Modoc Plateau

The Modoc Plateau is a large volcanic tableland in the northeast corner of the state. Most of the ares sits at an elevation of between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. The bulk of the plateau is composed of ancient lava flows and volcanic tuff dating back between 10 and 2 million years ago during the Tertiary period.

It is lonely country out in the Modoc. Primary industries such as farming and ranching along with a little lumbering and mineral extraction are the only major industries. The plateau is covered primarily in a mixture of grasslands and ponderosa pine forests and is home to several national wildlife refuges. Seasonal tourism to these federal lands brings in much needed revenue. .

Primary Industries

Pastoral settings seemingly straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting are a common sight on the Modoc Plateau.

The Eagle Has Landed

With wide open spaces and a mixture of field and forage, the Klamath Basin provides prime wintering grounds for bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

Open Road

With one of the lowest population densities in the state outside of the Sierra Nevada and Death Valley, one can travel for miles in the Modoc country without passing another vehicle.

Tulelake

Tulelake is a small community in the Modoc country only a few dozen miles from the Oregon border. It is known as the horseradish capital of the world.

Tulelake

Like many communities in the area, Tulelake has seen its population boom and bust over the decades due to the vagaries of the economy and its dependence on primary industries.

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