Aptly named, Highland County has the highest mean elevation of any county east of the Mississippi River. One might wonder how that could be possible. The answer is that in Highland County, the valleys tend to be high and wide, rather than narrow and deep. The high altitude makes for comfortable, cool summers and the undulating landscape makes for expansive, scenic views in all directions. The county seat is Monterey, about 45 miles west of Staunton (VA) on US Rt. 250.