Speckled with dozens of lakes, ponds and marshy areas, a 15,468-acre sanctuary southwest of Spokane takes in a gently rolling and exceedingly rocky landscape of expansive ponderosa pine forests and open grasslands. An important nesting and migratory site for waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway, the refuge is home to diverse species of migratory waterbirds at the height of the fall migration. But it is also home to many other animals, including elk, white-tailed deer and coyotes. Today, visitors can sample some of the refuge's terrain on the 5.3mi Pine Creek Auto Loop.