To screen highland barley varieties suitable for cultivation in high-altitude regions, this study systematically investigated the adaptability, yield, and quality performance of 8 varieties under an altitude of 3050 meters. Using eight highland barley varieties, namely ‘Ganqing 4’, ‘Ganqing 6’, ‘Ganqing 8’ to ‘Ganqing 13’, as experimental materials, field observations were conducted to record the full growth period and stress resistance, while economic traits and core nutritional quality indicators were measured. All varieties exhibited a 1-3 day extension in growth period compared to lower-altitude environments, with ‘Ganqing 12’ and ‘Ganqing 6’ having the longest growth period (120 days). The tested varieties generally showed strong stress resistance, except for ‘Ganqing 12’, which had a medium lodging resistance rating. ‘Ganqing 11’ achieved the highest yield (4320 kg/hm²), followed by ‘Ganqing 8’ (4245 kg/hm²). ‘Ganqing 6’, ‘Ganqing 10’, and ‘Ganqing 11’ all had a thousand-grain weight exceeding 50 g, with outstanding performance in effective panicles (3.420-3.465 million/hm²) and plant height (71.6-96.6 cm). In terms of quality, ‘Ganqing 13’ showed significant advantages in starch (71.7 g/100g), β-glucan (3.82%), and anthocyanin (10.4 mg/100g) contents, while ‘Ganqing 11’ had the highest protein content (10.7 g/100g). ‘Ganqing 6’ and ‘Ganqing 11’ demonstrated excellent comprehensive agronomic traits, making them suitable as leading high-yield and stable varieties for high-altitude regions. ‘Ganqing 13’ has outstanding nutritional quality and potential for development as a functional special-purpose variety.