Where Is The Coldest Place On Earth? Inside 11 Locations That Have Reported Record-Low Temperatures

Published March 15, 2025
Updated March 17, 2025

Denali, The Tallest — And Coldest — Mountain Peak In North America

Denali Mount McKinley

Public DomainDenali, the highest mountain peak in North America.

Denali, the Alaskan mountain federally designated as Mount McKinley, is North America’s tallest peak at 20,310 feet. At the summit, temperatures can plummet below negative 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chills making it feel even colder. In the surrounding Denali National Park and Preserve, particularly at lower elevations, temperatures can also become frigid. For instance, on Feb. 5, 1999, a record low of minus 54 degrees Fahrenheit was reported at the park headquarters.

According to Anchorage Daily News, the name “Denali” originates from a Koyukon word meaning “the high one.” Long before it was known as Mount McKinley, it was a place of great importance to Indigenous groups in the region.

Then, in 1896, a gold prospector named William Dickey gave Denali a new name, Mount McKinley, in support of then-presidential candidate William McKinley for his strong commitment to the gold standard. The U.S. government officially adopted this name in 1917.

However, in 2015, the Obama administration restored the original name, Denali, honoring its Indigenous heritage. Recently, though, President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring that Denali should again be recognized as Mount McKinley.

author
Austin Harvey
author
A staff writer for All That's Interesting, Austin Harvey has also had work published with Discover Magazine, Giddy, and Lucid covering topics on mental health, sexual health, history, and sociology. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Point Park University.
editor
Cara Johnson
editor
A writer and editor based in Charleston, South Carolina and an assistant editor at All That's Interesting, Cara Johnson holds a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Washington & Lee University and an M.A. in English from College of Charleston and has written for various publications in her six-year career.
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Harvey, Austin. "Where Is The Coldest Place On Earth? Inside 11 Locations That Have Reported Record-Low Temperatures." AllThatsInteresting.com, March 15, 2025, https://allthatsinteresting.com/coldest-place-on-earth. Accessed March 17, 2025.