If you're planning a visit to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
and have questions about the Refuge's services, facilities,
and recreational opportunities, please refer to our list of frequently asked
questions displayed on this page. If your question is not on this list, feel free to contact the
management of Blackwater Refuge at:
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
2145 Key Wallace Drive
Cambridge, Maryland 21613
Telephone: (410)228-2677
(Hearing-impaired visitors may call the Maryland Relay Service
at TDD/(800)735-2258 voice)
How do I get to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
When are the hours of operation?
What are the entrance fees?
What is at the Visitor Center?
What is the weather like at Blackwater Refuge?
What is the Wildlife Drive?
Does Blackwater Refuge have trails?
Are pets allowed at the Refuge?
Where can I find information about wildlife at the Refuge?
Where can I find information about biking at the Refuge?
Where can I find information about hunting, boating, and fishing at the Refuge?
Where can I find information about educational opportunities at the Refuge?
Where can I find information about the fire management program at the Refuge?
What types of visitors' services are available in Dorchester County?
Where can I find information on lodging and camping?
Where can I find information about the Friends of Blackwater?
How do I get to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
From Easton, MD heading South (East):
From the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, follow Route 50 East to Easton. From Easton continue South on Route 50 East.
Cross over Senator Frederick C. Malkus, Jr. Bridge (Choptank River Bridge). Follow Route 50 (approximately
4 miles) until you come to a traffic light just past the Dorchester Square Shopping Center (Center includes
Walmart and Food City). You will see a brown sign directing you to the Refuge. Turn right at this light
onto Route 16 West (Church Creek Road). Follow Route 16 straight through a traffic light at Snow's Turn,
until you pass the South Dorchester High School. At the blinker light, turn left onto Egypt Road just past
the school buildings (first road past the traffic light). Follow Egypt road for approximately 7 miles and
it will dead end at
Key Wallace Drive. You will see a brown Refuge sign directing you to turn left onto Key Wallace Drive
to go to the Wildlife Drive, or turn right onto Key Wallace Drive to get to the Refuge Office and to
the Visitor Center. After turning right onto Key Wallace, the Refuge Office (headquarters) will be
the first building on the left, and the Visitor Center will be the second building on your left about
2 miles.
From Salisbury, MD heading North:
From Salisbury head north on Route 50. Once you are almost in the town of Cambridge, you will come
to a traffic light with an Exxon station on your left. Before the light there should be a large brown
sign on the right directing you to the Refuge. At the light you should see the Dorchester Square
Shopping Center with a Walmart and Food City. Turn left onto Route 16 West (Church Creek Road).
Follow Route 16 straight through a traffic light at Snow's Turn, until you pass the South Dorchester
High School. At the blinker light, turn left onto Egypt Road just past the school buildings
(first road past the traffic light). Follow
Egypt road for approximately 7 miles and it will dead end at Key Wallace Drive. You will see a brown
Refuge sign directing you to turn left onto Key Wallace Drive to go to the Wildlife Drive, or turn
right onto Key Wallace Drive to get to the Refuge Office and to the Visitor Center. After turning right
onto Key Wallace, the Refuge Office (headquarters) will be the first building on the left, and the Visitor
Center will be the second building on your left about 2 miles.
What are the hours of operation?
The Refuge's outdoor facilities and Wildlife Drive are open from dawn to dusk,
all year. The Visitor Center and gift shop are open 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday
and 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the weekend (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas).
What are the entrance fees?
Visitors can purchase a daily permit at the Visitor Center for the following amounts:
Private Vehicle - $3
Pedestrian, Bicyclist - $1
Commercial Van or Bus up to 20 passengers - $15
Commercial Van or Bus 21 passengers or more - $25
Annual and lifetime passes are available at the Visitor Center and include either a current
Federal Duck Stamp valid July 1 to June 30 ($15); a Blackwater NWR Pass ($12), valid one year from date of issue;
an Interagency Annual Pass ($80), valid one year from date of issue;
a lifetime Interagency Seniors Pass ($10);
or a lifetime Interagency Access Pass, which is free for the blind and permanently disabled.
Please note: Effective January 1, 2007, a new interagency pass system is in place and is called the
“America the Beautiful – Federal Recreational Lands Pass Program."
