County Road 40 is heavily used and there is limited room to pull off onto the gravel road shoulders. Take care in finding a safe place to park and be careful crossing the road. Early morning and late evening visits are therefore best, when vehicle traffic is at a minimum.

The marshes host a good variety of wetland bird species. Virginia Rail, Sora, both bitterns, Sandhill Crane, Wilson's Snipe and Marsh Wren are regular breeders, as are Common Loon and Pied-billed Grebe. In years with lower water levels Sedge Wren occurs on the graminoid mats at the northeast end of the lake. A variety of warblers and other species occur in the mixed and conifer-dominated swamp forests on the east side of CR 40. Black-backed Woodpecker has been observed in late May on at least one occasion and may breed in these swamp forests. Barred Owl, Common Nighthawk and Eastern Whip-poor-will are regularly heard calling to the northwest of the lake.

Rotten Lake is a shallow, eutrophic lake approximately 53 ha in extent. It is rimmed primarily by cattail marsh with some interspersion of graminoid (bulrush-sedge-grass) marsh. County Road 40 borders the east and north sides of the lake.The southeast end of the lake and the sole, treed island are part of Brookwood Conservation Area (undeveloped).