MODOC COUNTY, Calif. – The Modoc National Forest is preparing for thousands of people to converge on the forest this summer as part of the Rainbow Family Gathering.
The Rainbow Family has existed since the 1970s and has held gatherings on public lands across the country, but the forest service said they do not have permits for their gatherings.
Any group of 75 people or more is required to have a permit and the Rainbow Family gathering attracts anywhere from 8,000 to 20,000 people according to the forest service.
The gathering came to the Modoc National Forest in 1984 and 2004 and the forest service is preparing for the gathering to come back again this summer.
Forest Service Spokesperson Suzi Johnson said, “they’re supposed to be a nice, peace-loving group, but we all know that with large groups and gatherings it could affect the community. There could be violence, there could be drugs, this does happen with these kind of groups.”
Johnson said they will be working with local law enforcement if the gathering does come to Modoc County.
The group is reportedly also looking at sites in Oklahoma and Washington State.
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