It will be replacing the Golden Eagle, Golden Age, Golden Access, and Hologram Sticker.
For those people already carrying Golden passes, the passes will stay valid until they expire.
The cost of the new Interagency Annual Pass is now $80, and the cost for the Interagency Seniors Pass is $10.
The pass covers fees for wildlife
refuges, national parks, and lands in the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation,
and Forest Service. If you have any questions about the new pass system, be sure to speak to
someone at our Visitor Center or visit the federal government's
annual pass
web page for more details.
What can I see at the Visitor Center?
The Visitor Center offers wildlife exhibits, an authentic bald eagle's nest, our Osprey Cam and
Eagle Cam TV monitors, and a second-floor "Wild Birds Unlimited Pathways to Nature Observatory"
(accessible via stairs or a wheelchair-friendly elevator). In addition, visitors can pick up brochures and maps, browse The Eagle's Nest Book & Gift Shop (run by the Friends of
Blackwater) or make use of the
restrooms. Visitors can also enjoy our beautiful Butterfly and Beneficial Insect Garden, which is located behind the building. The garden
is a peaceful and restful place to enjoy the beauty of butterflies and the plants
they favor.
What is the weather like at Blackwater Refuge?
The Eastern Shore of Maryland enjoys four unique seasons. Many visitors come from late October through early
April to avoid the mosquitoes and biting flies that invade the Refuge during the warmer
months. The Eastern Shore has temperatures that range from winter lows in the 20s to summer highs in the 80s; average annual rainfall is 40 inches and average annual snowfall is 10 inches.
For current weather conditions in Cambridge, visit the
Weather Underground website.
What is the Wildlife Drive?
The Wildlife Drive is approximately 4 miles in length (or about a 7-mile loop) and takes visitors in cars, on bicycles, or on foot past
some of the most scenic marshes, forests, and fields at Blackwater. The paved Drive leads by two of
our trails and also offers a good chance
of seeing a bald eagle.
In addition, there is an observation blind
on the Drive that offers photographers and birdwatchers an opportunity to more closely
observe the wildlife. Remember that visitors on the Drive are asked to stay on the roadway.
Also pets are not allowed on trails or out of vehicles on the Wildlife Drive, even if on a leash.
This policy is to protect the endangered ground-feeding Delmarva fox squirrels. Pets can be walked
in the parking lot around the Visitor Center. Visit our Wildlife Drive
page for more information.
Does Blackwater Refuge have trails?
Yes, Blackwater Refuge has four land trails and three paddling trails.
Are pets allowed at the Refuge?
Pets are not allowed on trails or out of vehicles on the Wildlife Drive, even if on a leash. This policy is to protect the endangered ground-feeding Delmarva fox squirrels.
Pets can be walked in the parking lot around the Visitor Center.
Where can I find information about wildlife at the Refuge?
See the Wildlife and Resources sections of this website.
Where can I find information about biking at the Refuge?
Cyclists can choose to complete an approximate 4-mile or 7-mile-loop route along the paved and
level Wildlife Drive.
Blackwater also has a 20-mile and 25-mile route that runs along county roads through the
Refuge's varied habitats. Visit our Cycling page for more information.
Where can I find information about hunting, fishing, and boating at the Refuge?
Visit our Hunting page for more information about our deer hunts. Also visit
our Fishing/Crabbing page for more information about fishing or crabbing at the Refuge.
Note that visitors can fish from kayaks and canoes -- visit our Paddling page
for more information about our water trails.
Where can I find information about educational opportunities at the Refuge?
Visit our Education page for more information about our educational offerings.
Where can I find information about the fire management program at the Refuge?
Visit the Fire Management Program page on the Blackwater USFWS website.
What types of visitor services are available in Dorchester County?
See the Resources section of this website.
Where can I find information on lodging and camping?
Camping is not allowed on Refuge property, but lodging and campgrounds can be found in surrounding towns.
For more information, visit the Tour Dorchester website and
click on Lodging.
When selecting a place to stay, note that Cambridge is the closest major town to the Refuge.
Where can I find information about the Friends of Blackwater?
See the Friends of Blackwater section of this website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 
| 
