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Highland Lakes Alabama Map

Explore Highland Lakes, Alabama, with this interactive street and satellite map.

This page also offers TOPO MAPS — the official USGS topographic sheets — plus USGS aerial imagery, a labelled USNG grid overlay, a distance and bearing tool, and a GPS grid-reference readout. See How to Use This Map below.

Interactive Map of Highland Lakes, Alabama

How to Use This Highland Lakes, Alabama Map

This interactive map shows the street layout and satellite imagery for Highland Lakes, Alabama. Use the Map and Satellite buttons above to switch between street map and aerial imagery views. Use the + and − buttons to zoom in or out, or scroll your mouse wheel while holding the Control key to zoom. On a touchscreen, use a two-finger pinch gesture. Drag the map to pan to any area of Alabama or beyond.

Click ⛶ Fullscreen to expand the map to fill your screen. To return to the normal page view, press the Escape key, click the ✕ Exit Fullscreen button that appears above the map, or on a mobile device tap the back button (Android) or the close icon (iOS).

TOPO MAPS — NEW. Click the green 🔍 Search Maps button below the map to open a second map with a Base map row offering three choices. OSM is the standard OpenStreetMap street map. Topo shows the official USGS topographic maps from The National Map — contours, hydrography, land cover and shaded relief, the same mapping used for hiking, hunting and back-country navigation in the Adirondacks, the Catskills and the Finger Lakes. Imagery shows USGS aerial photography, mostly 1-metre NAIP. The search box finds any US town, county or landmark by name, so you are not limited to Highland Lakes.

Reading the map like a paper quad. Click Grid to overlay the U.S. National Grid (USNG), labelled along the edges exactly as a printed topographic sheet is — at normal zoom the squares are one kilometre across, so you can read a six-figure grid reference by eye and judge distance directly off the map. Click Measure, then tap two points, to get the distance between them together with the grid bearing in degrees and mils, the true bearing, and the magnetic bearing to set on a compass.

Click 📍 My position to take a single GPS reading from your device. It marks where you are and reports your position as a USNG grid reference as well as plain latitude and longitude — USNG being the format FEMA and US search and rescue teams work from — with a Copy position button so you can paste it straight into a text message. It takes one reading and stops, rather than tracking continuously, to conserve your battery. Note that map tiles need cell coverage, but a GPS reading does not — your coordinates stay correct even where the map itself cannot load.

City	Highland Lakes
State	Alabama (AL)
County	Shelby County
Country	United States of America
Timezone	Central Time (America/Chicago)

Latitude	33.3973
Longitude	-86.6495
Population	5,239
Density	530.1 /km²
Incorporated	N/A
ZIP Code	35242
Area Code	205
County Seat	Columbiana
School District	Shelby County School District

🌦 Goto Highland Lakes Weather Page: Highland Lakes, Alabama — Weather Warnings, Forecast, Radar, Satellite & Current Conditions

About Highland Lakes, Alabama

Highland Lakes is a locality in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. It has a population of approximately 5,239. The population density is 530.1 people per km². Highland Lakes is located at 33.3973°N, 86.6495°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. ZIP code: 35242.

Highland Lakes occupies a quiet expanse of Alabama where the North Fork Yellowleaf Creek carves its path through the red clay soil. It lies 4.1 miles north-northwest of Chelsea, AL (from Chelsea, AL: bearing 344°T), and is situated 9.4 miles east of Hoover. The landscape rises toward the silhouette of Double Oak Mountain, providing a constant, rugged backdrop to the daily movement of the sun. Three miles away, the waters of Catfish Lake reflect the shifting colors of the sky, offering a stillness that defines the local atmosphere. Beyond the immediate tree line, the terrain shifts into the peculiar depressions of The Penitentiary, a basin that holds the morning mist long after the rest of the land has dried. Every afternoon, the light filters through the longleaf pines, casting long, lean shadows that stretch across the fields and emphasize the deliberate, slow pace of the region.

