Weekend availability at Medicine Lake Recreation Area
Live from Recreation.gov · checked Sep 18, 6:44 AM PTSold out 1 of the next 1 weekends — exactly when cancellation alerts earn their keep.
- Fri, Sep 18Sold out
Friday + Saturday nights, sites bookable both nights. Counts come from a rotating sweep and can lag a cancellation by up to a day — alerts watch your exact dates within minutes.
Campsites & amenities
Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.
- Campsites
- 75
- Max rig length
- 75 ft
About this campground
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.
Getting there
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.
Activities
- SWIMMING SITE
- HIKING
- CAMPING
- BOATING
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Little Mt. Hoffman LookoutShasta-Trinity National Forest4 mi
- Indian Well CampgroundLava Beds National Monument10 mi
- Lava Beds Visitor CenterLava Beds National Monument10 mi
- McCloud Area RecreationShasta-Trinity National Forest23 mi
- Tule Lake Visitor CenterTule Lake National Monument23 mi
- Camp 4 Group CampgroundShasta-Trinity National Forest32 mi
Never miss an opening at Medicine Lake Recreation Area
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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office or on Recreation.gov before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.