The Butte Valley Wildlife Area and Meiss Lake offer many different habitats including forest, grassland, wetland, lake and cropland which results in a wide diversity of plant and animal life. Visitors wishing to drive a loop through Butte Valley, including BVWA should take Meiss Lake Rd. from Macdoel to the BVWA tour route. Juanita Lake , located off Hwy 97 between Macdoel and Dorris in Butte Valley, is a great fishing and birding area which is handicap accessible. There is a paved path around the lake, with benches along the way, handicap restrooms, picnic tables that are lowered, and fishing piers for easy wheelchair access. The lake is stocked with sport-sized trout.
Wildlife watching opportunities are excellent.
Winters are often cold enough to make this a great ice fishing lake. With over 263 species of birds using the refuges, visitors can expect a show at almost any time of the year. Fall is dynamic, with three-quarters of the waterfowl migrating along the Pacific Flyway visiting the refuges. By late December the remaining waterfowl attract thousands of raptors, including the largest concentration of wintering bald eagle in the lower 48 states. By early spring shorebirds begin filtering back to the refuge and will remain there to nest.