Modoc Plateau

High, semiarid plateau in northeastern California and southern Oregon, east of the Cascade Range and west of the Warner Mountains. The region is known for its extensive lava beds and caves. There is only one major natural waterway on the plateau – the Pit River – but it does contain a number of lakes, ponds and reservoirs (notably Clear Lake Reservoir and Goose Lake), as well as mineral and thermal springs.

The plateau was originally home to the American Indian Modoc people, especially the area around Lower Klamath (or Modoc) and Tule lakes, and was the site of the Modoc War of 1872–73. The Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, south of Alturas, is an important waterfowl breeding area along the Pacific Flyway. The region is heavily exploited for grazing, farming, and forestry (especially pine); gold, gravel, pumice, and sand are also extracted here. The Lava Beds National Monument is in the west. The Modoc National Forest (area 6,700 sq km/2,587 sq mi), which lies entirely within California, covers most of Modoc County, and extends into Siskiyou County (to the west) and Shasta County (to the south).