Highlands

Highlands is one of three maps in the Defiant Map Pack designed for Halo: Reach.

Universe and lore
Highlands is set in the Military Wilderness Training Preserve in the aptly named Highland Mountains on Reach. From 2517 to 2525, the SPARTAN-II program used this area for training the super soldiers on wilderness survival. Outside the map, the Big Horn River dominates the valley floor and in the distance, several s can be seen glassing Reach.

The middle of the map plays host to a D77-TC Pelican dropship, Bravo 001. During the Fall of Reach, members of SPARTAN-II Red Team deployed to the surface of Reach in Bravo 001 to defend the planet's orbital defense generators from Covenant assault. The Pelican was shot down and crash-landed in the Highland Mountains.

Locations
The following are locations on the map that are so named on the player's heads-up display during gameplay:
 * Operations
 * Motor Pool
 * Waterfall
 * Communications
 * Rock Arch
 * Red Base
 * Red Tower
 * West Cave
 * Underpass
 * Pond
 * Rappelling Towers
 * Blue Base
 * Blue Tower
 * Big Horn River
 * Radio Tower
 * Crash Site
 * East Cave
 * Cliffs
 * Out of bounds...

Production notes
During development Highlands was known as Training Preserve. Current files on Bungie.net are even labelled as Training Preserve instead of the map's final name.

Trivia

 * This is one of two maps to feature locations previously described in the novel Halo: The Fall of Reach, the other being Condemned.
 * In the ringed section of The Big Horn river closest to the downed pelican, there are Koi fish. These fish can be shot and killed.

Easter eggs

 * The crashed Pelican's cockpit emits a radio conversation.