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Medicine Lake Recreation Area
FSU.S. Forest Service — Tulelake · California · Modoc National Forest
| Agency | FSU.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Area | Modoc National Forest |
| Location | Tulelake · California · Modoc National Forest · 41.58584, -121.58557 · Map |
| Sites | 75 public sites counted from the federal listing — 75 standard nonelectric |
| Getting a site | Reservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below. |
| Hookups | Electric at 0 of 75 sites Water hookups at 0 of 75 sites Sewer hookups at 0 of 75 sites Full hookups (all three at one site) at 0 of 75 sites Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way. |
| Max RV length | Longest reported site fits 75 ft Sites that fit at least — 25 ft: 12 sites · 30 ft: 12 sites · 35 ft: 11 sites · 40 ft: 11 sites |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Not reported — the federal listing carries no fee description for this campground. |
| Check-in / out | In 2:00 PM · Out 12:00 PM (most common in the listing) |
| Pets | Allowed at 75 sites, as reported |
| Accessibility | N |
| Phone | 530-667-2246 OR 530-667-8659 |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-03-11.
From the official listing
Overview The popular Medicine Lake Recreation Area and adjacent Medicine Lake are located in the Medicine Lake Highlands in northeastern California. The Recreation Area is located in the Modoc National Forest at an elevation of 6,770 feet. Recreation The Medicine Lake Recreation Area offers camping, boating, fishing and swimming. The adjacent Day Use Areas accommodate boating with a concrete boat ramp and dock. Swimming is available in a designated swimming area next to the Picnic Area. Hiking and mountain biking are available on trails originating in the Recreation Area. The longest of these trails is the trail up Little Mt Hoffman. Facilities The Medicine Lake Recreation Area is comprised of five campgrounds; Medicine, A.H. Hogue, Hemlock, Headquarters, and Schonchin Springs Campgrounds. Nearby the campgrounds are Picnic Area and Boat Launch sites. Campsites vary between somewhat rugged with limited parking space to larger areas suitable for recreation vehicles. Facilities include vault toilets, water hydrants and garbage dumpsters. Campsites include a picnic table, fire ring and a barbeque grill. There are a total of 86 campsites throughout the five campgrounds. Fifteen of these sites are available for advanced reservations and located within the Medicine and A.H. Hogue Campgrounds. Schonchin Springs is the only campground without water.
Natural Features Medicine Lake Recreation Area is nestled along Medicine Lake and mostly sheltered by mature lodgepole pine trees but can be windy at times. The Recreation Area lies adjacent to the Medicine Lake Lava Flow which is accessible by a short hike. The Glass Mtn. and Burnt Lava Flow Geologic Areas are located within a 15-minute drive. Nearby Attractions Nearby are a few other federal sites with interesting features. The Lava Beds National Monument is located within a half-hour drive and includes lava caves and tubes. The Tulelake National Wildlife Refuge is located within an hour's drive where many types of migratory waterfowl can be viewed.
Directions, from the listing
From McCloud go east on US Hwy 89 south for 16 miles to Forest Service Road 15/Harris Spring Rd. Turn left on Road 15 and go 4.4 miles to Forest Service Road 49/Medicine Lake Road. Follow the signs 27.5 miles to Medicine Lake. From Tulelake take US Hwy 139 south for 21 miles to Forest Service Road 97. Turn right on Road 97 and go 24 miles turning right on Road 49. Drive 2 more miles turning left into the entrance of Medicine Lake Recreation Area. Follow the signs to your final campground destination.
Nearest federal campgrounds
4 mi straight-line · MCCLOUD CaliforniaNPSNational Park ServiceIndian Well Campground
10 mi straight-line · Tulelake CaliforniaFSU.S. Forest ServiceCamp 4 Group Campground
32 mi straight-line · McCloud CaliforniaFSU.S. Forest ServiceCamp 4 Group Campsite and Day Use Area
32 mi straight-line · CaliforniaFSU.S. Forest ServiceJuanita Lake Group Campsite
32 mi straight-line · Macdoel California
Trip Card — Medicine Lake Recreation Area
Tulelake · California · Modoc National Forest
| Agency | FS · U.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Location | Tulelake · California · Modoc National Forest |
| Fees | Not reported in the federal data |
| Getting a site | Reservable |
| Hookups | None reported |
| Max RV | Up to 75 ft |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | 75 sites |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/255303 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.