Welcome to Surprise Valley

Surprise Valley is a long valley running north to south of about 70 miles. It sits in the eastern portion of Modoc County between the Warner Mountain Range (California side) and the Hayes Range (in Nevada). Surprise Valley is graced with exquisite natural beauty, fertile agricultural land, pristine air, diverse wildlife.

Four historic farm towns lie in Surprise Valley - Cedarville, Fort Bidwell, Eaglesville and Lake City. These small towns retain that authentic “Old West” flavor introduced by the hardy and hopeful pioneers who settled this area in the mid-nineteenth century. Cedarville is Home to the Modoc County Fair in August.

Cattle ranching and alfalfa hay production fuel our local economy. Cattle drives still take place across open terrain and along valley byways – so be sure and have your camera handy at all times when you come to visit.

Surprise Valley Barrel Springs
BLM Back Country Byway
BLM Website;
From prehistoric stories to revisiting the Old West, this Back Country Byway Loop reveals some of the secrets of the Great Basin Desert. 93-mile driving tour takes the traveler through a wide variety of natural settings and points of interest. The Byway forms a loop that begins and ends in Cedarville, California.

Local Attractions:
Surprise Valley Hot Springs Resort - Accommodations include deluxe and standard villas, and all have private outdoor hot tubs fed by a cascading waterfall of warm artesian mineral water.
Surprise Valley Bunkhouse - Rustic Accommodations
Fandango Guest Ranch - Cedarville - ranch backs to BLM land on the north and east ward into Nevada.
Surprise Valley California COC - Chamber of Commerce

Louisville
A mythical western town with a collection of historically significant buildings brought in from elsewhere including log cabins, slaughterhouse, schoolhouse, water tower and jails from the 1800's.

Cedar Pass Snow Park
530-233-3323; Park Website;
Open Winters: Sat/Sun/Holidays 10AM-4PM;
Location: On SR-299 midway between Alturas and Cedarville.
For people of all ages who enjoy skiing and snowboarding, Cedar Pass is a community sponsored project that offers a warm, small-town atmosphere reminiscent of the early days of skiing. Nordic Skiiers will find trailheads here to backcountry ski trails.

Surprise Valley Civic Groups:

Surprise Valley City - Gov't Services
Chamber of Commerce - Local Business Alliance