Modoc National Forest

Occupying the remote northeastern corner of California where the Cascades meet the Great Basin, Modoc National Forest covers 1.65 million acres of volcanic tablelands, juniper woodlands, and pine-covered mountains in one of the least-visited national forests in the state. The South Warner Wilderness, encompassing 70,385 acres of the Warner Mountains, features a dramatic eastern escarpment rising 3,000 feet above Surprise Valley, with peaks exceeding 9,700 feet and alpine lakes nestled in glacial cirques. Medicine Lake Volcano, the largest volcano by volume in the Cascade Range, lies partially within the forest and features lava beds, obsidian flows, and Glass Mountain -- a massive obsidian and pumice dome prized by Native peoples for toolmaking for thousands of years. The forest's vast sagebrush flats and juniper steppe provide exceptional habitat for pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and greater sage-grouse, while its mountain meadows and streams support populations of Lahontan cutthroat trout and redband trout. The region's sparse population and dark skies make it outstanding for stargazing, and the absence of crowds offers a solitude-rich experience for hunters, hikers, and horseback riders. Modoc County's ranching heritage is deeply connected to the forest, which manages extensive grazing allotments alongside recreation and wildlife conservation across this remote high-desert landscape.