The Forest was named after its primary watershed, the Rio de las Plumas, or Feather River.

About 85% of Plumas National Forest lies in Plumas County, portions extend into eastern Butte, northern Sierra, southern Lassen, and northeastern Yuba counties.

[1] The land is managed by the United States Forest Service under the Department of Agriculture with local management stationed at the Plumas National Forest Supervisor's office in Quincy, California.

Hough Ranger District, with local management in Blairsden, Oroville, and Quincy, respectively.

[4] The most common old-growth forest types are mixed conifer forests of: Virtually no virgin timberland exists, as the area has been a logging epicenter starting with the gold rush continuing into the modern era.