Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1933 as a waterfowl sanctuary for birds migrating along the critical migration highway called the Atlantic Flyway. The refuge is located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, just 12 mi (19 km) south of Cambridge, Maryland in Dorchester County, and consists of over 28,000 acres (110 km2) of freshwater impoundments, brackish tidal wetlands, open fields, and mixed evergreen and deciduous forests. Blackwater NWR is one of over 540 units in the National Wildlife Refuge System, which is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Maryland |
| Size | 34,765 acres |
| FWS region | Region 5 |
| Center point | 38.44° N, 76.11° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 2 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Most refuges do not allow overnight camping. The campgrounds listed are outside the refuge.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedBecky Taylor Branch Rx
20 mi from the center point · 46 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 10.8 miTennison, Wm. B. (Chesapeake Bay Bugeye) ↗National Historic Landmark
- 0.3 miHughes A.m.e. Chapel ↗Cambridge, MD
- 0.4 miRodgers Tavern ↗Perryville, MD
- 0.5 miSan Domingo School ↗Sharpstown, MD
- 1.3 miHandsell ↗Vienna, MD
- 1.3 miHavre de Grace Lighthouse ↗Havre de Grace, MD
- 1.4 miMartha Lewis (skipjack) ↗Havre de Grace, MD
- 1.4 miDickerson Potato House ↗Delmar, DE
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Maryland
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
34,765 acres.
Source: How acreage is computed
Who manages Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in?
Maryland.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
The refuge page says whether camping is allowed here. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.437° N, 76.108° W. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Is there a fire near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Becky Taylor Branch Rx at 20 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park (adjacent) and Hampton National Historic Site (28 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
The National Register has 166 listings within 15 miles, including Tennison, Wm. B. (Chesapeake Bay Bugeye) and Hughes A.m.e. Chapel.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
- States and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- Photograph: the image Wikidata records for this refuge (Q4923543), the item linked to its Wikipedia article. Author and license come from the file page on Wikimedia Commons.
- Description: Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.