Sierra Madre (California)
| Sierra Madre | |
|---|---|
Sierra Madre as seen from across the Cuyama Valley | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Peak Mountain |
| Elevation | 1,781 m (5,843 ft) |
| Coordinates | 34°54′7.53″N 119°51′31.45″W / 34.9020917°N 119.8587361°W |
| Geography | |
location of Sierra Madre in California | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| District | Santa Barbara County |
| Range coordinates | 34°54′7.927″N 119°51′31.495″W / 34.90220194°N 119.85874861°W |
| Topo map | USGS Peak Mountain |
| Geology | |
| Rock type | California Coast Ranges |
The Sierra Madre (Spanish for "mother range") is a mountain range in southwestern California. It forms the southernmost part of the California Coast Ranges and lies mostly in Santa Barbara County, with a small portion extending into Ventura County. The Sierra Madre has a northwest-to-southeast orientation, bordered on the north and northeast by the Cuyama River and Cuyama Valley, and on the south and east by the drainage of the Sisquoc River.
Before the middle of the twentieth century, the term "Sierra Madre" referred to the portion of the Transverse Ranges north of the Los Angeles Basin, now known as the San Gabriel Mountains. In 1965, the United States Board of Geographic Names assigned the name Sierra Madre to the range in Santa Barbara County.