Day hiking is what you make of it. Take short strolls on paved paths or long climbs up to high ridge lines or peaks with great views. There are countless opportunities for hiking in unique areas of scenic beauty within the Modoc. Not all trails are well marked. Take a good map and compass on all day hikes and backpack trips. Always tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
Day hiking is what you make of it. Take short strolls on paved paths or long climbs up to high ridge lines or peaks with great views. There are countless opportunities for hiking in unique areas of scenic beauty within the Modoc. Not all trails are well marked. Take a good map and compass on all day hikes and backpack trips. Always tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
Big Valley Ranger District, crescent shaped, encompasses a portion of the Modoc National Forest north, east and south of the town of Adin, CA. The lower elevation of this Ranger District allows campgrounds to open earlier in the spring and close later in the fall.
The beautiful Red Tail Rim Trail is something that this district boasts about. A shared trail by hikers, mountain bikers and equestrian units, this unique trail covers some 20 plus miles of the back-country.
The Devil's Garden Ranger District lies in the heart of the Modoc Plateau. The Modoc Plateau is a mile-high expanse of lava flows with cinder cones, juniper flats, pine forests, and seasonal lakes. The plateau is thought to have been formed approximately 25 million years ago. The name Devil's Garden was given to the area when the first European settlers traveled to this region in the 1800's. In contrast, the Native people called the area, "The Smiles of Gods".
In the spring, after the snow melt, the rocky Devil's Garden produces a veritable carpet of wild pink pansies, pink and red owl clover, yellow primroses and pink shooting stars. Purple lupine, yellow mules ear and the shiny green leaves of manzanita complete the rainbow of color that lasts well into the summer.
The Devil's Garden lies directly under the Pacific Flyway. During their migration from Alaska and Canada to Mexico, hundreds of thousands of waterfowl use the wetlands as rest stops. The Garden is also shared by Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, wild horses and pronghorn antelope. Several of the reservoirs on the district are stocked by the California Dept of Fish and Game with bass or trout.
Four of the 5 developed campgrounds on the Devil's Garden charge no fees for camping, day use or boat launching. Even so, these facilities rarely fill to capacity and are considered the perfect getaway by the few who venture there.
The Doublehead Ranger District is known for year round recreation opportunities. In winter, Medicine Lake Highlands offers 31 miles of groomed trails that provide breathtaking views of Mt. Shasta. A snowmobile trailhead is located at Doorknob Snowmobile Park, one and a half miles south of Lava Beds National Monument. The Snow-Park features a paved parking lot, warming hut and rest rooms. Groomed trails lead to Medicine Lake and three other Snow-Parks on neighboring National Forests, part of the Tri-Forest Snowmobile Trails System of over 250 miles of signed trails.
During late spring to early fall the many campgrounds and lakes are a great place to relax, fish and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.
Little Mt Hoffman Trail is a well groomed hiking/biking tail that starts from the west side of Headquarters Campground, in the Medicine Lake area, up to a point just east of the lookout. This is a moderate trail, great for a day hike.
The only beach in the Modoc National Forest is located on the eastern shore of Medicine Lake at the Day Use picnic area.
The Warner Mountain Ranger District has breathtaking scenery and ample opportunities for hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, hunting and fishing. It offers snowcapped peaks, wilderness mountain meadows, sparkling streams, trout fishing amid scenic grandeur, a profusion of colorful flowers and shrubs, and countless birds and small animals.
