Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge History Tour

(43 reviews)

Siskiyou County, California audio tour: Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge History Tour

This is a 18.1mi driving tour

It takes an average of 45 mins to complete.

Siskiyou County, California

The United States

Free

Access all 39 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

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About the Tour

On this self-guided driving tour along the southern shore of Tule Lake, you’ll find out why this National Wildlife Refuge is at the sharp end of a fight to protect the largest wetlands area west of the Mississippi River.

This fun adventure begins at the Visitor’s Center and takes you through a scenic byway filled with wildlife and inspiring scenery. Year to year and season to season the dynamic ebb and flow of nature is a process of constant change that attracts visitors from around the world.

On this tour, you’ll find out why the surviving wetlands remain a highly managed yet critical part of the Pacific Flyway. You’ll also discover:

How the Modoc people lived within the ecological means of Tule Lake
Why the Klamath Reclamation Act of 1902 led to 95% of the Basins' wetlands being drained
Why the D Plant pump house is one of Northern California’s most important man made hydrological features
How the Walking Wetlands program is creating habitat and enhancing crop production
What the original size of Tule Lake was and how the entire tour is technically under water

Enjoy learning about the people, places, and events that have made Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge famous for its role in conservation history.

Story by: John Fitzroy
Technical production by: Megan Peterson
Narrated by: Chérie Newman

Tour Producer

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 tour

John Fitzroy is the Visitor Services Manager for the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex where he directs the development of interpretive, and environmental education programs according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service programmatic standards.

Megan Peterson has been a writer and storyteller for more than two decades, with credits ranging from National Geographic to the Sundance Channel. Her multiple forays into the audio tour world have included eight previous audio tours for Detour and Airbnb, as well as the VoiceMap Tour entitled: A Homeland Lost: The Modoc War. Megan is a freelance writer and television producer who calls Siskiyou County home.

Preview Location

Location 1

Visitor's Center & Discovery Marsh Trail

Hello, and welcome to your National Wildlife Refuge! I’m Cherie. Please join me on this fun adventure that starts here at the Visitor Center and will take you through a scenic byway filled with wildlife and inspiring scenery. This tour should last about 45 minutes and will fin... Read More

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Major Landmarks

The Peninsula
Tule Lake
Petroglyph Point
Sheepy Ridge

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Discovery Marsh Trl, Tulelake, CA 96134, USA
Total distance

29km
Final location
California 96134, USA
Distance back to start location

18km

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins at the Discovery Marsh Trailhead parking area across from Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Restaurants are available in nearby Tulelake, CA, Merrill OR, and Malin, OR. Picnic areas are located at the Visitor Center.

Best time of day

From dawn to dusk

Precautions

This tour is designed to be taken driving at the speed limit. Or for even more enjoyment, a bit slower. Please Be Alert when driving; watch out for cars, wildlife crossing the road, and farm equipment. A bird guide and binoculars are recommended.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”