With Medicine Lake so prominently featured in conservation news lately (see Conservation News, August 2024), David Ledger was keen to pay the area a visit, and twisted our arms to accompany him. It took very little twisting, and we were on the road within a few days to check out this remote destination in the Modoc National Forest.
The number one takeaway from this trip was: be prepared! Be very prepared. We thought we were sufficiently prepared to navigate the network of roads in this remote landscape, but soon found we were not. Road signs are mostly missing or illegibly burned (the Antelope Fire came through in 2021), which caused us to take a wrong turn. We did finally make it to the lake, but only after a lot of head scratching and driving an extra 20 to 30 miles on dirt roads. There was no internet reception to help us out, and the single posted map that we finally ran across was useless as it did not indicate “You Are Here.” So if you go, we highly recommend that you download appropriate maps and use GPS so you don’t get lost. We sure wish we had!
But eventually we made it, and were rewarded with the sight of a fairly large (~600-acre), pretty lake. And it was busy! Boats of all sorts, swimmers, and paddle-boarders were in the water, and many people were sunbathing and picnicking along the shore in the day-use areas. Apparently, lots of people know exactly how to get to Medicine Lake! We did note an abundance of Oregon license plates on parked cars, making us think that this is a popular recreation area for in-the-know locals.
Despite the number of people in and around the lake, it still seemed calm and peaceful. We lunched on the shore under blue skies, enjoying a gentle breeze and temperatures in the low 80s.
We had hoped to check out a couple trails in the area but, unfortunately, the trail system is as poorly marked as the roads. It was only by chance that we came upon Little Medicine Lake Loop Trail, which encircles the tiny but very picturesque Little Medicine Lake, for a total distance of less than 1/2 mile. Although it was generally past peak blooming season, here we found an abundance of wildflowers.
On our way out, we stopped and hiked the 0.37-mile Medicine Lake Glass Flow Trail, which we had spied earlier, on our drive around the lake. This trail takes you through open conifer forest to the base of an enormous lava flow that resulted in a jumble of huge obsidian rocks. While the trail is relatively botanically barren, the geology is impressive and highlights the volcanic nature of the area.
Photo taken July 21, 2024, by David Ledger.
Now that we have figured out the lay of the land, and how to get to where we want to go, Medicine Lake and environs warrant another visit. But you can bet that, next time, we will be sure to have maps and GPS in hand!
Photo taken July 21, 2024, by Don Burk.
Because we spent most of our time driving and aimlessly wandering around, we don’t have many photos to share (and none of Medicine Lake itself!), but here, in the following slideshow, are a few to whet the appetite. All photos by Don Burk. Enjoy!
-Laurie & Don Burk
