2012 Map of Medicine Lake

About this map

Medicine Lake sits at the center of a dramatic volcanic landscape in the eastern reaches of the Modoc Plateau. The area is defined by massive obsidian and dacite deposits, most notably the Medicine Lake Glass Flow and the towering Glass Mountain to the northeast. This geological activity is reflected in features like the Arnica Sink, Alcohol Crater, and the Burnt Lava Flow Geological Area. Evidence of human use of this high-elevation terrain appears in the network of Forest Service roads connecting seasonal outposts such as Telephone Flat and Undertakers Camp. Distinctive landmarks like Medicine Mountain and Shotgun Peak rise above meadowlands such as Brownell Meadow and Iodine Prairie, illustrating a landscape shaped by both recent volcanic events and water sources like Schonchin Spring and Paynes Cr.