timberline
noun
tim·ber·line
ˈtim-bər-ˌlīn 
: the upper limit of arboreal growth in mountains or high latitudes
called also tree line
Examples of timberline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With an apex at 12,095 feet above sea level – higher than timberline – the windy road over the pass is only open from June through October each year due to the snow that piles up in the Sawatch mountain range.
—
Jonathan Shikes, Denver Post, 8 Sep. 2025
The second day brought us to timberline on Baldface.
—Tom Stacer, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
Guiding me into the highlands for red deer, a 300-pound ungulate that lives above timberline amid the picturesque heather, is John Caithness, an affable fifty-something veteran stalker who knows the many hidden coulees and pastures of the estate where stags tend to frequent.
—Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
The avalanche danger in those areas is rated as considerable at and above timberline, and moderate below timberline, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
—John Meyer, The Denver Post, 13 May 2024
In the West, where elk hunting is most common, hunters can pursue elk from an elevation as low as 4,000 feet to well above the timberline.
—Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 22 Feb. 2024
Aksai Chin also features steep mountains, many far above the timberline, with lakes, streams, and narrow roads cut along mountainsides and through mountain passes.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2023
Or hiking above the timberline on Humphreys Peak, climbing past the last few twisted bristlecone pines to cross a final stretch of alpine tundra and stand for a moment on the roof of Arizona, where the temperature has to be almost chilly, right?
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 17 July 2021
The out-and-back trek climbs above timberline.
—Larry Bleiberg, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2021
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Jonathan Shikes, Denver Post, 8 Sep. 2025
The second day brought us to timberline on Baldface.
—Tom Stacer, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
Guiding me into the highlands for red deer, a 300-pound ungulate that lives above timberline amid the picturesque heather, is John Caithness, an affable fifty-something veteran stalker who knows the many hidden coulees and pastures of the estate where stags tend to frequent.
—Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
The avalanche danger in those areas is rated as considerable at and above timberline, and moderate below timberline, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
—John Meyer, The Denver Post, 13 May 2024
In the West, where elk hunting is most common, hunters can pursue elk from an elevation as low as 4,000 feet to well above the timberline.
—Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 22 Feb. 2024
Aksai Chin also features steep mountains, many far above the timberline, with lakes, streams, and narrow roads cut along mountainsides and through mountain passes.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2023
Or hiking above the timberline on Humphreys Peak, climbing past the last few twisted bristlecone pines to cross a final stretch of alpine tundra and stand for a moment on the roof of Arizona, where the temperature has to be almost chilly, right?
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 17 July 2021
The out-and-back trek climbs above timberline.
—Larry Bleiberg, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Timberline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/timberline. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
timberline
noun
tim·ber·line
-ˌlīn
: the upper limit beyond which trees do not grow (as on mountains)
called also tree line
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