Finley encompasses 5,325 acres of oak savanna, bottomland ash forest, wetlands, old-growth big-leaf maple, prairie and scattered fields planted with crops favored by wildlife. The refuge's native wet prairie is the largest such tract left in the valley. Created largely to protect waterfowl, the refuge attracts ducks, geese and swans by the thousands, especially during the winter. The refuge also shelters deer, frogs, bald eagles, elk, newts, hawks and hundreds of other species. Several roads and trails provide easy access, though some parts of the refuge are closed seasonally to protect wildlife.