Highlands is a small town in Macon County, North Carolina. It sits on a high flat area called a plateau in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Most of the town is in Macon County, but a small part is in Jackson County. Highlands is also part of the Nantahala National Forest. In 2020, about 1,072 people lived there.

History of Highlands

Highlands was started in 1875 by two men, Samuel Truman Kelsey and Clinton Carter Hutchinson. They believed that where lines from Chicago to Savannah and from New Orleans to New York City crossed would become a major trading spot. They named the town "Highlands" because it is very high up.

In the 1930s, Highlands became a popular place for golfing. A famous golfer named Bobby Jones helped start the Highlands Country Club. Today, this club is one of seven successful country clubs in the area.

Highlands' Location and Landscape

Highlands covers about 6.2 square miles (16.55 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The town is very high up, at about 4,118 feet (1,255 meters) above sea level. This makes it one of the highest towns east of the Mississippi River. Because of its high elevation, Highlands gets a lot of rain, sometimes almost 100 inches (2,540 mm) per year. This rain, along with plenty of sunshine, creates a very green and lush environment that is great for plant scientists.

Highlands' Climate and Weather

Highlands has a special kind of climate called a subtropical highland climate. This means it has cool winters and warm summers. The high altitude makes the weather much cooler than in other parts of the southern United States.

The town gets about 87.57 inches (2,224 mm) of rain each year. It also gets some snow, averaging about 13 inches (33 cm) annually. Even though it's in the southern Appalachians, Highlands stays cooler in summer. For example, the average high temperature in July is about 78°F (26°C), which is much lower than in most of the American South.

Climate data for Highlands, North Carolina (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	75 (24)	78 (26)	84 (29)	90 (32)	91 (33)	97 (36)	98 (37)	98 (37)	97 (36)	87 (31)	82 (28)	75 (24)	98 (37)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	42.3 (5.7)	46.4 (8.0)	53.7 (12.1)	62.1 (16.7)	69.3 (20.7)	74.8 (23.8)	77.7 (25.4)	76.1 (24.5)	71.4 (21.9)	62.5 (16.9)	53.1 (11.7)	45.1 (7.3)	61.2 (16.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)	33.1 (0.6)	36.3 (2.4)	42.7 (5.9)	50.3 (10.2)	58.0 (14.4)	64.5 (18.1)	67.7 (19.8)	66.4 (19.1)	61.3 (16.3)	51.7 (10.9)	42.4 (5.8)	36.1 (2.3)	50.9 (10.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	23.9 (−4.5)	26.3 (−3.2)	31.7 (−0.2)	38.6 (3.7)	46.8 (8.2)	54.2 (12.3)	57.7 (14.3)	56.7 (13.7)	51.1 (10.6)	40.8 (4.9)	31.6 (−0.2)	27.1 (−2.7)	40.5 (4.7)
Record low °F (°C)	−19 (−28)	−19 (−28)	7 (−14)	13 (−11)	24 (−4)	32 (0)	36 (2)	42 (6)	27 (−3)	12 (−11)	−3 (−19)	−12 (−24)	−19 (−28)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	7.99 (203)	6.90 (175)	7.60 (193)	6.98 (177)	6.60 (168)	7.16 (182)	7.09 (180)	7.10 (180)	7.98 (203)	6.47 (164)	7.76 (197)	8.65 (220)	88.28 (2,242)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	2.6 (6.6)	2.0 (5.1)	1.8 (4.6)	0.0 (0.0)	0.2 (0.51)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.1 (0.25)	3.5 (8.9)	10.2 (26)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	13.9	13.7	13.9	12.2	13.9	15.4	16.9	15.8	11.8	10.4	11.1	14.1	163.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	1.1	1.1	0.9	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	1.6	5.0
Source: NOAA

What to Do in Highlands: Economy and Tourism

Highlands is a popular place for visitors, especially during two main seasons: summer and winter. Many people from warmer southern areas come to Highlands in the summer to enjoy the cooler mountain air. They also like the "Main Street experience" with its unique shops.

The town has many antique stores, restaurants, and inns. Several buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For entertainment, there are four theaters:

The Highlands Playhouse (started in 1938)
The Instant Theatre Company (started in 1981)
The Highlands Community Players (started in 1995)
The Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center

For art lovers, there is The Bascom - A Center for the Visual Arts. This center offers art shows and educational programs. The historic Old Edwards Inn is still open and offers a place to stay and a spa.

Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center

Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center
Construction
The PAC
Location	507 Chestnut Street, Highlands, NC 28741
Coordinates	35°03′25″N 83°11′43″W / 35.05689°N 83.19533°W / 35.05689; -83.19533
Capacity	3,500
Opened	2001
Renovated	2007
Tenants
Highlands Community Players

The Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center, also known as The PAC, is an important place for shows in Highlands. It features local music and theater. The building used to be a church. In 1999, people raised money to buy it so the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival could have a permanent home. Since then, The PAC has hosted over 255 performances.

