LaTour Demonstration State Forest, State forest in Shasta County, California
LaTour Demonstration State Forest is a state forest in the southern Cascade Range covering roughly 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres). The landscape displays volcanic formations and glacial geological structures that shape how the terrain appears.
The forest was established in 1946 to serve as an experimental area for testing forestry management approaches. Over the decades it has remained a place where new techniques are tried and shown to work.
The forest maintains research programs focused on ten commercial coniferous species, including sugar pine, ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, and western white pine.
The forest is accessible by car from late June through November, with trails available for hiking throughout the grounds. Summer and early autumn offer the best conditions for visiting and exploring the different forest zones.
The forest functions as a living laboratory where different pine species grow and are studied under real conditions. Visitors can observe how various tree populations thrive at different elevations across the slopes.
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