[2] The refugee is a narrow ribbon of wetlands, oxbow lakes, swamps, and upland forests along the meandering Deep Fork River.

More than 80 percent of the refuge floods annually, thus providing excellent habitat for waterfowl and a wide variety of other animals, including white-tailed deer, bald eagles, and wild turkey.

Four wildlife species of special concern abound here (the river otter, Bell’s vireo, alligator snapping turtle, and the northern scarlet snake).

[4] Most of the vegetation in the refuge is bottomland forests of oak, pecan, elm, hickory, ash, sugarberry, walnut, river birch, and willow.

Several parking areas scattered around the refuge give access to visitors for bird watching, hunting, fishing, hiking, and boating.

The refuge has 22 parking lots connected to the hunting and wildlife observation areas by 25 miles (40 km) of trails and unimproved roads.