Photo by Brett Cole

While most visitors follow the clearly designated auto tour route around the middle to western side of Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, there is another “alternative tour route” (visited very little by the non-hunting public) that provides access via the eastern portion of the refuge to a hike along the refuge’s most extreme southern boundary.  Fields here often provide good opportunities to see Sand Hill Cranes in spring and fall.  

Aside from existing wetlands/marshes in the east half of the refuge, refuge barley fields in the eastern part of the refuge are generally “flooded up” beginning the end of November, and are not drained until early spring.  In addition to birding opportunities (particularly outside of the hunting season), the route described here gives access to scenic hiking or mountain biking locations on BLM (and BOR) land immediately outside, but adjacent to, the refuge’s southern most boundary.  Also, south of this narrow (quarter mile wide) band of BLM land along the refuge’s southern boundary, are extensive (non-forested) high desert grasslands and rock outcrops on the northern most extension of California’s Modoc National Forest.  This scenic “plateau” country would seem to qualify as “roadless,” but was not inventoried as such in the Modoc National Forest’s 1991 LRMP.

Refuge signing in the area is plainly consistent with allowing public access to the routes describe below.  While the refuge does not “advertise” this route for general public access, the refuge staff has previously stated that there are no restrictions to the area covered by this tour. 

Hiking Access

An old and narrow, non-maintained jeep trail (best not driven on) along and outside the refuge’s southern most boundary provides hiking access and views to some of Lower Klamath NWR’s largest migratory waterfowl concentrations in sanctuary (no hunt) areas, south of what is called “Unit 13.”

To access this area, you must first drive along dikes within the fall “hunt area” of the refuge.  (Avoid other roads that come into this area from the east or west that are shown on area maps, such as “Dorris-Brownell Rd. and Lower Lake Road.”)  Access as described, through the refuge itself, is by far the most visually and aesthetically pleasing.  During the main fall hunting season, it is best not to even attempt to go here before 2:00 pm. During the season, hunting ends each day on the refuge at 1:00 pm.  However there is a steady stream of hunter trucks and boats along the dike roads, leaving the refuge, and thus coming the opposite way, for at least an hour after the 1:00 pm shooting time ends.

Portions of the following described route, north and south of Intersection E, along the refuge’s presently identified eastern most boundary, provide views (to the east) of a 6,954 acre Lower Klamath Refuge expansion acquired with Migratory Bird Conservation Funds.

Directions to the southern most end of Lower Klamath NWR

From the intersection of Hwy. 97 and Stateline Rd. (Hwy. 161), drive east for 9.5 miles and turn right at the beginning of the Auto Tour (two signs saying): “Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge.”  Just ahead, look for refuge display signing(just after a wide turn out and outhouse facilities on the right).

From the paved road, drive south on the tour route for 2.6 miles.  At signed “Intersection B” and where the regular tour route bears right, bear left instead.  This location is also marked by a sign for unit “7A,” which is just ahead.

Continue (basically east) for 3.4 miles to signed “Intersection E.”  Along the way you will pass three dikes heading south that you can walk or bike on (but are closed to motor vehicles).  Dikes are located1.8, 2.6, and 2.9 miles east of Intersection B.

At Intersection E, turn right (south). Continue south 2.1 miles, wherein you first reach the uplands in this south east corner of the refuge. The road here bears right, where a chained-off dike provides the first possible hiking access to the uplands adjoining the refuge (Siskiyou Co. land) in Section 16 of T47S, R3E.  This is the only non-federal land immediately along these marsh-edged uplands.

Rather than parking here, continue to follow the road you for .3 mile as it bears right to a small graveled parking area in the corner of Unit 9A.  Better still, continue another .7 mile to the corner of Unit 12, where a parking area and turn around (and temporary “hunter” outhouse) is provided.  Walk around a green gate to the south and follow this public land road to your right (west) along the extreme southern end of the refuge.

On the return trip, at Intersection E, instead of turning left the way you came in, you can make a “loop” by going straight.  This road continues north, bearing also to the west, and returns you to the paved Stateline Road in 5 miles, at a junction .4 mile east of where you left the paved road.  To begin here when coming from Hwy. 97 (it’s a mile shorter to Intersection E), look for a right turn off, just after a blue sign (on the left) that reads: “Litter Removal next 2 miles—Klamath Basin Wildlife Assoc.”  The main dirt road here immediately jogs left and then right, passing beside two buildings at a refuge maintenance yard, immediately south of Stateline Road.

If you are coming from Medford/Ashland, take the “Y” to the right (south) at Keno before crossing the Klamath River bridge.  This route intersects Hwy. 97 15 miles south of Klamath Falls, and .75 mile south of the Warden Cafeand Shell gas station.

Another spot to consider is the Applegate Tail Interpretive Area on the west side of Hwy. 97, just north of Stateline Rd., called “Landrum Wayside.”  The gate at this parking area seems now to more regularly be open (unlocked), making this a potentially good place to meet and park extra cars.  There are no restrooms here.  To check availability, contact the Klamath Co. Chamber.