Summer highs here hover around 74 degrees. July, the hottest month, averages about 77, and it rarely climbs past 84.
That’s not a beach town with a sea breeze. It’s a tiny mountain town in Virginia, sitting at nearly 2,900 feet in a county with one of the highest mean elevations east of the Mississippi.
I like how the whole place seems built for slowing down. There’s a 1950s soda counter where people sign the wooden benches.
There’s a fire tower with 100 steps and ridgelines in every direction.
I can’t imagine a better trade than swapping a humming window unit for open windows and mountain air. The town has fewer residents than some apartment buildings, yet it packs in history, ice cream, and maple everything.
So where exactly is this cool little escape?
A Pocket-Sized County Seat With Its Head in the Clouds
Only 165 people called this town home at the 2020 census. That makes Monterey, Virginia, one of the smallest county seats you’ll ever drive through.
Monterey serves as the seat of Highland County, high in the Allegheny Mountains. The town sits at about 2,894 feet, and that elevation does the heavy lifting on the weather.
Summer daily highs hover around 74 degrees. July is the warmest month, averaging near 77, and the thermometer rarely pushes past 84.
Humidity stays comfortable too, which matters more than people think. Air conditioning starts to feel like a nice extra rather than a survival tool.
Highland County carries a fun nickname, Virginia’s Little Switzerland. Its mean elevation ranks among the highest east of the Mississippi River, so the cool air isn’t a fluke.
Getting oriented is easy. The town grew up where US 220 and US 250 cross, and both roads wind through big mountain scenery on the way in.
Don’t expect stoplights, sprawl, or a mall. Expect a short Main Street, old buildings, open pastures, and long views.
Honestly, that’s the whole appeal, and it’s a pretty convincing one.
Bell’s Place, a Faraway Battle, and Two Armies in Town
Ever wonder why a Virginia mountain town shares a name with a city in Mexico? The answer goes back to 1847.
The town was named that year to honor General Zachary Taylor’s victory at the Battle of Monterrey. Before then, folks knew the area as Bell’s Place, going back to the late 1700s.
Monterey was officially laid out in May 1847. Not bad for a spot that started as somebody’s place name.
The Civil War brought far more traffic than a small mountain town usually sees. At different times, both Confederate and Union forces used Monterey as a headquarters.
You can still see a piece of that story on Main Street. The Osborne Wilson-Fenn House once served as headquarters for Union General Robert Milroy.
History buffs have more to admire nearby. Monterey High School and the Monterey Hotel both appear on the National Register of Historic Places.
It’s a lot of backstory for a town you could stroll end to end before your coffee cools. I like that the past here isn’t locked in a museum.
It’s standing right along the sidewalk.
Signed Benches and Ice Cream That Catches Fire
Ice cream set on fire without melting. That’s the pitch behind Fire and Ice Cream at High’s Restaurant, and it’s hard to resist.
High’s sits at 73 West Main Street, Monterey, VA 24465. It keeps the spirit of old-fashioned 1950s counter service alive.
You can watch banana splits, sundaes, shakes, and floats come together right in front of you. On a 75-degree afternoon, that feels like the correct way to spend twenty minutes.
The menu covers classic American comfort food too. Think burgers, sandwiches, country fried steak, and even fish tacos.
The best part might be the seating. Guests are invited to sign the wooden bench seats, and some readable autographs date to the early 1950s.
That turns lunch into a tiny piece of town history. Bring a pen and pick your spot carefully, because neighbors from seven decades ago are watching.
Nearby, the Highlander Restaurant at 27 West Main Street covers casual cravings. Pizza, subs, fried chicken, and milkshakes are on offer there.
Between the two, nobody leaves Main Street hungry or short on dessert options.
Maple Weekends That Put the Whole County to Work
Every March, this quiet town gets sticky in the best way. The Highland County Maple Festival has been pulling crowds since 1958.
It’s held on the second and third weekends of March. Thousands of visitors come to celebrate the local maple syrup industry.
The festival carries some serious credentials. The Library of Congress named it a Local Legacy in 1999.
Then in 2014, the Governor made it the official maple festival of Virginia. Pancakes rarely get that kind of paperwork.
Sugar camp tours are the heart of the event. You get to follow the syrup from tree to bottle, which is more fascinating than it sounds.
