Колумбияның Солтүстік Сіерра-Невада таулары

Mountain range in northern Colombia

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (English: Snow Covered Mountain Range of Saint Martha) is an isolated mountain range in northern Colombia, separate from the Andes range that runs through the north of the country. Reaching an elevation of just from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the highest coastal range in the tropics, and one of the highest coastal ranges in the world, being shorter than the Saint Elias Mountains in Canada. The Sierra Nevada encompasses about and serves as the source of 36 rivers. The range is in the Departments of Magdalena, Cesar and La Guajira. The highest point of the Sierra Nevada group (and Colombia in general) may be either Pico Cristóbal Colón or Pico Simón Bolívar, both in the municipalities of Santa Marta and Aracataca; it has yet to be determined which is higher. SRTM data and local topographic maps show that their true elevations are approximately , lower than the elevation that is often quoted. The Sierra Nevada is a compact group, relatively small in area, and completely surrounded by lands with elevations below Although it is associated with the Tropical Andes, the main backbone of the Andes cannot be reached from the Sierra Nevada without dropping below this level. This makes its highest point the world's fifth most prominent summit. Several peaks in the Sierra Nevada are intervisible with Cerro Paramillo, a peak in Antioquia Department. This implies a theoretical direct line of sight of just over , reported to be the longest between any two points on the surface of the Earth.

It is calculated that the yearly average rainfall is at elevations of The temperature varies between .

The tropical rainforest is made up of perennial trees, with a canopy reaching between There is a great variety and large populations of epiphytes and lianas, The indigenous peoples made an alcoholic beverage from fruits of the palm Attalea maripa found at the lower elevations. The area is home to 440 species of birds, It is located in the Cordillera Oriental range, between the departments of La Guajira, Magdalena and Cesar, in the mountain range of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is a sanctuary as well as a tourist attraction, because it offers different climate, terrain, flora and fauna environments, ranging from beaches to snowy mountain peaks. Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park is considered a unique place in the world, due to its isolation from the Andes, and its highest peak ( above sea level) is located just away from the sea.

For the last ten years, access to the highest summits has been very difficult, and this situation continues, although there is a documented ascent of Pico Cristóbal Colón in December 2015. This was due to opposition from locals in the southern side of the mountain to aid and allow climbers to explore the place. Their aid and permission is important for success in the summit. Armed turmoil has also proven to hinder access to the place, notwithstanding the peace process carried on since 2016. The only safe and relatively straight forward access is from Santa Marta city to Cuchillo de San Lorenzo, but that is only to (although it provides excellent views of the peaks).