• Home

• Wildlife & Habitat

• Visitor Opportunities

• Kids

• Management

• Get Involved

• Plan Your Visit

• We're a Complex

• About Us

• Refuge Publications

• Contact Us

• Planning

Welcome

What's New at the Refuge Visitor Center closed for renovations. Gift store and information desk relocated to Environmental Education building... learn more   Visit the new Observation Platform on the Wildlife Drive The Marsh Edge Trail is now open due to the end of bald eagle nesting season Learn about timber improvement treatment at Blackwater NWR See who won a 2011 volunteer award at our recent Volunteer Recognition Dinner New 2012-2013 Hunt Season information is available Learn about the Blackwater Raptor Cams Buy the new Duck Stamp and get free access to any refuge open to the public See slideshow about climate change at Blackwater NWR *Read the Refuge Complex Comprehensive Conservation Plan* Archived News Releases

Upcoming Events Sept. 16: Bird Walk 8am Sept. 25: Annual Friends of Blackwater Meeting Sept. 29 National Public Lands Day - no entrance fee See calendar for more details. Weekly Waterfowl Survey *will begin again in the fall* Media Notice Chopper Connection: Controlled Burns at Blackwater Refuge WBOC 16 video report Find us on Facebook • Friends of Blackwater Facebook page • USFWS Northeast Region Facebook page

---

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Eastern Shore (location map) of Maryland, approximately 12 miles south of the town of Cambridge, in Dorchester County. The Refuge includes over 27,000 acres, composed mainly of rich tidal marsh characterized by fluctuating water levels and varying salinity. Other habitat types include freshwater ponds, mixed evergreen and deciduous forests, and small amounts of cropland and managed impoundments that are seasonally flooded for waterfowl use. View the Blackwater NWR brochure and map (1.4MB PDF).

Blackwater Refuge was originally established in 1933 as a haven for ducks and geese migrating along the Atlantic Flyway. The Refuge is a popular place during the November migration when upwards of 35,000 geese and 15,000 ducks visit Blackwater.

Blackwater is also a haven for several troubled species including the American bald eagle, the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, and the migrant peregrine falcon. The Refuge is unique in that it hosts the largest remaining natural population of Delmarva fox squirrels and is also host to the largest breeding population of bald eagles on the East Coast, north of Florida.

At the Refuge, visitors will find a beautiful Visitor Center, a Wildlife Drive, four hiking trails, three paddling trails, miles of cycling roads, hunting/fishing/crabbing opportunities, and adventures in environmental education. See the Visitor Opportunities section for more details.

Blackwater NWR is part of the Chesapeake Marshlands NWR Complex, which also includes Eastern Neck NWR, Martin NWR, Susquehanna NWR and the Barren Island, Watts Island, Bishops Head, Garrett Island and Spring Island Divisions. To protect the wildlife, only Blackwater and Eastern Neck, and a small section of beach on Garrett Island are open to the public. Visit the Chesapeake Marshlands NWR Complex website for more information.

Important Visitor Information

Hours and fees can be found on our Plan Your Visit page.

Frequently Asked Questions can be found on our FAQs page.

Driving directions and maps can be found on our Directions page.

If you are interested in lodging or camping in the area, visit the Dorchester County Tourism website and click on "Lodging." Cambridge is the largest town near the Refuge.