Caliente Mountain is the highest point in both San Luis Obispo County and the Caliente Range, rising to 5,106 feet in California’s Southern Coast Ranges. Its elevation makes it a prominent county high point and a defining feature of the surrounding landscape. For more than 30 years, it has also been recognized as a federally listed wilderness study area, underscoring its protected and undeveloped character. In winter, the summit receives a little snowfall, a notable contrast with the generally dry inland coastal landscapes around it.