Fort Bidwell (Northern Paiute: yammussu)[4] is a census-designated place[5] in Modoc County, California.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2), 99.48% of it land, and 0.52% of it water.

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F.

[7] Wired telephone numbers in the community follow the format (530) 279-2xxx or 279-6xxx and appear to be served out of the Cedarville central office.

[9][11] The fort was built in 1865 amid escalating fighting with the Snake Indians of eastern Oregon and southern Idaho.

[10] Although traffic dwindled on the Red Bluff route once the Central Pacific Railroad extended into Nevada in 1868, the Army staffed Fort Bidwell to quell various uprisings and disturbances until 1890.

[11] Observing confusion between the two,[6] Robert W. Pease explained that such a transfer of name between outposts was a common Army practice of the time.

There were 126 housing units at an average density of 39.2 per square mile (15.1/km2), of which 45 (57.0%) were owner-occupied, and 34 (43.0%) were occupied by renters.

[31] Federally, Fort Bidwell is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.