Residents and visitors from far destinations annually make their way to the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area a 2,000-acre tract in a mixture of woodlands, fields, wooded bottomland and managed wetland impoundments (green-tree reservoirs) that is located at 18600 River Road. The property shares a common boundary with the National Park Service Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to the south and borders Seneca Creek State Park on the east. There is no charge to visit the sunflower fields, but parking is limited.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife and Heritage Service plants sunflowers each spring on the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area. The primary purpose for planting sunflowers in wildlife management areas is to provide a food source for mourning doves, as well as other wildlife species.
In addition to mourning doves, sunflowers and sunflower seeds are a favorite food source for a host of other songbirds, mammals and pollinators. Sunflowers require pollination by insects, usually bees, to produce a seed crop. In turn, honeybees and many species of native bees, benefit from the abundant nectar and pollen that sunflowers produce.
The many benefits of sunflowers are lost when they are cut or trampled by people. These sunflowers are planted for the benefit of wildlife and regulations prohibit the cutting, destruction or removal of any plants from the areas. The public is welcome to visit, admire and photograph the sunflowers in bloom.
The techniques used to plant the sunflowers, and the sunflower variety planted, may change from year to year, as well as the number of acres planted and their locations. Sunflowers are planted in late April or early May. Weather, seed variety, weed competition, soil conditions and herbivore damage will all impact the time that it takes for the plants to bloom. With favorable conditions, the sunflowers bloom in mid-July.
After the sunflowers are done blooming and seeds are mature, in early to mid-August, strips are mowed through the sunflowers to scatter the seeds on the ground where they are more accessible to mourning doves and other wildlife.
With growing popularity, it is best to visit the sunflower fields on a weekday. If you choose to visit on the weekend, be mindful of traffic getting to the fields.
Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed. Wildlife Management Areas are trash-free. No trash cans are provided. There are no bathroom facilities, no benches and no picnic tables.
The McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area may be accessed any time of day. However, overnight camping is not allowed. There is no fee or permit required to access the property.
To get to the management area from the Capital Beltway, take Exit 39 (River Road) west toward Potomac. Proceed for approximately 11 miles to the intersection of River Road and MD 112 (Seneca Road). Turn left and continue on River Road for about 2 ½ miles. McKee-Beshers will be on the left.
For more information on the wildlife management area, go to https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/pages/publiclands/central/mckeebeshers.aspx.
