Cedarville

Local history and landscapes offer two different perspectives on Cedarville. Historical topics range from the first trading business in Modoc County to preserved buildings in the Old West style. The landscapes include the Warner Mountains near Cedarville and a scenic drive that begins and ends in Cedarville. If you’re looking for a hotel for a trip to Cedarville, these topics can help you decide what to focus on during your stay: local history, a fair, mountain activities, or the scenic drive.

Local history and regional topics

The Cressler and Bonner Trading Post was the first trading business in Modoc County and was located in the first building constructed in Cedarville. Its history connects Cedarville with the county’s early trading history. Cedarville’s historic downtown preserves buildings in the Old West style, a distinct architectural aspect of local history. The historical context thus spans two levels: the first trading business refers to Modoc County, while the first building constructed specifically refers to Cedarville. The reference to the Old West style describes the architecture of the historic downtown; the statement about the Trading Post identifies a single building and its trading function.

The CalVada History Foundation is dedicated to collecting and preserving the history of Surprise Valley. This means that, in addition to the historical topics related to Cedarville, the history of the valley can also be considered as a perspective in its own right. The Modoc District Fairgrounds were established in Cedarville in 1933. The Modoc Heritage Foundation continues the Modoc District Fair as an annual tradition. If you’re planning to visit for the fair, check the specific dates with the organizer.

Landscapes and excursions

Surprise Valley is a high-elevation desert valley. The Warner Mountains in California bound it to the west, and the Hays Canyon Range in Nevada bounds it to the east. The two mountain ranges give the valley description a clear west-to-east orientation and illustrate its location between these named ranges.

Near Cedarville, the Warner Mountains offer opportunities for hiking, photography, and scenic drives. You can shape your plans around exploring on foot, finding photo opportunities, or taking a scenic drive.

The Barrel Springs Back Country Byway is an approximately 93-mile scenic loop drive. It runs north from Cedarville to Fort Bidwell, then east into Nevada, south through western Nevada, and back to Cedarville. Its approximate length and the directions along the route provide two different reference points when you’re planning the drive as part of your trip.

The valley and the byway offer two different ways of understanding the area: Surprise Valley is defined by its western and eastern boundaries, while the loop drive is described by its starting point, direction, intermediate destination, and return. This lets you distinguish between a geographic landscape setting and a specifically described driving route.

Discover more destinations: Alturas, Mammoth, New Pine Creek

For the main travel overview: Modoc.