Which mountain is the highest peak in North America?

  • A. Mount Whitney
  • B. Denali (formerly Mount McKinley)
  • C. Mount Rainier
  • D. Mount Elbert

💡 Need a hint?

This mountain is located in Alaska and is considered the highest peak in North America. Its name has alternated between an original indigenous name and the surname of a former president.

✅ View the answer

The correct answer is B. Denali, also known as Mount McKinley.

The mountain in Alaska has carried the indigenous name “Denali” for generations, meaning something like “the high one” in the language of the Koyukon people. At some point, the peak was officially named after a 19th-century American president. It was later renamed back to Denali, and then back to McKinley again. The same mountain has therefore carried different official names, depending on who was sitting in the White House at the time.

📚 More background information

Denali is by far the most well-known mountain in Alaska and a classic in any pub quiz on geography. The naming dispute is a perfect illustration of how geographical names can sometimes have a distinctly political history.

According to an official presidential action from the White House (2025), the mountain was once again renamed after President William McKinley. That decision can be read on whitehouse.gov. A previous administration had earlier officially restored the peak’s indigenous name. In short: the mountain itself has never changed, but the debate over what it should be called has.

The other answer options are also real, impressive mountains, for what it’s worth. Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous 48 states, Mount Rainier is a well-known volcano near Seattle, and Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. None of those three has seen a comparable change of name, which makes Denali just that little bit more interesting as a quiz question.