Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Depending on the time of day and season, wildlife viewing is nothing short of sensational on the all-weather Wildlife Drive. It is by far the most popular attraction at the refuge, drawing an estimated 75,000 visitors annually. From Wildlife Drive, observers usually can get good views of bald eagles soaring above the marsh or perching on one of a few dead trees, some "planted" for that purpose by the local power company in response to Blackwater's persuasive manager. Golden eagles are occasionally seen.

The drive provides access to the trails and close-up views of refuge impoundments and marsh. The former 40-foot fire tower that was a favorite observation point for many years, unfortunately, had to be dismantled for safety reasons.

The Marsh Edge Trail will soon be completely wheelchair accessible and affords close-up looks of brackish marsh life along the Little Blackwater River near its intersection with the Blackwater River. They both flow through the refuge and are named for their vegetation-stained dark water. Woods Trail is a 0.5-mile loop through pines and mixed hardwood trees, an ideal habitat to see the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel.

Visitors who wish to hunt may do so in season for deer with both bow and gun. Hunting helps control the number of the introduced Asian sika deer (a species of elk), which have been increasing significantly. Hunting of waterfowl is not permitted.

Fishing and crabbing are permitted from April through September. It is restricted to boats and the Little Blackwater Bridge on Key Wallace Drive. Small mammals may be trapped by permit, but the river otter is fully protected on the refuge. The overpopulation of the exotic nutria is being controlled through a trapping program designed to lessen marsh vegetation loss.

Carowan reports that the 129 bald eagles counted on and near the refuge in January 1996 was the highest number since 1979, when the annual survey sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation began. Even when their fishing areas are frozen in hard winters, eagles like the refuge because of the waterfowl prey that forage in refuge fields.