Miller Demonstration State Forest
Miller Demonstration State Forest became state property on June 24, 2022, as a result of a settlement agreement from PG&E in 2001. CAL FIRE received the Miller Demonstration State Forest as well as Noble 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. The area also supports a diverse shrub component with dense patches of Himalayan blackberry, poison oak, willows, Oregon grape, manzanita, and scattered California buckeye. The property also features annual grasslands and open meadows.
The property lies within the ancestral territory of the Central Yana people. The Whitmore area was first occupied by European settlers in the mid-1800’s, and the region has an active history of cattle grazing that continues today. Commercial electric power generation in the area was initiated at the Cow Creek Hydroelectric Dam in 1907 by the Northern California Power Company. The hydroelectric systems throughout the area were part of a series of small power generating plants constructed by San Francisco financier H.H. Noble to support copper mining activities. The infrastructure and surrounding land were then purchased by PG&E in 1919.
There are also unpaved roads that provide access to other portions of the property, however under the conditions of the Conservation Easement, no unauthorized off highway vehicle (OHV) use on the property is permitted. Some of the roads are gated, and gates will be installed where they are currently absent, for protection of the conservation values.
Forest Stats:
Established: 2022
Area: 2,246 acres of which 1,162 acres are timberland, representing 51.7% of the ownership. The non-timberland portions of the property are represented by historically irrigated pasture, annual grass lands, and brush.
Elevation: 1520 - 2440 ft.
Precipitation: 53 inches per year
Temperature: Max: 102 F - Min: 31 F
The Forest has day-use areas. Overnight camping is not permitted.
Directions: The property is relatively difficult to access, and public access is limited. From Redding, take State Route 44 East, turn left onto Old State Route 44, then turn right onto Whitmore Road, and then right onto South Cow Creek Road. This road passes through Section 27 and is the only paved public access to the property.
Miller Demonstration State Forest, is protected both as part of the Demonstration State Forest system and by a conservation easement held and enforced by the Shasta Land Trust, mailing address: PO Box 992026, Redding, CA 96099.
The purpose of the 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:
- 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.
- Forest Resources – The property is heavily forested with a mixed conifer stand that includes ponderosa pine, grey pine, California black oak, incense cedar, and blue oaks. Beneath the canopy are areas of annual grassland and open meadows.
- Open Space – The property provides open space and scenic views that enhance the rural character of Shasta County and its open natural landscape.
- 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.
- 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.
- Agricultural – The property supports agricultural values, including one active grazing license. Grazing has been vital to the region since it was originally settled in the mid-1800s and remains a dominant agricultural use on surrounding lands. The property also supports agriculture through an existing apiary license.
The conservation values established under the CE are fully compatible and complementary to the general goals of the Demonstration State Forest Program. The conservation easement was recorded because the property was included among the PG&E lands designated for donation under the settlement agreement.
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.
(a) 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.
Miller Demonstration State Forest
P.O. Box 992026
Redding, CA 96099