Public Services in Highlands

Highlands has a public school called Highlands School. There is also a public library, the Hudson Library. This library is part of the Fontana Regional Library system. The Hudson Library also used to house The Bascom visual arts center until 2009.

The town has one hospital, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital.

Highlands has its own post office with ZIP code 28741. The local phone numbers start with 526 or 482. Verizon provides phone and DSL high-speed Internet services.

Television and Internet Services

Cable television and Internet in Highlands are provided by Northland Communications Corporation and Highlands Cable Group. These services carry local TV stations from nearby cities like Asheville and Greenville. They also carry some major TV network stations from Atlanta, Georgia, like WSB-TV (ABC) and WAGA (Fox).

Highlands is home to two radio stations. WHLC FM 104.5 plays easy listening music. Its signal reaches into nearby states. W277CU on 103.3 relays public radio from Asheville.

Getting Around Highlands: Transportation

There are four main roads that go into and out of Highlands:

U.S. 64 west and N.C. 28 north go towards Franklin.
U.S. 64 east goes towards Cashiers.
N.C. 28 south goes towards Pine Mountain, Georgia, and Walhalla, South Carolina.
N.C. 106 southwest goes towards Dillard.

There is no public transportation in Highlands. The closest airport is Macon County Airport, but its weather conditions might be different from Highlands due to the elevation difference.

Fun Things to Do in Highlands: Recreation

Harris Lake in Highlands during fall

View of Terrapin Mountain and Whiteside Cove from Whiteside Mountain summit.

Hiking Trails

The hiking trails around Highlands are very popular with backpackers. There are many mountain trails, including some that lead to beautiful waterfalls.

Fishing Spots

You can go fishing in Highlands at places like Harris Lake and Cliffside Lake Recreation Area. Cliffside Lake is stocked with different types of trout. Some fishing areas are public, while others are private. Fly Fishing is also a common activity. The Cullasaja River starts in town, and the Chattooga River is nearby.

Amazing Waterfalls Near Highlands

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls is a 45-foot (14 m) waterfall in the Nantahala National Forest. It's special because you can drive your car behind it! The falls are located on the side of U.S. Highway 64, about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) northwest of town. There's a parking area where you can stop and see the falls.

Cullasaja Falls

Cullasaja Falls is on the Cullasaja River in the Nantahala National Forest. The name "Cullasaja" comes from a Cherokee word. This waterfall is a long cascade, falling about 137 to 250 feet (42 to 76 m). It's located next to U.S. Route 64 with steep cliffs. There's only a small pull-off area, so be careful if you visit.

Dry Falls

Dry Falls, also called Upper Cullasaja Falls, is a 65-foot (20 m) waterfall northwest of Highlands. You can walk right under this waterfall and stay mostly dry when the water isn't too high, which is how it got its name! Dry Falls is on the side of U.S. Highway 64, about 3.1 miles (5.0 km) north of Highlands. There's a parking area and a path with stairs leading to the falls.

Quarry Falls

Quarry Falls, also known as Bust Your Butt Falls, is a smaller waterfall west of Highlands. It's famous for its large, deep pool at the bottom. This is a popular spot for swimming and jumping from a rock into the water during warm weather. It's about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) from Highlands.

Other Waterfalls to Explore

Glen Falls
Lower Cullasaja Falls
Silver Run Falls
Secret Falls
Whitewater Falls
- Upper Whitewater Falls
- Lower Whitewater Falls

Highlands' Population Over Time

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	82	—
1900	233	—
1910	249	6.9%
1920	267	7.2%
1930	443	65.9%
1940	569	28.4%
1950	515	−9.5%
1960	597	15.9%
1970	583	−2.3%
1980	653	12.0%
1990	948	45.2%
2000	909	−4.1%
2010	924	1.7%
2020	1,072	16.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

The population of Highlands has changed over the years. In 2020, there were 1,072 people living in the town.

Who Lives in Highlands: 2020 Census Data

Highlands racial composition
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	931	86.85%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	7	0.65%
Native American	1	0.09%
Asian	14	1.31%
Other/Mixed	42	3.92%
Hispanic or Latino	77	7.18%

In 2020, there were 1,072 people living in Highlands. These people lived in 639 households, with 333 of those being families.

Highlands in the News: Media

The Highlander newspaper headquarters.

Highlands has had a newspaper called The Highlander since 1958. There was an earlier newspaper with the same name that started in 1885 but stopped publishing in 1887.

Famous People from Highlands

Bil Dwyer (1907–1987) was a cartoonist and humorist.

Nearby Towns to Highlands

In North Carolina

In Georgia

Highlands, North Carolina facts for kids

Contents