Highland Lakes emerged from the steady labor of those who cleared the dense bottomland hardwoods to make room for modest settlements and family-run enterprises. The local economy maintains its connection to the earth, grounded in the traditions of agriculture and the small-scale industries that have sustained families for generations. While the rhythm of the work has evolved, the reliance on the land remains a constant thread in the daily lives of those who reside here. Residents often look toward the regional markets to distribute their goods, keeping the economic pulse of Highland Lakes tied to the broader productivity of the state. This connection to the soil and the legacy of the pioneers creates a sense of shared purpose that persists despite the changing demands of the modern era.

Highland Lakes fosters a character defined by neighborly reserve and a profound respect for the natural quiet of the surrounding woodlands. For those seeking a connection to the environment, the Dunnavant Valley Greenway offers a preserved space to walk amidst the native flora that characterizes this part of the state. The cultural life of Highland Lakes centers on community gatherings and local events that honor the traditions of the region without the need for grand spectacle. While the area remains removed from the fame of major urban centers, its people carry a quiet pride in the history of their home. The spirit of the place is best understood in the silence of the dusk, when the wind settles among the trees and the true scale of the landscape becomes clear.

Nearby Outdoor Places

Dunnavant Valley Greenway (Local Recreation) — 1.5 mi, 180° S
Oak Mountain State Park (State Park) — 1.6 mi, 243° SW
Forest Park and Recreational Area (Local Park) — 1.7 mi, 174° S
SportsFirst 1996 Fields Complex (Local Recreation) — 1.7 mi, 199° S
Adams Scenic Overlook (State Conservation Area) — 2.4 mi, 140° SE
State-owned Submerged Lands (Resource Management Area) — 3.4 mi, 349° N
Inverness Nature Park and Trails (Local Park) — 3.9 mi, 293° NW
King's Chair Overlook (Attraction) — 4.3 mi, 216° SW
Maggie's Glen (Attraction) — 5.0 mi, 226° SW
Old CCC Lakside Campsite ("Unit 1") (Historic Ruins) — 5.6 mi, 231° SW
Old CCC Ridgeline Campsite ("Unit 2") (Historic Ruins) — 5.6 mi, 229° SW
Christian Camp Plaque #1 (Monument) — 5.7 mi, 230° SW
Christian Camp Plaque #2 (Monument) — 5.7 mi, 230° SW
Camp Tranquility Main Entrance (Attraction) — 5.8 mi, 228° SW
Robert Jemison Jr./The Old Mill Historical Marker (Monument) — 8.6 mi, 313° NW
Oak Mountain Amphitheatre (Theatre) — 9.0 mi, 240° SW
Boyd E. Christenberry Planetarium (Museum) — 9.4 mi, 301° NW
Leslie Stephen Wright Fine Arts Center (Arts Centre) — 9.4 mi, 299° NW
Granite Garden (Public Artwork) — 9.7 mi, 312° NW
Studio By the Tracks (Arts Centre) — 10.2 mi, 342° N
High Falls Overlook (Viewpoint) — 10.5 mi, 269° W
Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve (Conservation Area) — 10.5 mi, 339° N
Birmingham Premiere LUX Ciné GSX & Pizza Pub (Cinema) — 11.1 mi, 285° W
Alys Stephens Center (Theatre) — 11.4 mi, 307° NW
Rainbow LED Tunnel (Attraction) — 12.2 mi, 309° NW
Museum of Fond Memories at Reed Books (Museum) — 12.2 mi, 312° NW
Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge (National Wildlife Refuge) — 18.0 mi, 266° W · 48 acres
Talladega National Forest (National Forest) — 29.3 mi, 119° SE · 395k acres
Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge (National Wildlife Refuge) — 30.7 mi, 226° SW · 8,383 acres
Cheaha Wilderness (Wilderness Area) — 44.7 mi, 089° E · 7,400 acres

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