Located in Dorchester County, Maryland, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 16.7 km (10.4 mi) S of Cambridge.
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. Blackwater Refuge is fed by the Blackwater River and the Little Blackwater River. The name "blackwater" comes from the tea-colored waters of the local rivers, which are darkened by the tannin that is picked up as the water drains through peat soil in the marshes.From the Wikipedia article “Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 59° ENE | 8:32 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 120° ESE | 4:48 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 30m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:01 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:11 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.05 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (61%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 71 | 70 | 76 | 89 | 92 | 96 | 101 | 100 | 94 | 93 | 75 | 72 |
| Low °F | 7 | 4 | 14 | 29 | 38 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 49 | 36 | 24 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Beach
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouseBeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Pax River Hog Point Campgrounds29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Pax River Paradise Grove Campgrounds29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge from Cambridge?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.