Modoc Country Living - Outdoor RecreationOutdoor recreation remains the mainstay for leisure activities in Modoc County. Many folks in our open spaces and clean-air environment enjoy camping, hiking, hunting and fishing. If your favorite leisure-time activity includes outdoor recreation, you can enjoy it here. A large portion of Modoc's land is under National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) stewardship. Modoc National Forest alone offers numerous campgrounds, campsites and hiking trails, and represents a large area of Modoc County. There is lots of room for these types of activities here because of our remote location and sparse population. Fishermen and hunters will also find our wide-open spaces enjoyable and bountiful. Many hunters have already discovered the thrill and excitement of tracking and hunting Modoc's larger game animals such as black-tailed and mule deer, pronghorn antelope, elk and the occasional black bear in season. Quail, ducks, geese and other upland game birds and waterfowl are also abundant here. If your outdoor recreation enjoyment involves watching, filming, photographing or drawing wildlife, you'll find many species in Modoc's wildlife refuges. Outdoor recreation in Modoc County also offers activities such as golf, off-roading, horseback riding and seasonal skiing and snowboarding. There are also many scenic roads and highways in the county, including large portions of the officially sanctioned Modoc Volcanic Scenic Byway and Emigrant Trails Scenic Byway. I also urge anyone visiting our county for outdoor recreation to get off the main thoroughfares a ways and enjoy our back roads and sights. A short drive down a country road past working farms and ranches offers many relaxing and enjoyable sights and photo opportunities. 
Camping is probably the most popular outdoor recreation activity of all, with hiking a close second. One of the side benefits of enjoying living in a wide-open country environment is that you also live close to a prime campsite or hiking trail. Whether your preference is roughing-it with only the bare necessities while back-packing, or relaxing in an organized and managed national forest campground, the open-spaces of Modoc County can provide your setting. Modoc National Forest has many established and well-maintained campgrounds located throughout its 1,654,392 acre area. Many other campgrounds or hiking trails can be accessed from Modoc as well, including those in Lassen National Forest, Lassen Volcanic National Park and the Great Basin in northern Nevada's Black Rock Desert. Most of these campgrounds offer camping fun only during summer camping season (June-October), but some are open during the off-season as well. However, all campgrounds will probably have water secured during winter months, and some may simply not be accessible. Camping and hiking is also allowed on BLM-managed land, but use of these areas is sometimes restricted, so make sure to check with the local BLM Field Office before setting out on your hiking or camping trip. Fire restrictions are always in force during the fire season, generally from May to October. Mountain biking is an outdoor recreation activity closely related to camping and hiking, and can be enjoyed throughout the county with some restrictions in certain areas. 
Amateur archaeologists, rock-hounds, history buffs and nature lovers can find many opportunities here to pursue their outdoor recreation enjoyment. Many areas of Modoc County are rarely seen by human eyes, and offer the possibility of finding Indian artifacts and unique rocks and stones just minutes off many backcountry roads. The area is also dotted with historical markers and sites, including Chimney Rock, site of an original settlers cabin that used a natural rock chimney, plus many sites of old west gun battles and Indian skirmishes. A must-see attraction in Alturas is the Pioneer Cemetery (unmarked and just off Carlos Street in the southern part of the city) with graves of original settlers dating back over a hundred years. Another historical site worth visiting is Captain Jack's Stronghold in the Lava Beds National Monument off State Highway 139 in the western part of the county near Newell. Captain Jack was a Modoc Indian leader who was accused of murder due to local settlers' misunderstanding of Indian culture, and defended his lava beds stronghold with only a few defenders against enormous odds for over a year.
If your country living enjoyment includes fishing, Modoc offers some of the best in the country. With numerous lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams, this is a popular place for local fishermen as well as visitors. Many types of sport fish inhabit Modoc's waterways, including bass, catfish, trout, grayling, bluegill and crappie. The Modoc National Forest Service web site provides a good guide if fishing is your choice for outdoor recreation. There are also many other types of outdoor recreation activities for you to include in your country living experience. If your game is golf, Modoc offers two nine-hole courses, both with restaurants, clubhouses and carts. The Arrowhead Gold Course in Alturas has a nine hole course and a practice range, and is close in to the city. The Likely Place RV Park & Golf Resort offers a full 36-par nine hole course and driving range in a rural setting east of Likely. You're also only minutes away from winter fun in the snow at Cedar Pass Snow Park on Cedar Pass through the Warner Mountains between Alturas and Cedarville. The park offers ski slopes, trails and snowboarding. Cedar Pass Snow Park is open only depending on snow conditions during the winter months, so its best to call before making the drive. Many area ranches offer horseback riding and lessons, and many people who live here own their own horses. You can enjoy riding through open country in many areas of the county or stick to one of the many established riding trails. Because of the un-congested air space here, flying is also popular. Enthusiasts fly everything from small private airplanes, ultra-lights, hang-gliders and hot-air balloons. One of my neighbors built a new home, garage, hanger and airstrip on his 80 acres and flies his own plane regularly. The Alturas Balloonfest is a gathering of hot-air balloon enthusiasts from throughout the country in Alturas each September, and is an annual weekend event for the entire family. Off-road vehicle (OHV) use is restricted in the Modoc National Forest and national park land and, naturally, on private property, but there are areas here that vehicles such as dirt bikes, 4-wheelers and ATVs can be enjoyed. Always check with the property owner or manager before embarking on your OHV adventure. Of course, if you're enjoying Modoc country living on your own property, you're home free. There is even a paint-ball park in Modoc near Alturas! Golf, hunting, fishing, camping and hiking are just some of the outdoor recreation activities enjoyed in Modoc by residents and visitors alike. Our fresh air and open space enhance anyone's outdoor recreation. More Modoc Country Living...
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Hunting and fishing are other outdoor recreation activities enjoyed by many folks, and Modoc offers the best of both. Hunting and fishing relate closely to country living, and large portions of Modoc residents enjoy one or the other, or both. Hunting and shooting is also a part of most farmers' and ranchers' lives whether they do it for sport or not. Many critters and varmints inhabit fields and grazing land and can cause a lot of damage to crops and danger to livestock. I've seen first hand how colonies of Richardson's ground squirrels nearly destroy acres of alfalfa. In addition to hampering farming operations such as plowing, planting and harvesting, the squirrels' burrows pose a danger to grazing livestock. Although not very popular with the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) folks and other environmentalists, ground squirrel hunting has become a popular event in one Modoc County community. The Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce hosts an annual Squirrel Roundup in the spring of each year just after the pesky critters surface from hibernation. The Roundup features various family-oriented events such as barbeque and dance as well as prizes for the most squirrels bagged during the roundup. Visitors as well as residents also enjoy hunting bigger game such as Black Tailed and Mule deer, elk, pronghorn antelope and sometimes bear. Gamebird hunting is one of the most popular activities in Modoc County. Various species abound here, including ducks, quail and pheasant, among others. Of special interest to many gamebird hunters is the Canadian geese, which are abundant.
