Patuxent Research Refuge

Patuxent Research Refuge

Parks Directory of the United States / National Wildlife Refuges

Address: 12100 Beech Forest Rd
Laurel, MD 20708
Phone: 301-497-5580;
Fax: 301-497-5515;
Web: www.fws.gov/northeast/patuxent/
Established: 1936.
Location: In the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan corridor near Laurel.
Facilities: Visitor center with interpretive exhibits, auditorium, gift shop, viewing sites, hiking trails, tram tours, auto tour route.
Activities: Fishing, hunting, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, educational programs.
Special Features: The refuge houses the National Wildlife Visitor Center, the largest science and environmental education center operated by the Department of the Interior. Interactive exhibits focus on global environmental issues, migratory bird studies, habitats, endangered species, creature life cycles, and research techniques used by scientists..
Habitats: 12,750 acres of forest, meadow, and wetland.
Access: Year round during daylight hours; some portions of the refuge are closed to public entry.
Wild life: Migrant neotropical birds, waterfowl, raptors, bald eagles, fish including bluegill, largemouth bass, catfish, and white-tailed deer.

---

See other parks in Maryland.