Traveling south on Highway 97, you’ll reach Dorris, the first town in California. The highway runs through the town center and was designated a Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway–All American Road in 2002. From the valley near Dorris, you can see Mount Shasta. The town’s location along the highway and its landscape offer two distinct reference points for planning your trip.
Arrival and Local History
Dorris was established after the Southern Pacific Railroad was built through the northern part of Butte Valley. The town was named after Presley Dorris of the D Ranch. These two connections tell different parts of the town’s history: the railroad is part of its founding, while Presley Dorris is the namesake. Today, Highway 97 is the reference point for traveling through the town center.
Museum and Valley Views
On the southern edge of town, the Butte Valley Museum & Historical Society displays some of the historic buildings it has collected on the museum grounds. The Butte Valley Museum shares the history of the Tulelake Basin and the homesteads in Butte Valley. Other topics include military veterans, the Modoc War, and the Tule Lake internment camps. The buildings anchor the museum in Dorris, while the stories it covers explore the region’s past beyond individual structures.
A 1.75-mile walking trail on the Butte Valley Museum grounds offers views of the valley and Mount Shasta. The trail and historic buildings are on the same museum grounds, bringing cultural and landscape connections together in one place.
Regional Nature and Activities
Nearby Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is in rural northeastern California and southern Oregon. President Theodore Roosevelt established it in 1908 as the nation’s first waterfowl refuge.
Butte Valley National Grassland lies between Macdoel and Dorris along U.S. Route 97. Birdwatching is possible in the surrounding region, where Swainson’s hawks, golden eagles, bald eagles, merlins, and sandhill cranes can be found. The nature experiences differ: hikers, paddlers, and vehicles are permitted on the refuge’s trails; birdwatching is possible in the surrounding Grassland region.
Flagpole and Cycling Route
The Dorris flagpole is 200 feet tall and flies a flag that is 30 feet high and 60 feet long. A community flag-raising ceremony and barbecue are held there every year on July 4. If you’d like to plan your trip around this date, check the specific date for the year in question. The Eagle Rock–Butte Valley gravel-grinder cycling route begins in Dorris. If you’re considering Dorris as an overnight stop, this starting point may be relevant to your plans.
Discover more destinations: Dunsmuir, Mount Shasta, Yreka, Happy Camp, McCloud, Weed.
Return to the overarching travel guide: Siskiyou.
