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BLM outlines plan to seek funds for Infernal Caverns parcel; county asked to consider support
Summary
Bureau of Land Management staff told the Modoc County Board of Supervisors they have nominated a reduced 'Infernal Caverns' parcel (under ~300 acres) for acquisition to protect cultural resources and improve public access; BLM said funding likely would be decided in 2027 and staff may request county support if the parcel is funded.
The Modoc County Board of Supervisors heard a detailed land‑tenure update April 28 from the Bureau of Land Management that centered on a smaller, prioritized parcel near the Warner Mountains called the ‘Infernal Caverns’ site. Dan Ryan, a BLM realty specialist, told the board the agency narrowed an earlier ~4,800‑acre proposal down to a piece of roughly 300 acres to balance public benefit against local impacts and to improve public access to culturally significant features.
Ryan said recent Secretarial orders and Land and Water Conservation Fund priorities emphasize public recreational access — including hunting and fishing — and that ranking of the Infernal Caverns parcel placed it ahead of other portions of the larger property. He said the parcel includes cultural and historical resources (petroglyphs and a cave battleground site) but currently has no legal public access beyond a private gate. Ryan said the scaled‑down parcel would be easier to manage and that BLM may pursue funding in future LWCF cycles; he estimated recent comparable values around the $300,000–$350,000 range for the parcel but stressed that an appraisal is required to set a final price.
BLM staff also described a separate, smaller easement issue on Centerville Road where a change in private ownership had raised concerns about continued public use for activities such as woodcutting and permittee access. Ryan said the agency prefers purchasing easements rather than subdividing parcels and that surveying and NEPA clearances would be required before any transaction.
Kevin Kunkel, the acting BLM field manager, said the Northern California district has received roughly $125,000 in seed funding for land‑sale work across the district to cover surveys and cultural clearances, and he outlined the administrative steps the agency follows (survey, cultural and environmental clearances, appraisal, NEPA outreach). Ryan said the Infernal Caverns nomination is ranked for funding that could be allocated in a 2027 appropriation cycle; if funded, BLM staff said they would likely return to the county to request a simple supportive letter from the district supervisor that represents the parcel’s county district.
The board did not take formal action on the BLM proposal at the meeting. Supervisors asked staff to provide additional tax and parcel information and expressed interest in coordinating before any request for county support is made.
