Utah Altitude Adjustments for Home Canning
Margie Memmott and Ariel Petersen (2012)
Reviewed
and revised
by Callie Adams and Andrea Schmutz (2026)
Introduction
Knowing your altitude is critical for canning. Safe home food preservation depends on adjusting processing times and pressures for altitude. Barometric pressure is reduced at high altitudes, affecting the temperature at which water boils (Kingry & Devine, 2024). As elevation increases, water boils at lower temperatures, so without adjustments, foods may be under-processed and unsafe to eat. Utah’s diverse geography ranges from just over 2,700 feet in St. George to nearly 10,000 feet in Brian Head, meaning every county and most communities require changes beyond the “sea level” instructions found in many recipes.
This fact sheet provides a county-by-county and town-by-town listing of elevations across Utah, paired with the boilingwater and pressure canner adjustments recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Center for Home Food Preservation. By referencing this resource, Extension educators, food preservation instructors, and home canners can quickly identify the correct processing adjustment for their location.
Why Altitude Matters
At higher elevations, the boiling point of water decreases by about 2 °F for every 1,000 feet (Andress & Harrison, 2021). As a result, foods processed in boiling water or under pressure do not reach the same internal temperature they would at lower altitudes. If adjustments are not made, harmful microorganisms such as Clostridium botulinum may survive, creating a risk of foodborne illness. C. botulinum is responsible for a lifethreatening disease called botulism.
To ensure safety, both processing times for boiling-water canning and pressure levels for pressure canning must be increased to compensate for elevation (National Center for Home Food Preservation, 2021; Kingry & Devine, 2024). Research-based guidelines published in So Easy to Preserve (Andress & Harrison, 2021), the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (Kingry & Devine, 2024), and the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (2015) provide the tested altitude adjustments referenced in this fact sheet.
Boiling Water Canner Adjustments
Altitude (feet) Add to processing time
1,001–3,000 5 minutes
3,001–6,000 10 minutes
6,001–8,000 15 minutes
8,001–10,000
Pressure Canner
Adjustments
All Utah counties have high elevations, so without canning time or pressure adjustments, harmful organisms may survive, and foods may be underprocessed and unsafe to eat.
Note. Weighted gauge: Always use 15 PSI above 1,000 feet in Utah.
How to Use This Table
1. Find your county and town in the listings. If your exact town is not listed, choose the nearest community with a similar elevation.
2. Note your elevation (in feet) and locate the correct altitude adjustment:
a. Boiling-Water Canner: Add extra minutes based on your elevation range.
b. Pressure Canner: Increase PSI according to dial-gauge or weighted-gauge instructions.
3. Apply the adjustment to your USDA or Extension-tested recipe. Do not reduce processing times— altitude adjustments are critical for food safety.
Tip: If you are unsure of your exact elevation, use the official U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Elevation Point Query Service
Town and City Elevation Summaries
County Town
Cover photo sourced from Depositphotos.com
References Photo Credit
Andress, E. L., & Harrison, J. A. (2021). So easy to preserve (6th ed.). University of Georgia Extension.
Kingry, J., & Devine, L. (2024). Ball complete book of home preserving. Robert Rose.
Memmott, M., & Petersen, A. (2013). Utah altitude chart by county. Utah State University Extension.
National Center for Home Food Preservation. (2021). Using and caring for your pressure canner. University of Georgia. https://nchfp.uga.edu/papers/factsheets/Preserving_Food__Using Pressure_Canners.pdf
United States Department of Agriculture. (2015). Complete guide to home canning. https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/ publications_usda.html
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March 2026
Utah State University Extension Peer-reviewed fact sheet
