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 (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| FWS region | Region 5 |
| Center point | 38.4373, -76.1078 |
| 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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. 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.
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.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
34,765 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.
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?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Pax River Hog Point Campgrounds, 7.4 miles out. 2 in all are within ten miles. Most refuges do not allow camping inside the refuge, so the campgrounds listed are outside it.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.437, -76.108. 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
How dark is the night sky at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 12 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
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?
164 National Register 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: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
- Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
- 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.