Food is the other big draw. Pancake and buckwheat cake meals show up across the county, along with famous maple doughnuts.
Monterey hosts most of the major activity. Artisan and craft shows fill the Highland High and Elementary School gyms, The Highland Center, the Courthouse Lawn, and The Barn at Monterey Inn.
So yes, summer is the cool-weather headline. Still, March might steal your heart one doughnut at a time.
One Hundred Steps to the Best Seat in the Alleghenies
Count your steps, because there are exactly 100 of them. At the top of the Sounding Knob Fire Tower, the Allegheny Mountains roll out in every direction.
The Civilian Conservation Corps built this tower in 1934. It got a restoration in 2017, so the climb feels like stepping into history with sturdy footing.
Finding it is simple enough. The tower stands on Sounding Knob Road, about 1.3 miles south of where it meets US Route 250.
From the top, you get aerial views over Monterey and the surrounding ridgelines. It ranks among the best viewpoints in Virginia, and that’s saying something in this state.
Here’s a bonus of the local climate. Climbing 100 steps at 75 degrees is a completely different experience than doing it in a sweltering lowland July.
Bring a camera and maybe a light layer for the breeze up top. Then just stand there awhile and let the landscape do the talking.
It’s the easiest way to understand the Little Switzerland nickname. Words help, but those long green ridges make the argument far better.
Trails, Barn Quilts, and Skies Full of Stars
Mild summers practically beg you to stay outside. Monterey and the rest of Highland County deliver plenty of reasons to do it.
Hikers will find unspoiled, sparsely populated trails. Translation: more birdsong, fewer elbows.
Mountain bikers have options at both ends of the effort scale. The Bald Ridge Trail brings the challenge, while the Monterey to Blue Grass Valley Loop stays more moderate.
Anglers aren’t left out either. Cool, clean streams and ponds give you good chances to cast a line.
For something more artistic, try Virginia’s first Barn Quilt Trail. Colorful quilt patterns decorate barns across the countryside, turning a scenic drive into a treasure hunt.
Prefer an easy stroll? The Highland County Community Trail offers a relaxed path with peaceful mountain scenery.
Then wait for sunset. The area’s night skies are exceptionally dark, which makes stargazing a favorite after-hours activity.
Cool evenings help a lot here. You can lie back on a blanket without sticking to it, and the Milky Way might just upstage everything you saw that day.
An Old Schoolhouse Turned Creative Heartbeat
Built as a school in 1922, The Highland Center now hums with a different kind of learning. It’s a nonprofit cultural and community hub right in Monterey.
The building appears on both the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. Inside, you’ll find working artist studios and art displays.
It also hosts concerts and theatrical performances. For a town this small, that’s a seriously lively calendar.
The Highland County Chamber of Commerce calls the building home too. Plan a Friday stop in summer, when the Highland Farmers Market sets up at the pavilion.
Fresh produce and Highland-made products fill the stands. It’s a lovely way to meet the county through what it grows and makes.
Craving more local flavor? Highland Roots Market at 11 East Main Street is a family-owned natural food store.
Look for organic produce, grass-fed meats, and dairy products there. It’s handy for stocking a cabin fridge with something better than gas station snacks.
Between studios, stages, and market tables, Monterey proves a tiny population can still throw a big creative punch.
Where to Sleep, Where to Ask, and Why You’ll Linger
Open windows and a light blanket in July sound almost made up. In Monterey, that’s simply how summer nights work.
The Monterey Inn offers complimentary WiFi and self-parking. It makes an easy base right in town.
Want more woods? Virginia Backcountry Cabins has ten themed cabins on 135 private acres surrounded by national forest.
The cabins have electricity, microwaves, and mini-fridges, but bathrooms are in shared bathhouses. Guests get continental breakfast, a wood-fired sauna, hiking trails, and hammocks by a spring-fed creek.
Before exploring, stop by the Highland County Visitor Center at 27 West Main Street. It’s in an independent section of the Highlander restaurant.
In July 2025, the Virginia Tourism Corporation made it a Certified Tourist Information Center. Grab brochures and directions there, especially for the barn quilts.
So is Monterey right for you? If you want nightlife and shopping malls, probably not.
If you want cool mountain air, a signed bench, and a fire tower view, it’s hard to beat. I believe this little Virginia town earns a spot on any summer list.
