Southern Highlands Guard-Gated Communities: Complete Guide (2025)

by Ryan Rose

Southern Highlands offers several guard-gated neighborhoods with 24/7 staffed entrances, providing an added layer of security for homes ranging from $800,000 to over $5 million. Guard-gated communities represent the most exclusive sections of Southern Highlands, typically featuring larger lots, custom homes, golf course access, and premium views. This guide covers each guard-gated neighborhood, what guard-gated means in practice, and how to evaluate if it is right for you.

Guard-Gated vs Gated: What's the Difference?

Guard-Gated Neighborhoods in Southern Highlands

Olympia Ridge

Price Range: $1,500,000 - $5,000,000+ | Homes: ~150 | Lot Sizes: 0.5 - 1+ acre

Olympia Ridge is the most exclusive neighborhood in Southern Highlands, featuring custom estate homes along the Jack Nicklaus golf course. Properties offer dramatic views of the course, mountains, and Las Vegas Strip. Homes are predominantly custom-built with high-end finishes, pools, outdoor living spaces, and multi-car garages. This is where Southern Highlands' most expensive homes are located.

Custom estates, many with 5,000-10,000+ square feet
Direct Nicklaus course frontage on many lots
Panoramic mountain and Strip views
Highest HOA fees in Southern Highlands

The Estates at Southern Highlands

Price Range: $1,200,000 - $4,000,000+ | Homes: ~200 | Lot Sizes: 0.33 - 0.75 acre

The Estates offers custom and semi-custom homes on generous lots with views and privacy. While not directly on the golf course, many properties have mountain views and access to club amenities. Architecture varies from Mediterranean to contemporary desert modern. Popular with executives and professionals seeking space and security.

Mix of custom and semi-custom construction
Larger lots than production home areas
Mountain and valley views on elevated lots
Some homes with casitas or guest houses

Augusta Canyon

Price Range: $900,000 - $2,000,000+ | Homes: ~175 | Lot Sizes: 0.25 - 0.5 acre

Augusta Canyon borders the Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course with many homes offering direct fairway views. The neighborhood features luxury production and semi-custom homes from quality builders. More accessible entry point to guard-gated golf course living than Olympia Ridge, while still offering premium amenities and location.

RTJ course frontage available
Mix of production and semi-custom homes
3,000-5,000 square foot homes typical
More inventory turnover than ultra-luxury sections

Promontory Ridge

Price Range: $800,000 - $1,500,000 | Homes: ~200 | Lot Sizes: 0.2 - 0.4 acre

Promontory Ridge offers an entry point to guard-gated Southern Highlands with golf course views along the RTJ course. Homes are primarily luxury production from builders like Toll Brothers and Meritage. Good option for buyers who want guard-gated security and golf views without custom home pricing.

Most accessible guard-gated pricing in Southern Highlands
Production homes with upgrade options
Golf course and mountain view lots available
More active resale market

Total Cost of Guard-Gated Living

Guard-gated living involves more than the home purchase price. Factor these ongoing costs:

Master HOA: $75-$100/month (all Southern Highlands residents)
Guard-gated sub-HOA: $200-$400+/month additional
Total HOA: $275-$500+/month for guard-gated sections
Golf membership (optional): $500-$1,500+/month plus initiation
Property taxes: ~0.55% of assessed value annually

Example: A $1.5 million home in Promontory Ridge might have $350/month total HOA, $687/month property tax, and optional golf membership. That is $1,037/month in carrying costs before mortgage, insurance, and utilities.

Is Guard-Gated Right for You?

Guard-gated makes sense if:

Security and controlled access are high priorities
You travel frequently and want monitored entry while away
You have high-profile career or privacy concerns
You want to know who enters your neighborhood
Budget accommodates higher HOA fees

Guard-gated may not be necessary if:

You find the guest registration process inconvenient
You prefer easier delivery and service access
The HOA premium feels excessive for your situation
Standard gated or alarm systems meet your security needs

Guest and Service Access Procedures

Living in a guard-gated community means managing access for guests, deliveries, and service providers:

Guest lists: Maintain a permanent list and/or call ahead to add expected visitors
Delivery services: Amazon, UPS, FedEx typically have standing access during business hours
Contractors: Must be added to access list; guard logs entry/exit
Real estate showings: Seller must authorize agent access for each showing
Emergency services: Fire, police, ambulance have unrestricted access

The Bottom Line

Southern Highlands' guard-gated neighborhoods offer security, exclusivity, and access to golf course living from $800K to $5M+. Olympia Ridge represents the pinnacle of luxury, while Promontory Ridge provides accessible entry to guard-gated living. Factor total monthly costs including elevated HOA fees when budgeting. For buyers prioritizing security, privacy, and prestige, guard-gated Southern Highlands delivers.

I help buyers navigate guard-gated communities and understand access procedures and costs. If you want to tour guard-gated neighborhoods in Southern Highlands and compare options, reach out for personalized guidance.

Ready to explore southwest Las Vegas? Call or text Ryan Rose at 702-747-5921 for a neighborhood tour.

