Modoc County, California
Modoc County sits in the remote northeast corner of California, known for its vast landscapes, forests, and quiet charm. Explore its history, federal lands, and the small city of Alturas for a glimpse of the West still alive.
Modoc County (/ˈmoʊdɒk/ ⓘ) is a county located in the far northeast corner of the U.S. state of California. Its population is 8,700 as of the 2020 census, down from 9,686 from the 2010 census. This makes it California's third-least-populous county. The county seat and only incorporated city is Alturas.[4] Previous County seats include Lake City and Centerville. The county borders Nevada and Oregon. Much of Modoc County is federal land. Several federal agencies, including the United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, have employees assigned to the area, and their operations are a significant part of its economy and services. The county's official slogans include "The last best place" and "Where the West still lives".[5]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Modoc County spans a total area of 4,203 square miles (10,890 km2), of which 3,918 square miles (10,150 km2) is land, with 286 square miles (740 km2) (6.8%) water.[13] There are 2.25 persons per square mile, making Modoc one of the least-populated counties in the state of California. In terms of its county lines, Modoc is one of the only nearly-rectangular counties in California; a slight deviation occurs around the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Geologically, Modoc County is quite unique. The area's tumultuous seismic past has set the stage for a productive, diverse regional ecology today; a rich soil composition, largely created by ancient volcanoes dispersing vast amounts of minerals, stands out from the typically bland, clay-heavy terrain common in the American west. To the northwest of the county lies Medicine Lake—the largest shield volcano on the U.S. West Coast—and Lava Beds National Monument. In west Modoc County is the massive Glass Mountain, another ancient lava flow. The southwestern quadrant of the county is a unique ecosystem of isolated hardwoods (oaks) and volcanic mountains with intermountain river valleys.
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