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.