About the Area
Originally, the forest was home to Native Americans, since long before recorded history. These people have a cultural connection to this land: Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians, Klamath Tribes, Karuk Tribe, Modoc Nation of Oklahoma, Pit River Tribe, Klamath NF Quartz Valley Indian Community of the Quartz Valley Reservation of California, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, Shasta Nation, Inc., Shasta Indian Nation, and Butte Valley Indian Community.
In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt set aside the Klamath as a “forest reserve.” In 1907, the name was changed to National Forest. The Klamath National Forest lies along the border of California and Oregon with the majority of the Forest in California and a small portion in Oregon. The forest boundaries are within a half-hour's drive from Medford and Klamath Falls, Oregon, and less than two hours from Redding, California.
The Klamath National Forest Covers an area of 1,700,000 acres located in Siskiyou County, California and Jackson County, Oregon-- spanning 120 miles wide and 75 miles long and ranging in elevation from 459 feet to 8,920 feet.
- Manages the Butte Valley National Grassland, which is the only national grassland in California and one of 20 across the country.
- Includes four wilderness areas--Marble Mountain, Russian, Trinity Alps, and Siskiyou.
- Has 200 miles of river system for rafting and 152 miles of wild and scenic rivers in the forest with the Klamath, Salmon and Scott Rivers meandering from one end of the Forest to the other.
- Is a haven for campers, hikers, wildlife watchers, hunters, fishermen, mountain bikers, white water enthusiasts, geologists, botanists, and naturalists.
- Provides 34 developed campgrounds, numerous trailheads, and numerous hiking trails that range from easy to arduous.
- Provides opportunities to discover a strikingly diverse assemblage of geologic features
- Is home to a unique diversity of plant species. Many are rare and/or endemic and some have very limited distribution
- Offers grazing, wood, and forest products permits.
- Meets local and national needs for timber, gold, and other natural resources.
- Is home to the elusive Bigfoot (or so we’ve heard!)