Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States in northern California near the Oregon border. It covers 39,116 acres (15,830 ha) in the Tule Lake basin. It is part of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and is a crucial part of the Pacific Flyway corridor for migratory birds.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | California |
| Size | 37,739 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| FWS region | Region 8 |
| Center point | 41.8826, -121.4948 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Most refuges do not allow overnight camping. The campgrounds listed are outside the refuge.
Fire nearby
- WildfireWrights Spring
42 mi from the center point · 55,134 acres · 98% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.1 miCarpenter and Paint Shop ↗National Historic Landmark
- 5.3 miSchonchin Butte Fire Lookout ↗Tulelake, CA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
37,739 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in?
California.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Indian Well Campground, 4 miles out. 2 in all are within ten miles. Most refuges do not allow camping inside the refuge, so the campgrounds listed are outside it.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.883, -121.495. Tule Lake National Monument is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Is there a fire near Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Wrights Spring at 42 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 21 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Tule Lake National Monument (adjacent) and Lava Beds National Monument (4 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
2 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Carpenter and Paint Shop and Schonchin Butte Fire Lookout.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
- States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Description: Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.