Highland Lakes is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)[10] located within Vernon Township, in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

[6] The community was mistakenly referred to as Highland Lake (missing the plural "s") by the United States Census Bureau from the 1990 to 2010 censuses[1][15][16] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 6.099 square miles (15.80 km2), including 5.071 square miles (13.13 km2) of land and 1.028 square miles (2.66 km2) of water (16.86%).

[1][2] The 2010 United States census counted 4,933 people, 1,875 households, and 1,388 families in the CDP.

[15] As of the 2000 United States Census[7] there were 5,051 people, 1,794 households, and 1,375 families residing in the CDP.

Most of the homes are lake-style or log cabins, retaining most of the architecture of the original community.

All property owners pay an initiation fee and annual dues to the Highland Lakes Country Club and Community Association.

Highland Lakes is located adjacent to the 34,350-acre Wawayanda State Park and near the Pequannock Watershed, which is a large parcel owned by the City of Newark in Essex County for their water supply.

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Highland Lakes include: