, 2016 | See Google Map
- Highest county, by average elevation, in the United States
- San Juan County, Colorado: 11,240'
- News: August 2, 2016 | See Google Map
- Most remote county (fewest roads per sq. mile) in the contiguous United States
- Hinsdale County, Colorado
- News: July 23, 2016 | See Google Map
- Coldest city in the contiguous United States
- Gunnison, Colorado (or International Falls, Minnesota)
- News: June 25, 2016 | See Google Map
- Headwaters of the Rio Grande River
- Spring Creek
- News: July 23, 2016 | See Google Map
- Lowest 14,000-foot peak in the U.S.
- Sunshine Peak, 14,001'
- News: July 9, 2016 | See Google Map
- Lowest point in the highest state (also visited the highest point in the lowest state, in Delaware)
- The Arikaree River on the Colorado/Kansas border
- News: September 9, 2016 | See Google Map
- Tri-State Marker
- Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas boundary (near Wray, Colorado)
- News: September 9, 2016 | See Google Map
Utah
- Only point common to four states
- Four corners: Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico
- News: August 31, 2016
- Panorama Photo | See Google Map
Montana
- Marker for the 45th Parallel: Halfway between the equator and the North Pole
- Clark Canyon Reservoir dam
- News: September 5, 2016 | See Google Map
- Headwaters of the Missouri River
- Trail Creek, near Lemhi Pass
- News: September 5, 2016 | See Google Map
Kansas
- Geographic center of the Lower 48 states
- Near Lebanon, Kansas
- News: September 10, 2016
- Panorama Photo | See Google Map
South Dakota
- U.S. "Pole of Inaccessibility" (i.e., the farthest point from any ocean coastline)
- Near Allen, South Dakota
- News: September 11, 2016
- Panorama Photo | See Google Map
- Geographic center of the 50 states
- Near Belle Fourche, South Dakota
- News: September 12, 2016
- Panorama Photo | See Google Map
North Dakota
- Geographic center of North America
- Near Balta, North Dakota
- News: September 13, 2016
- Panorama Photo | See Google Map
Minnesota
- Coldest city in the contiguous United States
- International Falls, Minnesota (or Gunnison, Colorado)
- News: September 16, 2016 | See Google Map
- Headwaters of the Mississippi River
- Lake Itasca, Minnesota
- News: September 17, 2016 | See Google Map
- Largest U.S. city on the 45th Parallel: Halfway between the equator and the North Pole
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- News: September 17, 2016 | See Google Map
New Hampshire
- Highest point in the northeastern United States
- Mt. Washington: 6,288'
- News: September 27, 2016 | See Google Map
Maine
- Highest point in Maine
- Mt. Katahdin: 5,267'
- News: September 28, 2016 | See Google Map
- Marker for the 45th Parallel: Halfway between the equator and the North Pole
- Near Perry, Maine
- News: September 29, 2016 | See Google Map
- Easternmost city in the United States
- Lubec, Maine
- News: September 29, 2016 | See Google Map
New York
- Largest city (and smallest county) in the United States
- New York City / Manhattan borough
- News: October 23, 2016 | See Google Map
Delaware
- Highest point in the lowest state (also visited the lowest point in the highest state, in Colorado)
- Elbright Road, near Wilmington, Delaware: 447'
- News: October 23, 2016 | See Google Map
North Carolina
- Highest point in the eastern United States
- Mt. Mitchell: 6,683'
- News: October 28, 2016 | Panorama Photo | See Google Map
Florida
- Southernmost city in the contiguous United States
- Key West, Florida
- News: November 17, 2016 | See Google Map
- Southernmost point in the contiguous United States
- Ballast Key, Florida
- News: November 18, 2016 | See Google Map