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==Geography== According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], Highland County has a total area of {{convert|415.9|sqmi|1}}, of which {{convert|415.2|sqmi|1}} is land and {{convert|0.7|sqmi}} (0.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> 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.<ref name="national hydromap">{{cite web|title=The National Map - Hydrography (NHD)|url=http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/?p=default&b=base4&x=-8869083.49448266&y=4633907.490054102&l=10&v=|publisher=United States Geological Survey|access-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref><ref name="history8">[[#OrenHistory|Oren]], 1911, p. 8.</ref><ref name="national map"/> The county is bordered to the west by [[Pocahontas County, West Virginia|Pocahontas County]] in the state of [[West Virginia]], to the north by [[Pendleton County, West Virginia]], to the east by [[Augusta County, Virginia]], and to the south by [[Bath County, Virginia]].<ref name="national map"/><ref name="community profile1">''[[#profile|Community Profile: Highland County]]'', p. 1.</ref> The county is {{convert|153|mi|km}} northwest of [[Richmond, Virginia]].<ref name="community profile1"/> [[File:View from Hightown, Virginia.jpg|thumb|left|A typical view of valleys and mountain ridges near Hightown]] The average elevation of Highland County is {{convert|2832|ft|m}}, which is the 16th highest average elevation among counties in the [[Eastern United States]].<ref name="cohp">{{cite web|last=Mills|first=Carl|title=Mean County Elevation Lists|publisher=County Highpointers|url=http://www.cohp.org/records/mean_elevation/mean_elevations.html|access-date=December 31, 2013}}</ref> The highest elevation in the county is {{convert|4545|ft|m}} in the Allegheny Mountains and the lowest elevation is {{convert|1625|ft|m}} near the [[Cowpasture River]] southwest of [[Patna, Virginia|Patna]].<ref name="national map"/><ref name="natResources">{{cite web|title=Comprehensive Plan: Natural Resources|publisher=Highland County|url=http://www.highlandcova.org/Compplan/Natresor.htm|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref> The western regions of the county are generally higher in elevation than are the eastern and especially southeastern regions.<ref name="elev map">{{cite web|title=County of Highland - Elevation (Map)|publisher=Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission|website=highlandcova.org|url=http://www.highlandcova.org/Compmaps/10%20-%20Elevation.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.highlandcova.org/Compmaps/10%20-%20Elevation.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|access-date=January 1, 2014|year=2010}}</ref> As the county lies within the [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians|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.<ref name="natResources"/> The valleys are from west to east the Alleghany Valley, the Bluegrass Valley, the Monterey Valley, the Bullpasture Valley, and the Cowpasture Valley.<ref name="history8"/><ref name="Scott7">[[#Scott|Scott]], 2008, p. 7.</ref> 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.<ref name="natResources"/><ref name="watershed map">{{cite web|title=County of Highland - Designated Watersheds Map|publisher=Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission|website=highlandcova.org|url=http://www.highlandcova.org/Compmaps/20%20-%20Watersheds.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.highlandcova.org/Compmaps/20%20-%20Watersheds.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|access-date=January 4, 2014|year=2010}}</ref> [[File:Highland County Virginia Census Map.jpg|thumb|right|Map of Highland County showing magisterial districts]] The westernmost valley, the Alleghany Valley, is narrow and situated between [[Allegheny Mountain (West Virginia–Virginia)|Allegheny Mountain]] to the west and Lantz Mountain to the east. It is drained by [[Back Creek (Jackson River)|Back Creek]], a tributary of the [[Jackson River (Virginia)|Jackson River]], in the southern section of the county and is drained by Straight Fork to the north. The [[Laurel Fork (North Fork South Branch Potomac River)|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, Virginia|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 {{convert|4|mi|km}} south of [[Hightown, Virginia|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]].<ref name="national hydromap"/><ref name="national map"/><ref name="history11-13">[[#OrenHistory|Oren]], 1911, pp. 11-13.</ref> ===Adjacent counties=== * [[Augusta County, Virginia|Augusta County]] (southeast) * [[Bath County, Virginia|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.<ref name="public land map">{{cite web|title=County of Highland - Public Lands (Map)|publisher=Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission|website=highlandcova.org|url=http://www.highlandcova.org/Compmaps/17%20-%20Public%20Lands.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.highlandcova.org/Compmaps/17%20-%20Public%20Lands.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|access-date=January 4, 2014|year=2010}}</ref> The [[Highland Wildlife Management Area]], held by the [[Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources]], is a {{convert|14283|acres|km2|adj=on}} [[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.<ref name="WMA info">{{cite web|title=Highland WMA|publisher=Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries|url=http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wmas/detail.asp?pid=28|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</ref><ref name="WMA map">{{cite web|title=Highland Wildlife Management Area (Map)|publisher=Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries|url=http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wmas/maps/highland.pdf|access-date=January 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007021039/http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wmas/maps/highland.pdf|archive-date=October 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[United States National Forest|national forest]] and Highland Wildlife Management Area combined account for {{convert|71455|acres|km2}} of Highland County's land, or approximately 28% of the county's total land area.<ref name="overview1">''[[#EconOverview|Economic Overview 2002 Bath and Highland County]]'', 2002, p. 1.</ref> All of Highland County is located within the [[United States National Radio Quiet Zone]], a {{convert|13000|sqmi|sqkm|adj=on}} 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]].<ref name="NRAO">{{cite web|last=Woody|first=Paulette|title=National Radio Quiet Zone|publisher=National Radio Astronomy Observatory|url=http://www.gb.nrao.edu/nrqz/nrqz.html|year=2013|access-date=January 4, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509004738/http://www.gb.nrao.edu/nrqz/nrqz.html|archive-date=May 9, 2013}}</ref>
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