Southern Highlands Guard-Gated Communities: Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What's the difference between guard-gated and standard gated communities in Southern Highlands?

Guard-gated communities feature 24/7 staffed entrances where security personnel verify all visitors, log deliveries, and check service worker identification. Standard gated communities only use code access or remote entry systems without human verification. Guard-gated neighborhoods typically add $200-$400+ per month to HOA fees compared to $50-$150/month for standard gated communities.

Q2: What are the four guard-gated neighborhoods in Southern Highlands?

The four guard-gated neighborhoods are: Olympia Ridge ($1.5M-$5M+, the most exclusive with custom estates on the Nicklaus golf course), The Estates at Southern Highlands ($1.2M-$4M+, custom and semi-custom homes with mountain views), Augusta Canyon ($900K-$2M+, bordering the RTJ golf course), and Promontory Ridge ($800K-$1.5M, the most accessible entry point to guard-gated living).

Q3: How much are the total monthly HOA fees in guard-gated Southern Highlands communities?

Total HOA fees range from $275-$500+ per month for guard-gated communities. This includes the master HOA of $75-$100/month (paid by all Southern Highlands residents) plus an additional $200-$400+/month for the guard-gated sub-HOA. The most exclusive neighborhoods like Olympia Ridge have the highest fees.

Q4: What is the most affordable guard-gated neighborhood in Southern Highlands?

Promontory Ridge is the most accessible guard-gated option, with homes ranging from $800,000 to $1,500,000. It features luxury production homes from builders like Toll Brothers and Meritage, with lots ranging from 0.2 to 0.4 acres. Many properties offer golf course views along the Robert Trent Jones Jr. course and have a more active resale market than ultra-luxury sections.

Q5: How do deliveries work in guard-gated communities?

Major delivery services like Amazon, UPS, and FedEx typically have standing access during business hours. However, all deliveries are logged at the gate by security personnel. Contractors and service workers must be added to your authorized access list, and guards log their entry and exit times. This provides enhanced security and monitoring compared to standard gated communities where deliveries are often unrestricted.

Q6: How do guests access guard-gated neighborhoods in Southern Highlands?

Homeowners can maintain a permanent guest list at the guard gate and/or call ahead to add expected visitors. Guards verify each guest's identity and authorization before granting entry. For real estate showings, sellers must specifically authorize agent access for each showing. This controlled access system provides significantly more security than call box or code-only systems in standard gated communities.

Q7: What is the total monthly cost of owning a home in a guard-gated Southern Highlands community?

Beyond your mortgage, expect these carrying costs: HOA fees of $275-$500+/month, property taxes of approximately 0.55% of assessed value annually (about $687/month on a $1.5M home), and optional golf membership of $500-$1,500+/month plus initiation fees. For example, a $1.5M home in Promontory Ridge would have roughly $1,037/month in HOA and property taxes alone, before mortgage, insurance, and utilities.

Q8: What makes Olympia Ridge the most exclusive neighborhood in Southern Highlands?

Olympia Ridge features custom estate homes ranging from $1.5M to over $5M on lots of 0.5 to 1+ acre along the Jack Nicklaus golf course. Properties typically span 5,000-10,000+ square feet with high-end finishes, pools, and outdoor living spaces. Many lots offer direct Nicklaus course frontage along with panoramic mountain and Las Vegas Strip views. It has the highest HOA fees in Southern Highlands and represents the pinnacle of luxury in the community.

Q9: Do guard-gated communities in Southern Highlands include roaming security patrols?

Yes, guard-gated communities in Southern Highlands usually include roaming security patrols as part of the enhanced security package. This is included in the elevated HOA fees and provides an additional layer of protection beyond the staffed gate entrance. Standard gated communities may or may not offer patrol services, and it varies by neighborhood.

Q10: Is golf membership required in Southern Highlands guard-gated communities?

No, golf membership is optional for all Southern Highlands guard-gated neighborhoods. However, these communities offer convenient access to either the Jack Nicklaus course (Olympia Ridge) or the Robert Trent Jones Jr. course (Augusta Canyon, Promontory Ridge). Membership costs typically range from $500-$1,500+ per month plus initiation fees for those who choose to join.

Q11: Who should consider buying in a guard-gated Southern Highlands community?

Guard-gated communities are ideal for buyers who prioritize security and controlled access, travel frequently and want monitored entry while away, have high-profile careers or privacy concerns, want to know exactly who enters their neighborhood, and can accommodate higher HOA fees in their budget. They're particularly popular with executives, professionals, and anyone seeking premium security and exclusivity.

Q12: What are the typical lot sizes in Southern Highlands guard-gated communities?

Lot sizes vary by neighborhood: Olympia Ridge offers the largest at 0.5 to 1+ acre, The Estates at Southern Highlands features 0.33 to 0.75 acre lots, Augusta Canyon provides 0.25 to 0.5 acre parcels, and Promontory Ridge has the smallest at 0.2 to 0.4 acre. All guard-gated lots are significantly larger than standard production home areas in Southern Highlands.