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 |
| FWS region | Region 8 |
| Center point | 41.88° N, 121.49° W |
| 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.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. 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
- PrescribedGoodlow Piles Rx
26 mi from the center point
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.
Guidebooks for California
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
37,739 acres.
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?
The refuge page says whether camping is allowed here. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.883° N, 121.495° W. 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 2026-11-01, the nearest Goodlow Piles Rx at 26 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
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?
The National Register has 2 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 and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Photograph: the image Wikidata records for this refuge (Q3423298), the item linked to its Wikipedia article. Author and license come from the file page on Wikimedia Commons.
- 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.