Latitude and longitude for one point. For a track, pass up to 512 coordinate pairs or an encoded polyline with the enc: prefix. A track counts as one pooled request.

Coordinates, elevation in meters, elevation_ft in feet, and resolution for the selected grid. A track wraps the same records in a points array, in your original order. Missing elevations stay null.

How do I send a track?

Use GET /elevation?points= with lat,lon pairs separated by pipes. A precision-5 encoded polyline prefixed with enc: keeps the URL compact. For longer payloads, POST a JSON coordinate array to /elevation. Every format supports up to 512 points; POST arrays avoid URL-length limits.

Can it sample evenly along a route?

Yes. Send 2-512 vertices in path and choose 2-512 samples. The response includes your start and finish, with evenly spaced elevations along the great-circle segments between waypoints. GET accepts a coordinate list or polyline; POST also accepts coordinate arrays. The whole path uses one pooled request.

Nearest sample on a 30m terrain grid or a global fallback with about 460m spacing, including ocean depth. resolution reports spacing, not a guarantee of vertical accuracy. Ocean depth is negative, below sea level.

Yes. Add deep=true on Point for elevation, elevation_ft, and resolution on every plan. Paid Postal and City detail also include elevation where available.

GET /elevation?lat={lat}&lon={lon}

Elevation API

Terrain for your map. Elevation for a point or a whole path.

A latitude and longitude. Feet and meters, on every plan.

Example response/elevation?lat=39.77&lon=-104.9

{
  "latitude": 39.77,
  "longitude": -104.9,
  "elevation": 1610,
  "elevation_ft": 5282,
  "resolution": 30
}

1M requests · $20/mo. Get started

Up to 512 points

A whole track.
One request.

Send your coordinates or sample evenly along a path. Get every height back in order, with feet, meters, and grid spacing on each point.

Example profile / Front Range, Colorado

6,693 ft

Sample 9 of 17

39.74, -105.31

5,233 ft10,774 ft

DenverSample orderRocky Mountains

View the 17-point JSON response

{
  
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -104.99,
      "elevation": 1595,
      "elevation_ft": 5233,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.03,
      "elevation": 1615,
      "elevation_ft": 5299,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.07,
      "elevation": 1644,
      "elevation_ft": 5394,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.11,
      "elevation": 1699,
      "elevation_ft": 5574,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.15,
      "elevation": 1723,
      "elevation_ft": 5653,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.19,
      "elevation": 1787,
      "elevation_ft": 5863,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.23,
      "elevation": 1865,
      "elevation_ft": 6119,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.27,
      "elevation": 1821,
      "elevation_ft": 5974,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.31,
      "elevation": 2040,
      "elevation_ft": 6693,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.35,
      "elevation": 2118,
      "elevation_ft": 6949,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.39,
      "elevation": 2090,
      "elevation_ft": 6857,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.43,
      "elevation": 2225,
      "elevation_ft": 7300,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.47,
      "elevation": 2548,
      "elevation_ft": 8360,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.51,
      "elevation": 2346,
      "elevation_ft": 7697,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.55,
      "elevation": 2545,
      "elevation_ft": 8350,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.59,
      "elevation": 2798,
      "elevation_ft": 9180,
      "resolution": 30
    },
    
      "latitude": 39.74,
      "longitude": -105.63,
      "elevation": 3284,
      "elevation_ft": 10774,
      "resolution": 30
    }
  ]
}

17 sampled coordinates across the Front Range. Move across the profile or use the slider to inspect each point.

Send a list or sample a path

The 17 profile points as coordinates, a compact polyline, or JSON. POST a coordinate array for longer payloads. Up to 512 points count as one pooled request.

curl --get 'https://api.parseapi.com/elevation' \
  --data-urlencode 'points=39.74,-104.99|39.74,-105.03|39.74,-105.07|39.74,-105.11|39.74,-105.15|39.74,-105.19|39.74,-105.23|39.74,-105.27|39.74,-105.31|39.74,-105.35|39.74,-105.39|39.74,-105.43|39.74,-105.47|39.74,-105.51|39.74,-105.55|39.74,-105.59|39.74,-105.63' \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Parse-Version: 2.0.0"

Polylines use standard precision 5. Read the API reference.

