Highland Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Highland Wildlife Management Area is 13,910 acres of Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources land in Highland County. DWR's maps show 7 parking areas and 16 gates. The 2026-27 firearms deer season on the WMA runs November 14 to November 28.
Data updated October 2026. Boundary, parking, gates and roads: DWR's WMA maps. Seasons: DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons.
National forestDWR land (WMAs)Other state landHighland WMADWR parkingCounty lineHighway
| Size | 13,910 acres (DWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Highland County |
| DWR region | Region 4 |
| Parking areas | 7 |
| Gates | 16 |
| Other facilities DWR maps | 6 kiosks |
| Firearms deer season, 2026-27 | November 14 to November 28 |
| Nearest towns | McDowell (next to it), Monterey (3 mi) and Deerfield (7 mi) |
Where do you park on Highland WMA?
DWR maps 7 parking areas on Highland WMA, listed north to south.
| Lot | Latitude, longitude | Kind (DWR) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 38.37369, -79.57298 | Parking |
| 2 | 38.33091, -79.56003 | Parking |
| 3 | 38.33091, -79.56003 | Parking |
| 4 | 38.31754, -79.54316 | Parking |
| 5 | 38.31144, -79.55935 | Parking |
| 6 | 38.23172, -79.59690 | Parking |
| 7 | 38.21341, -79.59312 | Parking |
Source: DWR WMA facilities (parking, gates, boat ramps, ranges).
What roads and trails does Highland WMA have?
DWR's road layer counts 1.5 miles of open road through or along it. DWR records 16 gates.
Other facilities on DWR's map: 6 kiosks.
Sources: DWR WMA roads and trails; DWR WMA facilities (parking, gates, boat ramps, ranges). Miles measured by FilledTag from DWR's lines.
When can you hunt deer on Highland WMA in 2026-27?
DWR's public lands table gives Highland WMA its own firearms deer season: November 14 to November 28, with either-sex days November 21, November 27, and November 28. Early archery runs October 3 to November 13 statewide.
| County | WMA acres in it | Private land firearms season | Deer killed (whole county) | Bears (whole county) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland County | 14,125 | November 14 to December 12 | 1,471 (2025) | 45 (2025) |
Seasons: DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons. Harvest: DWR Deer Kill Data; DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
How do you get to Highland WMA?
Highways within five miles: US 250, US 220 and VA 84. Nearest towns: McDowell (next to it), Monterey (3 miles), Deerfield (7 miles) and Craigsville (12 miles).
DWR's page for the area: DWR, Highland WMA.
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Highland WMA?
DWR sets the 2026-27 firearms deer season on Highland WMA at November 14 to November 28, with either-sex days November 21, November 27, and November 28. Early archery runs October 3 to November 13 statewide.
Where do you park on Highland WMA?
DWR maps 7 parking areas on Highland WMA. The coordinates of each are in the table on this page; the first is at 38.3309, -79.5600.
How big is Highland WMA?
13,910 acres by DWR's records, in Highland County.
How many deer are killed in Highland County, where Highland WMA is?
DWR counted 1,471 deer in Highland County in 2025-26: 961 antlered bucks and 445 does. DWR does not publish a separate count for the WMA.
Get a Virginia hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Virginia are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Virginia included.
Where these facts come from
- Boundary and acres: DWR Wildlife Management Areas. Parking, gates and facilities: DWR WMA facilities (parking, gates, boat ramps, ranges). Roads: DWR WMA roads and trails.
- Seasons: DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons. County harvest: DWR Deer Kill Data; DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
- Public land around it: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1). Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.