Noble Demonstration State Forest
Noble Demonstration State Forest (NDSF) became state property on December 7, 2022, as a result of a settlement agreement from PG&E in 2001. CAL FIRE received the Noble Demonstration State Forest as well as Miller Demonstration State Forest, Big Bend Demonstration State Forest, and other properties across the state as part of the same settlement.
Forest resources include mixed conifer forest consisting of ponderosa pine, incense-cedar, Douglas-fir, grey pine, California black oak, canyon-live oak, and blue oak. A diverse shrub component includes dense patches of Himalayan blackberry, poison oak, willows, Oregon grape, manzanita, and scattered California buckeye. The property also features annual grasslands and open meadows.
Historical evidence from the Gold Rush era and the large emigrant movement to California has been documented on NDSF. Because the Nobles’ 1851 Emigrant Trail passes near the vicinity of the forest, it is possible that resources associated with that period may have been deposited within the boundaries of NDSF.
This property lies within the ancestral territory of the Central Yana people. The forest was named after Hamden Holmes Noble who left a lasting impression on the community’s past. Noble is noted for establishing the Keswick Electric Power Company in 1900 which provided hydroelectric power to the Iron Mountain Copper Company’s smelter. The hydroelectric project required the construction of both Grace and Nora Lakes (named for Noble’s daughters). Noble’s Bungalow (also known as Castle in the Sky or Noble’s Castle) was built on the property in 1903 but was destroyed by a wildland fire in 1917. A plaque was dedicated in 1988 to memorialize its location.
The property has been owned by PG&E and its precursor power companies since 1900.
Forest Stats:
Established: 2022
Area: 2,050 acres of which 1,253 acres are timberland, representing 61.1% of the ownership. The non-timberland portions of the property are represented by annual grass lands and brush.
Elevation: 2,300 to over 3,820 feet
Precipitation: averages 44.6 inches per year, with most of the precipitation occurring and accumulating as snow (10 inches) between December and March.
Temperature: ranges from a low of 29º F in winter to a high of 100º F in summer.
The forest has day-use areas located on the adjacent PG&E lands in the vicinity of Grace and Nora Lakes. ATV/OHV use is permitted on forest roads only. Overnight camping is not permitted.
NDSF is in eastern Shasta County, about 34 miles (approximately 50 minutes’ drive) east of Redding. The nearest community, Shingletown, is within 1 mile.
Directions: From Redding, drive east on State Route 44. Turn left onto Wilson Hill Road, then turn left onto Manton Ponderosa Way following the signs to the Grace and Nora Lakes recreation area.
Alternately, you can reach the property via Grace Resort Road. Follow Grace Resort Road as it winds past scattered parcels of DSF land, PG&E property, and Sierra Pacific Industries parcels until you arrive at the public access point.
Open to pedestrian, equestrian, and bicycle exploration. The Forest has day-use areas. ATV/OHV use is allowed on forest roads. Overnight camping is not permitted.
If you choose to ride horseback, you are required to supply sufficient feed for riding stock. The stock shall not be turned loose to graze, and when secured must be within reach of water and feed. Pets are welcome but must be under the control of the owner at all times.
Hunting is permitted during designated seasons and in accordance with California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations.
Please be aware of your surroundings and abide by Local, State and Federal laws. There are homes near the forest boundaries.
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14 § 1413. Weapons.
(a) No person shall discharge any firearm, air or gas weapon, or bow and arrow in the vicinity of camps, residence sites, recreation grounds and areas, and over lakes or other bodies of water adjacent to or within such areas, whereby any person is exposed to injury as a result of such discharge.
(b) Without limiting the foregoing, no person shall discharge any of the above-named weapons or any other weapon while within 150 yards (137.20 m) of any Designated Camping Area.
Cal. Fish and Game Code § 3004.
- It is unlawful for a person, other than the owner, person in possession of the premises, or a person having the express permission of the owner or person in possession of the premises, while within 150 yards of an occupied dwelling house, residence, or other building, or within 150 yards of a barn or other outbuilding used in connection with an occupied dwelling house, residence, or other building, to either hunt or discharge a firearm or other deadly weapon while hunting. The 150‑yard area is a “safety zone.”
- (b) It is unlawful for a person to intentionally discharge a firearm or release an arrow or crossbow bolt over or across a public road or other established way open to the public in an unsafe and reckless manner.
Noble Demonstration State Forest is protected both as part of the Demonstration State Forest system and by a conservation easement held and enforced by the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District, mailing address: P.O. Box 904, Anderson, CA 96007.
The purpose of Conservation Easement (CE) is to protect and preserve, in perpetuity, the beneficial public values of the property by restricting uses that could significantly impair those values. The CE enumerates, in detail, the conservation values to be protected on the property.
The conservation values documented in the CE are:
a. Fish, Plant and Wildlife Habitat – A diverse range of plant, animal, fungal, and micro biotic communities exist in the ecosystems that make up the property. Habitat for these communities includes a wide range of forest and range structures and various ecological and anthropogenic processes that influence forest dynamics.
b. Forest Resources – The property is heavily forested with a mixed conifer stand that includes ponderosa pine, grey pine, California black oaks, incense cedar, and blue oaks. Beneath the canopy are areas of annual grasslands and open meadows.
c. Open-Space – The property provides open space and scenic views that enhance the rural character of Shasta County and its open natural landscape.
d. Historic Resources – The property is located within the ancestral territory of the Central Yana people. The character of the property was also historically homesteaded, and the remains of these homesteads can be found across the property.
e. Outdoor Recreation – Due to limited access, there is reduced recreation on the property. Existing outdoor recreational opportunities include hiking, berry picking, sightseeing, swimming, and bird watching.