According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, Highland County has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water. The county's western border is naturally defined and lies along the
Eastern Continental Divide in the
Allegheny Mountains. Likewise, the eastern border lies along the ridge line of
Shenandoah Mountain. The northern and southern boundaries of the county are defined more artificially, cutting across numerous mountain ridges and valleys. The county is northwest of
Richmond, Virginia. The highest elevation in the county is in the Allegheny Mountains and the lowest elevation is near the
Cowpasture River southwest of
Patna. The western regions of the county are generally higher in elevation than are the eastern and especially southeastern regions. As the county lies within the
Ridge-and-Valley province of the
Appalachian Mountains, it features numerous valleys and mountain ridges that are generally oriented in a "northeast to southwest" direction. The majority of the county and all the southern portions of the county form part of the
James River watershed, while northern sections drain into the
Potomac River. West of Monterey, the divide is roughly centered along the path of
U.S. Route 250; however, in eastern Highland County, the James watershed extends further northward. The westernmost valley, the Alleghany Valley, is narrow and situated between
Allegheny Mountain to the west and Lantz Mountain to the east. It is drained by
Back Creek, a tributary of the
Jackson River, in the southern section of the county and is drained by Straight Fork to the north. The
Laurel Fork runs to the west of Alleghany Valley, joining the Straight Fork in Pendleton County, West Virginia to the north to form the
North Fork South Branch Potomac River. The Bluegrass Valley contains the headwaters of the Jackson River south of U.S. 250 and the
South Branch Potomac River to the north. The northern section of the valley, in the area of the village of
Blue Grass, is considerably wider than the southern section of the valley. The Jackson River flows out of Bluegrass Valley to the east through Vanderpool Gap approximately south of
Hightown. A short distance south, the Bluegrass Valley is drained by the Back Creek. Monterey Valley is located roughly in the center of the county, and its drainage is separated at Monterey. To the north of Monterey, the valley is drained by the Strait Creek and South Branch Potomac River; to the south, the valley is drained by the Jackson River. The Bullpasture Valley is drained throughout the county to the south by the
Bullpasture River. The Cowpasture Valley, the easternmost valley in the county, is mostly drained to the south by the Cowpasture River, although a small portion to the north is drained by the
South Fork South Branch Potomac River.
Adjacent counties •
Augusta County (southeast) •
Bath County (south) •
Pendleton County, West Virginia (north) •
Pocahontas County, West Virginia (west)
Protected areas Highland County contains parts of the
George Washington National Forest concentrated mainly along the county's western and eastern borders. The
Highland Wildlife Management Area, held by the
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, is a
wildlife preserve located in three distinct locations within the county. These locations include the Jack Mountain tract southwest of McDowell, the Bullpasture Mountain tract south of McDowell in the southeastern corner of the county, and the Little Doe Hill tract west of McDowell. The
national forest and Highland Wildlife Management Area combined account for of Highland County's land, or approximately 28% of the county's total land area. All of Highland County is located within the
United States National Radio Quiet Zone, a area of limited radio activity. The area is intended to minimize interference at the
Green Bank Telescope operated by the
National Radio Astronomy Observatory in
Green Bank, West Virginia and the
Sugar Grove Station in
Sugar Grove, West Virginia. ==Climate and weather==