| Royce Peak | |
| Elevation Ft: | 13,280 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence Ft: | 880 |
| Isolation Mi: | 3.45 |
| Isolation Ref: | [2] |
| Parent Peak: | Bear Creek Spire (13,726 ft) |
| Etymology: | Josiah Royce |
| Listing: | Sierra Peaks Section |
| Map: | California#USA |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Label Position: | left |
| Location: | Fresno County California, U.S. |
| Range: | Sierra Nevada |
| Coordinates: | 37.3182°N -118.7709°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
| Topo: | USGS Mount Hilgard |
| Rock: | granite |
| Age: | Cretaceous |
| Type: | Fault block |
| First Ascent: | 1931 |
| Easiest Route: | south slope |
Royce Peak, also known as Mount Royce, is a 13,280-foot-elevation (4,048 meter) mountain summit located west of the Royce Lakes in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States.[3] It is situated in Fresno County, in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Sierra National Forest. It is set southeast of Feather Peak, north-northwest of Merriam Peak, and the nearest higher neighbor is Bear Creek Spire, to the north.[1] Royce Peak is the 89th-highest summit in California.[2] This mountain was named in 1929 by the California State Geographic Board, and later officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to honor Dr. Josiah Royce (1855–1916), philosopher, instructor, and author.[3] The first ascent of the summit was made June 23, 1931, by Nathan Clark and Roy Crites.[4]
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Royce Peak is located in an alpine climate zone.[5] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range (orographic lift). Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains south into tributaries of the San Joaquin River.