
The mainland visitor center has restrooms, a gift shop, and an aquarium.
Campgrounds near assateague island national seashore portable#
Park facilities include a day-use and beach area, a summer snack bar, accessible portable restrooms, and a marina with a boat launch and fishing pier. Along with camping, boating, and watercraft fees, day-use fees also apply. Entrance to the island is via the Assateague Island State Park Boat Ramp, while the rest of the island is part of the Assateague Island National Seashore. Assateague State Park is 12 miles south of Ocean City or about a 30-minute drive away. Camping is possible from the last week of April through the last weekend of October, but year-round camping is available on the surrounding national seashore. Shorebirds migrate to the marshes along the Atlantic Flyway in summer, while fall sees large numbers of waterfowl swoop in. Summertime is the most popular time to visit Assateague State Park, when swimming and water sports draw crowds to the coast. Aim to book more than six months in advance for these times.
Campsites can book up fast, especially for peak season (June-September) and holiday weekends. Reservations can be made up to 12 months in advance. You can reserve the park’s 350 campsites online via Maryland Parks Reservations. Stop in or contact us today with any questions about scheduling RV service before you leave home, or our affordable RV financing options if you’re new to RVing. You can get more campground details here.Īre you ready to jumpstart your traveling season in your new or used RV with an unforgettably gorgeous trip to the beach? We’re ready to help you hit the road. Since RV spots are limited, advance reservations are highly encouraged. You can learn more about the wild horses, and visitor policies concerning them, here.Ĭamping season at Assateague begins in early spring and run through November, and is open to campers of all traveling styles. Enjoy their beauty from a distance, and you can help make sure these extraordinary wild horses will continue to thrive on Assateague Island. Horses tough enough to survive the scorching heat, abundant mosquitoes, stormy weather and poor quality food found on this remote, windswept barrier island have formed a unique wild horse society. The “wild” horses on Assateague are actually feral animals, meaning that they are descendants of domestic animals that have reverted to a wild state. Seeing these herds gallop on the beach will be a memory that lasts you the rest of your life!Īssateague’s wild horses are well known, even to many people who have never been to the island.
These beautiful ponies are descendants of horses brought by colonists in the 17 th century. Over time, these conditions have produced a community of plants and animals uniquely suited to the extremes found at the edge of the sea.Īlmost everyone has heard about the “wild horses” on Assateague. Exposure to salt spray, lack of fresh water, and isolation from the mainland are subtle, but powerful influences on the Island’s species composition.
Other forces sculpt the landscape in less obvious ways. Powerful storms can dramatically alter the shoreline in a matter of hours, as waves wash over the beach and reshape the island from ocean to bay. The geography of the island itself is in a state of constant flux, continuously being reshaped by the elemental forces of wind and water. The NPS website shares the following details about this unique environment: Enjoy everything a trip to the beach offers you and keep your eyes open for the iconic wild horses of Assateague!Īssateague Island National Seashore spans 48,000 acres of coastal scenery like you’ve never seen before! Take your beach vacation up a notch by experiencing the thrill and beauty of Assateague Island as your first camping destination of the year! This national seashore spanning stretches of Maryland and Virginia is a gorgeous and unforgettable landscape.