By editor
Lake County, Mission Valley
The Mission Valley is defined by the sheer, dramatic wall of the Mission Mountains, which rise thousands of feet from the valley floor without foothills. In the shadow of these peaks lies Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge, a complex of over eight hundred glacial potholes and a large, central reservoir. This is one of the most important wetland complexes in the intermountain West.
In the spring, the potholes fill with snowmelt and the air is loud with the calls of breeding waterfowl. Red-necked Grebes and Eared Grebes build floating nests in the emergent vegetation, while American Bitterns stalk the shallows. The surrounding grasslands are hunting grounds for Short-eared Owls, which can often be seen coursing low over the fields in the late afternoon. During the fall migration, the refuge can hold tens of thousands of ducks and geese, creating a spectacle of movement and sound against the backdrop of the snow capped mountains.
Visitor Access
Ninepipe is managed by the USFWS and is free to enter for non-consumptive use. To protect nesting birds, there are strict access restrictions from March 1 to July 14, and the entire refuge is closed to public access during the fall waterfowl hunting season. Off-shore islands are closed at all times. A short interpretive trail is available at the Ninepipe Watchable Wildlife Viewing Area off Highway 93, and driving Ninepipe Road across the dam offers excellent viewing year-round.