Medicine Lake Recreation Area

Modoc National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: Tulelake, CA, CA

Price: From $15 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (47 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.The Medicine Lake Recreation Area is comprised of five campgrounds; Medicine, A.H. Hogue, Hemlock, Headquarters, and Schonchin Springs Campgrounds.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/medicine-lake-recreation-area to be notified when sites open up.

Medicine Lake Recreation Area offers scenic camping with excellent recreation opportunities including boating, fishing, swimming, and hiking at 6,770 feet elevation in the Medicine Lake Highlands. Campers praise the relatively warm lake, low crowds most of the year, and stunning starry nights.

Wildlife alert: Mule Deer, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Osprey, Western Kingbird, Red Crossbill, Brewer's Blackbird, Western Fence Lizard, and Common Sagebrush Lizard present in the area.

Insider tips for Medicine Lake Recreation Area: Book early as this is a popular federal campground Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available Expect high pollen on the lake during certain times of year

Skip Medicine Lake Recreation Area if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available at most sites. You plan to visit outside May through October—seasonal closure.

Best time to visit Medicine Lake Recreation Area: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during this period only.

Nearby campgrounds: Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout (MCCLOUD, CA), Cattle Camp Campground (Ca) (CA), Camp 4 Group Campground (McCloud, CA), Juanita Lake Group Campsite (Macdoel, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Medicine Lake Recreation Area

Cell signal at Medicine Lake Recreation Area (Tulelake, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CA›Medicine Lake Recreation Area
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Modoc National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Medicine Lake Recreation Area

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Tulelake, CA, CA★ 4.3 (47 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.The Medicine Lake Recreation Area is comprised of five campgrounds; Medicine, A.H. Hogue, Hemlock, Headquarters, and Schonchin Springs Campgrounds.

Best for:HikersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV75 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsBoat Launch
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—no hookups available at most sites✕ You plan to visit outside May through October—seasonal closure

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a popular federal campground

Bring a self-contained RV as there are no hookups available

Expect high pollen on the lake during certain times of year

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during this period only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mule Deer, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Osprey, Western Kingbird, Red Crossbill, Brewer's Blackbird, Western Fence Lizard, and Common Sagebrush Lizard present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530-667-2246 OR 530-667-8659· Modoc National Forest
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 destina

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Modoc National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Modoc National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Medicine Lake Recreation Area cost per night?+
Medicine Lake Recreation Area costs $15 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Medicine Lake Recreation Area open?+
Medicine Lake Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Medicine Lake Recreation Area have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Medicine Lake Recreation Area?+
Medicine Lake Recreation Area can accommodate RVs up to 75 feet.
How do I make reservations at Medicine Lake Recreation Area?+
Medicine Lake Recreation Area is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Medicine Lake Recreation Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Medicine Lake Recreation Area is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Medicine Lake Recreation Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Medicine Lake Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print A.H. Hogue Campground MapPrint Headquarters Campground MapPrint Hemlock Campground MapPrint Medicine Campground MapSchonchin Springs Campground Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$15 /night★ 4.3 (47)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Medicine Lake Recreation Area cost per night?+
What season is Medicine Lake Recreation Area open?+
Does Medicine Lake Recreation Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout

MCCLOUD, CA

From $75/night

Cattle Camp Campground (Ca)

CA

From $15/night

Camp 4 Group Campground

McCloud, CA

From $30/night

Juanita Lake Group Campsite

Macdoel, CA

From $50/night

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