From Bonners Ferry, take Riverside Road on the south bank of the Kootenai River, west for 5 miles to the refuge entrance. The office is 2 miles beyond the entrance. Watch for logging trucks. Mallards are the main nesting species, while mallards, wigeon, and pintails are the principal migrants. Canada geese may number 3,500 in the fall.
Tundra swans are common spring migrants.
Large mammals using the refuge include both white-tailed and mule deer, coyote, and, rarely, black bear, elk, or moose. Migrating tundra swans can be seen in spring in shallow bays and shores of the lake. Bald eagles, golden eagles, hawks, and owls are frequently seen. Mule deer are year-round residents and pronghorn antelope are occasionally seen. An abundance of aquatic vegetation is found in small bays and inlets of the lake.