Modoc National Forest
Modoc National Forest is a 1,654,392-acre (6,695 km2) U.S. national forest in Northeastern California.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Forest |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 2.0 million acres |
| Forest Service code | 0509, region 05 |
| Center point | 41.57° N, 120.89° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
17 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 3 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
8 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 46 recreation sites in this forest, among them 21 campgrounds, 6 boat launchs, 5 paddling accesss, 3 day hikings. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 35 miPepperdine Trailhead ↗Trailhead · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 36 miSoup Springs Trailhead ↗Trailhead · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early June to late October.
- 44 miEast Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 1 miReservoir F Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 1 miReservoir F Boating Site ↗Boat launch · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 4 miDuncan North Boating Site ↗Paddling access · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 5 miDuncan South Boating Site ↗Paddling access · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 7 miHoward's Gulch Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 9 miReservoir C Boating Site ↗Boat launch
- 9 miReservoir C Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
Show all 46Hide
- 13 miLogan Slough Boating Site ↗Paddling access
- 14 miBig Sage Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 14 miBig Sage Boating Site ↗Boat launch · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 18 miRed Tail Rim Trail North Trailhead ↗Day hiking · Facilities open as weather and road conditions permit; usually early June to late October.
- 19 miLower Rush Creek Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; Campground is inaccessible during inclement weather. Use Caution
- 23 miJane's Reservoir Boating Site ↗Boat launch · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 23 miJane's Reservoir Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 25 miGreen Springs Boating Site ↗Paddling access
- 28 miRed Tail Rim Trail South Trailhead ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather and road conditions permit; usually early June to late October.
- 28 miAsh Creek Campground ↗Campground
- 32 miCedar Pass Snow Park ↗Ski area · Facilities open as snow alows; usually early January to late March. Call 530-233-3323 for info.
- 33 miCedar Creek Upper Trailhead ↗Day hiking · Open all year.
- 33 miStough Reservoir Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 35 miPepperdine Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 35 miPepperdine Equestrian Campground ↗Horse camp · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 35 miCedar Creek Lower Trailhead ↗Day hiking · Open all year.
- 35 miPayne Springs Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 35 miBlanche Lake Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 36 miDoorknob Warming Hut Snowpark ↗Snowmobiling · Open all year.
- 36 miLassen Creek Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid -May to late October.
- 36 miMedicine Lake Recreation Area ↗Campground · Traditionally open from July 1st - October
- 36 miSoup Springs Campground ↗Horse camp · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early June to late October.
- 37 miMill Creek Falls Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early June to late October.
- 37 miLittle Medicine Lake Picnic Site ↗Picnic area · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 38 miSchonchin Springs Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 38 miWillow Creek Picnic Site ↗Picnic area · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 38 miWillow Creek Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 43 miBlue Lake Boating Site ↗Boat launch · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early June to late October.
- 43 miBlue Lake Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 44 miEast Creek Campground ↗Horse camp · Facilities open as weather permits; usually late May to late October.
- 44 miEmerson Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 45 miPatterson Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually mid-May to late October.
- 45 miLily Lake Boating Site ↗Paddling access · As weather permits
- 45 miLily Lake Picnic Site ↗Picnic area · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
- 45 miCave Lake Boating Site ↗Boat launch
- 45 miCave Lake Campground ↗Campground · Facilities open as weather permits; usually early July to late October.
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
The Forest Service trail layer records 31 named trails in this forest, 127 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Summit Trail ↗ | 22.7 | |
| Red Tail Rim Trail ↗ | 19.1 | |
| Owl Creek Trail ↗ | 17.9 | |
| Highgrade National Rec. Trail ↗ | 5.9 | |
| Poison Flat Trail ↗ | 5.9 | |
| East Creek Trail ↗ | 5.6 | |
| Pine Creek Trail ↗ | 4.8 | |
| North Emerson Trail | 4.4 | |
| Mill Creek North | 4.1 | |
| Mill Creek South | 4 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedGoodlow Piles Rx
46 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 3.1 miCarpenter and Paint Shop ↗National Historic Landmark
- under 0.1 miJess Valley Schoolhouse ↗Likely, CA
- under 0.1 miSchonchin Butte Fire Lookout ↗Tulelake, CA
- 0.2 miAdin Supply Company ↗Adin, CA
- 0.5 miNco Railway Depot ↗Alturas, CA
- 0.6 miSacred Heart Catholic Church ↗Alturas, CA
- 0.7 mi
- 5.3 miSnell, Governor Earl W., Aircraft Crash Site ↗Lakeview, OR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for California
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Modoc National Forest?
2.0 million acres.
Source: Forest Service boundary data
Who manages Modoc National Forest?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: U.S. Forest Service
What state is Modoc National Forest in?
California.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Modoc National Forest?
Dispersed camping is allowed on most national forest land outside developed sites. Check the forest page for closures. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Modoc National Forest?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.566° N, 120.890° W. Lava Beds National Monument is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Forest Service
Is there a fire near Modoc National Forest right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Goodlow Piles Rx at 46 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Modoc National Forest?
Lava Beds National Monument (adjacent) and Tule Lake National Monument (3 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Modoc National Forest?
The National Register has 16 listings within 15 miles, including Carpenter and Paint Shop and Jess Valley Schoolhouse.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage and code: the Forest Service Enterprise Data Warehouse.
- States and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- Description: Modoc National Forest on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, matched by forest code.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched by forest code.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.