Our Communities

Adin offers a wonderful introduction to Modoc County: open ranch country, pine-covered hills, and a community that takes pride in calling this place home. With 205 residents at about 4,200 feet, this southwestern Modoc County town sits along Highway 299 at the edge of Big Valley. Its agricultural roots and welcoming community park make it worth slowing down for. Nearby Ash Creek Wildlife Area offers birdwatching and wildlife viewing, while the Rush Creek campgrounds invite a peaceful escape into the forest. Come for the scenery, and leave with an appreciation for life in a small rural community.

Alturas is the gathering place at the heart of Modoc County, where historic Main Street buildings, local businesses, and familiar faces give the county seat its character. Home to 2,715 residents at about 4,370 feet, it sits along the Pit River near the meeting of Highways 299 and 395. Spend time exploring downtown and local history, then head just outside town to Modoc National Wildlife Refuge for walking trails, birdwatching, and remarkable seasonal migrations. With the Warner Mountains on the horizon and adventures in every direction, Alturas makes a welcoming home base for discovering our corner of California.

In Canby, the Pit River winds through a landscape of ranches, meadows, and forested hills that feels unmistakably Modoc. This community of 183 residents sits at about 4,310 feet along Highway 299, west of Alturas in the county’s west-central countryside. Ranching and timber have helped shape its identity, and the surrounding landscape remains a big part of its appeal. Nearby Modoc National Forest offers camping, wildlife watching, and scenic drives, including the Adin–Canby–Lookout loop. Take your time here: the changing views between open valley and pine forest are part of what makes the journey special.

Cross the Warner Mountains into Surprise Valley, and Cedarville gives you every reason to stay awhile. With 437 residents at about 4,650 feet, this eastern Modoc County community combines historic storefronts, local creativity, and a proud agricultural tradition beneath a spectacular mountain backdrop. It is home to the Modoc District Fair, where the valley’s community spirit takes center stage. Nearby hot-spring accommodations offer a relaxing retreat, while mountain trails and scenic valley roads invite exploration. Spend a morning wandering town and an afternoon taking in the landscape—you may find yourself wondering why you didn’t visit sooner.

Davis Creek is one of those little places that opens the door to a much bigger adventure. Situated along Highway 395 north of Alturas, this small rural community sits at about 4,850 feet between the Goose Lake basin and the Warner Mountains. Its scattered ranches and mountain setting offer a peaceful glimpse of northern Modoc County life. Nearby forest roads lead toward campgrounds and designated obsidian collecting areas, where visitors with the required permit can discover the region’s remarkable volcanic glass. Look toward the mountains, breathe in the open country, and give yourself time to explore.

Eagleville may have just 45 residents, but there is nothing small about its setting. At about 4,640 feet in southern Surprise Valley, southeast of Alturas, this ranching community rests beneath the dramatic eastern slopes of the Warner Mountains. Hay fields, weathered barns, and sweeping valley views give the landscape a beauty that needs very little embellishment. Nearby mountain country offers opportunities for hiking, horseback exploration, and photography, while the valley roads reward an unhurried drive. Stay long enough to watch the evening light settle across the mountains, and you’ll understand why this little community means so much.

At the northern end of Surprise Valley, Fort Bidwell feels like a discovery tucked beneath the Warner Mountains. This northeastern Modoc County community of 180 residents sits at about 4,560 feet, surrounded by ranch country and expansive views. Its identity brings together the living heritage of the Fort Bidwell Indian Community, historic buildings, and generations of rural life. Scenic drives through the northern valley and into the surrounding mountains offer opportunities for photography, wildlife watching, and exploration. There is something wonderful about reaching this corner of California and finding so much history, beauty, and community waiting here.

Lake City invites you to enjoy the quieter side of Surprise Valley, where mountain scenery and agricultural life are woven into the everyday landscape. Home to 71 residents at about 4,630 feet, it lies north of Cedarville along the western edge of the valley in eastern Modoc County. Ranches, historic buildings, and the nearby canyon give this small community its distinctive setting. Lake City Canyon Road leads toward the Warner Mountains alongside a scenic creek, while valley drives offer broad views and wonderful photographic possibilities. Here, an afternoon spent exploring slowly can become the highlight of the whole trip.

With a name that practically invites a conversation, Likely is a memorable stop in southern Modoc County. This community of 53 residents sits at about 4,450 feet along Highway 395, beside the South Fork of the Pit River and roughly 18 miles south of Alturas. Working ranches and the approach to beautiful Jess Valley give it a strong connection to the surrounding country. Head east toward Blue Lake for fishing and camping, or explore Mill Creek Falls and trails leading into the South Warner Mountains. For such a little place, Likely opens the way to an extraordinary amount of adventure.

Lookout is Big Valley country at its most inviting: broad fields, mountain horizons, and room to appreciate the changing seasons. With 68 residents at about 4,140 feet, this southwestern Modoc County community lies west of Adin near the Pit River. Its agricultural surroundings give the place a steady rhythm, with the landscape and the work of rural life closely connected. Nearby Ash Creek Wildlife Area offers birdwatching, wildlife photography, and walking opportunities, while surrounding forest roads invite further exploration. Bring binoculars, take the scenic route, and discover how much there is to notice when you give a small community your time.

Newell brings together the productive farmland, sweeping skies, and remarkable history of Modoc County’s northwestern corner. Home to 301 residents at about 4,040 feet, it sits along Highway 139 in the Tule Lake basin, south of the city of Tulelake. Agriculture remains central to the surrounding landscape, while Tule Lake National Monument offers an important opportunity to learn about Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Nearby Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge draws birdwatchers, and Lava Beds National Monument offers volcanic landscapes, trails, and cave exploration. Newell is a place to explore, reflect, and see California from a different perspective.

New Pine Creek offers the unusual pleasure of visiting a community that reaches across a state line. On Modoc County’s northern edge along Highway 395, its California portion has 85 residents, at an elevation of about 4,840 feet. The Goose Lake basin stretches westward, while the Warner Mountains rise to the east, creating a striking setting for rural living. Nearby Goose Lake State Recreation Area, just across the Oregon line, offers seasonal camping, picnicking, and wildlife watching. Add mountain drives and nearby forest adventures, and this little border community becomes a lovely reason to linger.