For those who think winter is why couches were made, Dorchester County has news for you. With its 26,000-acre Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and county-wide undeveloped woods and marshes, a couch-laden winter would be inexcusable for anyone within 500 miles of this Maryland gem.

For bald eagles, there is no other place like it in the lower 48. From November to March, nesting eagles abound on the refuge and can be seen readily without binoculars. Tundra swans, Canada and snow geese, and over 20 ducks species are also common there in the winter. These include black ducks, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, widgeon, and pintails.

Located approximately 12 miles south of the town of Cambridge, Blackwater was established in 1933 as a refuge for migratory birds and is composed mainly of rich tidal marsh characterized by fluctuating water levels and varying salinity. Other habitat types include freshwater ponds, mixed evergreen and deciduous forests, and small amounts of cropland and managed impoundments that are seasonally flooded for waterfowl use.

Blackwater is also a haven for the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, and the recently delisted migrant peregrine falcon. Before its designation as a Refuge, the marshland along Blackwater River was managed as a fur farm.

Visitor Center hours are Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Wildlife Drive and associated trails are open from dawn to dusk every day. The thin and winding trails and roads around the refuge are perfect for cycling. Also in Dorchester, the Fishing Bay Wildlife Management Area, Hooper Island, and LaCompte Wildlife Management Area make perfect winter getaways.