Patuxent Research Refuge
The Patuxent Research Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, established in 1936 by executive order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It is the only National Wildlife Refuge in the country established to support wildlife research. With land surrounding the Patuxent and Little Patuxent Rivers between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland, the refuge has grown from the original 2,670 acres (10.8 km2) to its present size of over 12,800 acres (52 km2) and encompasses land formerly managed by the Departments of Agriculture and Defense. Throughout decades of change, Patuxent's mission of conserving and protecting the nation's wildlife and habitat through research and wildlife management techniques has remained virtually unchanged.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Designation | National Wildlife Refuge |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Maryland |
| Size | 12,952 acres (computed from the boundary polygon) |
| FWS region | Region 5 |
| Center point | 39.0567, -76.7823 |
| Night sky | Noticeable light pollution (Black Marble reading 142) |
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. 3 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
- 0.3 miSpacecraft Magnetic Test Facility ↗National Historic Landmark
- 3.1 miBollman Suspension and Trussed Bridge ↗National Historic Landmark
- 9.1 miCarson, Rachel, House ↗National Historic Landmark
- 9.4 miThomas Viaduct, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad ↗National Historic Landmark
- 9.4 miTrades Hall of National Training School for Women and Girls ↗National Historic Landmark
- 11 miSousa, John Philip, Junior High School ↗National Historic Landmark
- 11.5 miArmy Medical Museum ↗National Historic Landmark
- 11.7 miGallaudet College, President's House ↗National Historic Landmark
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Patuxent Research Refuge?
12,952 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 Patuxent Research Refuge?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
What state is Patuxent Research Refuge in?
Maryland.
Source: How states are assigned
Can I camp at Patuxent Research Refuge?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Greenbelt Campground, 4.2 miles out. 3 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 Patuxent Research Refuge?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.057, -76.782. Baltimore-Washington Parkway is 2 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
How dark is the night sky at Patuxent Research Refuge?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 142 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, noticeable light pollution.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Patuxent Research Refuge?
Baltimore-Washington Parkway (2 mi), Greenbelt Park (4 mi) and Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens (9 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Patuxent Research Refuge?
695 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Spacecraft Magnetic Test Facility and Bollman Suspension and Trussed Bridge.
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: Patuxent Research 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.