Modoc/Medicine Lake

Brian Hovander

Below are photos I took in July 2019 of the campsites that were reservable for this campground (both Medicine and Hogue) for those who would like to make a reservation. I had been to this campground in 2013 for a week and thought it was one of the best campgrounds in the State of California. Sadly, in 2019 the Forest (dis)Service was continuing to take in a lot of money in camping fees but not using any of it to have the outhouses pumped, cleaned, restocked with toilet paper, etc. The money was going somewhere else. The outhouses were nearly full to the brim and the only toilet paper to be had for several days would be used toilet paper just a foot below the toilet seat. They were not calling the company in Redding that pumps these clean. That company has a long-term 48-hour response contract to pump these out when full. They are failing to call in a service request to have these full outhouses pumped. There was no host that summer and no presence of law and order. They started a reservation service in 2019, but your reservation meant nothing. Folks were squatting in the reserved sites and not cooperating in moving when those with reservations arrive from long away. Squatters in two adjoining reservation sites included one who ran a construction-type loud generator endlessly for no known reason. Unnecessarily loud generators running all day for them to play computer games, or whatever, are not being addressed by the non-existent campground hosts, etc. A large group arrived on the other side two campsites away that had at least 20 persons in it. My camping adventure then revolved around an excessively loud generator on one side and the large group on the other side. We abandoned our site a day early on a Saturday morning and hoped to find something with some semblance of law and order and sanitary restroom facilities. Oh, the nearest water faucet had a notice to not drink the water! Now how could they sell reservations for such a remote site when they were not providing sanitation services and safe drinking water. I will not post a photo of the grossly unsanitary condition of the outhouses but will post a typical sign on the drinking water faucets that warns against drinking the water. Oh, the pavement on the 16-mile road to the nearby Lava Beds National Monument changes to dusty and severe washboard surface the last 13 miles. We alternatively took the 37 mile marginally paved route back on the return trip. I would recommend against staying in this campground and simultaneously taking a day trip to the Lava Beds National Monument. The campground there is cheaper, clean, sanitary, has flush toilets, potable water, and is all first-come first-serve. I have seen no reason to ever return to this extremely remote campground that has unsanitary conditions, contaminated drinking water, no semblance of law and order, no campground hosts, and a pathetic reservation service that fails to guarantee your site or let you know in advance of where it is even located. I will also post two maps that are not on the reservation service in case you still want to make a shaky reservation and want to know where your site is located.

Arbor Evans

Stayed in site 51 at AH Hogue campground in a 25 ft trailer. It was after labor day so the camp ground was quiet. There are plenty of bathrooms (pit) water fill areas, and dumpsters. There is also a dump station outside the park entrance. Enjoyed the local walk, lots of firewood to gather. Took a drive up to lava bed national monument. Unfortunately the area all burned so it was not as enjoyable as I hoped. Would definitely stay again.

D C

My son stayed out in the water all day. He had so much fun he didn't wanna get out. Beautiful scenery! Didn't know what the gold-lookin stuff was in the water, turns out it was pollen, a whole bunch. But the kids didn't mind. Also, not part of the campground, but the road 2 get there r horrible & need repair & maintainence!

Jon Mulder

Great place but cold in mid-October. A high point was seeing the native American pow woo on the lake.

Tara Dunn

Beautiful campground and lake, we swam, fished and hiked nearby at Glass Mountain and Lava Bed National Monument. We love this place!