Coverage

From the mountains to the ocean floor. Pole to pole.

30m

Across the land

Fine terrain samples bring the hills and valleys into view.

460m

Around the globe

The global grid supplies ocean depth and fills points without a usable fine sample.

Approximate grid spacing. Each result reports its selected grid in resolution. Below sea level, elevation is negative. Grid spacing describes horizontal sampling, not vertical accuracy. Sources and height reference.

Build an elevation profile

Add terrain to a hiking, cycling or mapping app. Look up your recorded GPS points, or send a path and choose how many evenly spaced samples to return. Up to 512 results use one pooled request on every plan.

Point lists and path sampling

Point lists preserve your input order. Path samples include the start and finish and follow the great-circle segments between your waypoints. Send coordinates or an encoded polyline with GET, or use a JSON array with POST for longer payloads.

Height with context

Every result includes elevation in meters, elevation_ft in feet and the selected grid spacing in resolution. Negative values describe places below sea level, including the ocean floor. An unavailable sample stays null.

What the sample measures

These are surface-grid samples, not the altitude reported by your GPS or a land survey. Buildings and vegetation can contribute to land height. Grid spacing describes horizontal sampling, rather than vertical accuracy.

SPEED

Single-point lookup times.

Median time to first byte for one coordinate over the last seven days. Scheduled probes include cache misses. Lists and paths can take longer.

69ms

126ms

APAC

205ms

LatAm

185ms

217ms

See live status →

Make your first request.

One key works across the APIs. Copy a request in your language and get JSON back.

curl "https://api.parseapi.com/elevation?lat=39.77&lon=-104.9" \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Parse-Version: 2.0.0"

// Example response · 200
{
  "latitude": 39.77,
  "longitude": -104.9,
  "elevation": 1610,
  "elevation_ft": 5282,
  "resolution": 30
}

API reference SDKs Keys and authentication

Every response field

latitudenumber: Sample latitude
longitudenumber: Sample longitude
elevationinteger or null: Height in meters relative to EGM2008 (null if unavailable)
elevation_ftinteger or null: Height in feet relative to EGM2008 (null if unavailable)
resolutioninteger or null: Approx grid spacing in meters

QUESTIONS

What do I pass?: Latitude and longitude for one point. For a track, pass up to 512 coordinate pairs or an encoded polyline with the enc: prefix. A track counts as one pooled request.
What comes back?: Coordinates, elevation in meters, elevation_ft in feet, and resolution for the selected grid. A track wraps the same records in a points array, in your original order. Missing elevations stay null.
How do I send a track?: Use GET /elevation?points= with lat,lon pairs separated by pipes. A precision-5 encoded polyline prefixed with enc: keeps the URL compact. For longer payloads, POST a JSON coordinate array to /elevation. Every format supports up to 512 points; POST arrays avoid URL-length limits.
Can it sample evenly along a route?: Yes. Send 2-512 vertices in path and choose 2-512 samples. The response includes your start and finish, with evenly spaced elevations along the great-circle segments between waypoints. GET accepts a coordinate list or polyline; POST also accepts coordinate arrays. The whole path uses one pooled request.
What is the grid?: Nearest sample on a 30m terrain grid or a global fallback with about 460m spacing, including ocean depth. resolution reports spacing, not a guarantee of vertical accuracy. Ocean depth is negative, below sea level.
Is it on /point too?: Yes. Add deep=true on Point for elevation, elevation_ft, and resolution on every plan. Paid Postal and City detail also include elevation where available.

The terrain at your location: What is my elevation?

From one point to a whole profile.

Up to 512 results in one pooled request. Every plan.

Start includes 1M API requests a month for $20/mo.

Ready for busy moments.Start includes 1,800 requests per minute, with extra capacity for bursts. Rate limits

Get started Compare plans Read the docs

Elevation API

A whole track.One request.

Coverage

Across the land

Around the globe

Build an elevation profile

Height with context

Single-point lookup times.

Make your first request.

Every response field

From one point to a whole profile.

Coverage

Across the land

Around the globe

Build an elevation profile

Height with context

Single-point lookup times.

From one point to a whole profile.

A whole track.
One request.