Anderson Marsh State Historic Park
CA
© Anderson Marsh State Historic Park Staff · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Anderson Marsh sits at the southeastern corner of Clear Lake, California's largest natural freshwater lake, in Lake County. The 870-acre park protects a mix of tule marsh, riparian woodland, and oak savanna along Cache Creek, with 14,000 years of continuous human occupation by the Koi people. For birders, it's one of the best wetland sites in the North Coast Ranges.
Details
- 🏞️Type
- State Park
- 🏛️Managed by
- California State Parks
- 📍State
- CA
- 🗺️Address
- San Simeon, CA, 93452
- 📞Phone
- (707) 279-2267
- 🕐Hours
- Sunrise to Sunset
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 📡GPS
- 38.92907, -122.63819
The Place
Anderson Marsh is built around the junction of Cache Creek and Clear Lake, where tule marsh meets mixed woodland. The park centers on a 19th-century cattle ranch, with the historic McVicar Cabin still standing. The landscape shifts from open lakeside marsh to shaded creek corridors to dry oak hills, which means genuinely different habitats on the same walk.
The Koi Nation has deep ties here; the park was created partly through their advocacy, and their cultural presence spans thousands of years of midden sites and village locations across the property.
When to Go
Fall migration (September through November) brings the best birding: waxwings, phainopeplas, shorebirds, and raptors move through in numbers. Spring brings breeding activity. Summer is hot and dry in Lake County; mornings are better than afternoons. The marsh can flood in wet winters, so check conditions before visiting.
Getting There
The park is on Highway 53 between Lower Lake and Clearlake, about 2.5 hours north of San Francisco. Highway 29 through Calistoga is the standard approach from the Bay Area. Parking is at the ranch complex. Day use only, no overnight camping.
What to Do
The main trail system loops through the marsh and along Cache Creek, about 5 miles of mostly flat walking. The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association (AMIA) runs monthly nature walks. The restored ranch buildings provide context for the Euro-American period of the site. Wildlife sightings are reliable: great blue heron, great egret, black-crowned night heron, white-tailed kite, and red-shouldered hawk are regulars year-round. Acorn woodpeckers, cedar waxwings, and belted kingfisher are regular fall visitors.
Reservations & Fees
Free day use. No camping. No dogs. Contact AMIA at info@andersonmarsh.org or (707) 995-2658 for guided nature walk schedules.