Alturas is the most Northeastern city in the state of California. Alturas is located in Modoc County , of which it is the county seat, northeast of Redding between the Oregon state line and Susanville along US Highway 395 near the Big Sage Reservoir and Goose Lake.
North of town on Route 395 is Chimney Rock. When Thomas Denson built a cabin here in 1870, he used the rock as a chimney, carving out a flue and hearth.