Medicine Lake: History

Early Explorers

Date	Explorer	Significance

Before European contact

Modoc, Klamath, Achomawi, Atsugewi peoples

Lived, hunted, gathered obsidian, and maintained cultural traditions around Medicine Lake

1826–1827

Peter Skene Ogden

First recorded Euro-American expeditions through the surrounding region

1846

John C. Frémont and Kit Carson

Mapped northeastern California during western exploration

1850s–1870s

U.S. Army and government surveyors

Produced the first detailed maps of the Medicine Lake region

1872–1873

Modoc War military surveys

Improved knowledge of the lava beds and volcanic landscape

Late 1800s onward

USGS geologists

Conducted the first scientific studies of Medicine Lake Volcano

National Monuments

Lava Beds National Monument

Established in 1925, Lava Beds National Monument protects the northern flank of Medicine Lake Volcano, one of the largest shield volcanoes in North America. The monument contains more than 800 lava tube caves, making it one of the world’s most extensive lava tube systems. Visitors can explore caves, rugged lava fields, volcanic craters, and scenic trails while learning about the area’s unique geology.

Lava Beds is also an important historic site. During the Modoc War of 1872–1873, the lava beds provided a natural fortress for the Modoc people as they resisted the U.S. Army. Today, the monument preserves both the volcanic landscape and the history of one of the most significant conflicts between Native Americans and the United States in California.

Sáttítla Highlands National Monument

In January 2025, the federal government established the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument to protect approximately 224,000 acres surrounding Medicine Lake Volcano. The monument encompasses portions of the Modoc, Klamath, and Shasta-Trinity National Forests.

The name Sáttítla, meaning “obsidian place” in the Pit River language, reflects the area’s deep cultural significance. For thousands of years, Medicine Lake has been a sacred place for the Pit River Tribe, Modoc, Karuk, Shasta, Klamath, and other Indigenous peoples, who have gathered here for ceremonies, hunting, fishing, and the collection of obsidian used for tools and trade.

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Further Reading

Medicine Lake @ Discover Siskiyou

Medicine Lake @ Volcanic Legacy Community