Quick facts about the San Andreas Fault
How long is the San Andreas Fault? About 746 miles (1,200 kilometers)
What was the biggest earthquake on the San Andreas Fault? The Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, which had a magnitude of around 7.9
When was the San Andreas Fault discovered? 1895
The San Andreas Fault is California's longest and most famous fault. At this fracture zone, two plates of Earth's crust move past each other. It stretches from the Salton Sea in Southern California to off the coast of Mendocino in Northern California. On the inland side of the fault, the North American Plate moves southeast. Toward the coast, the Pacific Plate creeps northwest.
