Cedarville, CA

Cedarville is a small unincorporated community in Modoc County, in the remote northeastern corner of California. With a population of roughly 500 residents, it sits at the foot of the Warner Mountains in a wide, high-desert basin known as Surprise Valley, and it has the feel of a quiet ranching and outdoor-recreation outpost. The town serves as a handy gateway to the surrounding Modoc Plateau, the Warner Mountains, and the high-elevation backcountry that draws hikers, hunters, birders, and off-the-beaten-path travelers. The nearest major city is Reno, Nevada, which lies roughly three to three-and-a-half hours to the south; the larger regional hub of Sacramento is a long full-day drive to the southwest, underscoring just how isolated this corner of the state truly is.

Just east of town, the three shallow, alkaline lakes of Surprise Valley — Upper, Middle, and Lower Alkali Lake — offer excellent birding, particularly during spring and fall migrations, when shorebirds and waterfowl gather on the open water and surrounding marshes. The valley also contains several hot springs along its eastern base, a few of which are accessible from rural roads near Cedarville and the neighboring community of Eagleville.

To the west, the Warner Mountains rise sharply from the valley floor and form the centerpiece of the surrounding Modoc National Forest. The range offers hiking, fishing in alpine lakes such as Blue Lake and Patterson Lake, and sweeping vistas from the high country; the summit of Eagle Peak, the highest point in the forest, is reachable via trails that begin within a roughly 30- to 60-minute drive of Cedarville.

A bit farther afield, Lava Beds National Monument sits about 90 miles to the west-northwest near the town of Tulelake. The monument protects a vast lava-flow landscape honeycombed with more than 700 caves, many of which can be explored with a flashlight, and it also preserves sites tied to the Modoc War of 1872–1873. A day trip from Cedarville pairs naturally with a stop in Alturas, the Modoc County seat roughly 50 miles to the northwest and the closest town of any size for groceries, fuel, and services.

Cedarville's appeal as a short-term-rental base comes from its sheer remoteness. Visitors who stay here are seeking quiet nights, big skies, and access to the Warner Mountains, Surprise Valley hot springs, and the wider Modoc backcountry, rather than urban amenities. Combined with the rarity of lodging in the region and the long drive times from any major population center, the town offers property owners a niche but devoted audience of travelers, birders, hunters, and road-trippers exploring California's least-visited corner.