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Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge |
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| 2145 Key Wallace Drive Cambridge, MD 21613 E-mail: fw5rw_bwnwr@fws.gov Phone Number: 410-228-2677 |
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| Visit the Refuge's Web Site: http://www.fws.gov/blackwater |
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Organized school, civic and professional groups may reserve dates for slide talks, special movies, guided tours, and outdoor classroom activities. Write or call the Visitor Center at 410-228-2677 for additional information.
Fishing at Blackwater is permitted from boats, or from the nearby State-owned bridges (proper State of Maryland license is required). No fishing is allowed from the refuge shore. Boating is restricted on some Refuge waters October 1 - March 31. Quality of fishing ranges from poor to fair on the Refuge. Boat launching is permitted only from designated areas. For further information on fishing/boating areas and other regulations, contact the Visitor Center at 410-228-2677.
Hunting for whitetail and sika deer is permitted at the Refuge, with special days set aside for archery, muzzleloader, shotgun, and youth hunts. Hunters must pre-register and obtain special permits, and an administration fee does apply. All hunters must have a valid Maryland hunting license. Call 410-228-2677 for more info.
Our newly-renovated, staffed Visitor Center with exhibits, restrooms, and a bookstore/gift shop can be found on Key Wallace Drive. A fully accessible, second floor observatory provides great views of the Blackwater River and impoundment system. A conference room is available for special, pre-scheduled programs. Interpretive information and leaflets can be obtained at the Visitor Center, and several information kiosks can be found on the self-guided Wildlife Drive. The Visitor Center can be reached at 410-228-2677.
Blackwater features a Wildlife Drive consisting of a six and a half mile loop or three and a half mile drive of all-weather road that winds along fresh water ponds, through woods, and past fields and marsh. Walking and cycling on the Wildlife Drive is permitted. Two foot trails and a photo blind can be found on the Drive. Two new longer foot trails are now open in other areas of the refuge. Over 20 miles of canoe/kayak trails in the Blackwater River will take you through seldom-seen areas of the refuge. The county roads encircling the Refuge are suitable for longer car or cycling tours.
Visitor Center- Open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday-Sunday. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Wildlife Drive and outdoor facilities- Open daily, dawn to dusk (year round). A permit is required.
A daily permit is required for all visitors to the Wildlife Drive unless they possess an annual pass or lifetime passport. Annual passes, either a Current Federal Duck Stamp valid July 1 to June 30 ($15); an Interagency Annual Pass ($80) or a Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Pass ($12) valid one year from date of issue, and Interagency Senior Pass for those 62 years or older ($10), or the Interagency Access Pass free for the blind or permanently disabled, are available at the Visitor Center. Private vehicle - $3.00 Pedestrian - $1.00 Bicyclist - $1.00 Commercial van or bus up to 20 passengers - $15.00 21 or more passengers - $25.00 |
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| - Refuge Profile Page - | ||