Camping at assateague how to#
Camping at assateague free#

There’s just so much to do on the island (ponie watching, bird watching, beach walking, trails) and around the island (breweries, little town exploring – read below), that we didn’t have much time in the evening.Ī discovery for me, this product (not affiliated) really helped!

Camping at assateague how to#

We came prepared with winter gear and hand warmers, and we were nice and toasty (my tips on how to stay warm). The wind and the proximity to the water makes it chillier than on the mainland. Do check the forecast though.īring good tent stakes! We replaced the ones that came with the tent with the MSR 7.5 inch ultralight tent stakes (not affiliated), and I’m sure they played a role in keeping our tent secure! No biggie, we just cozied up in the tent with snacks and boardgames. On our second night, we got 17 mph wind with gushes up to 20 mph. The structures were destroyed by a big storm, and the island was turned into a National seashore. I learned about the efforts to build a resort town on the island. I think it would be great to walk those with children. The trail is short, easy and has a lot of information plaques along the way. Due to renovation, only Life of the Dunes was open, and we enjoyed walking it very much. They are under a mile each, so it’s totally possible to do them all in one day. There are 3 trails: Life of the Dunes, Life of the Marsh and Life of the Forest. I would definitely recommend getting up early for the sunrise! The ocean side of the park is on the east side, so you get an amazing sunrise.

There are 35 miles of beach, and walking there in winter is a surreal experience. Option 1 is to just walk along the beach. We saw a lot of the ponies! The do come very close to the cars. You are not supposed to feed, pet, or come close to them. The island is famous for its wild horses which freely roam around. If you arrive after hours, just drive to the campground, pick a spot, and check in at the rangers station next morning before 11am. Campground maps, from nps.com Campground rules It was close to the vault toilets, literally a stone throw away from the beach, and walking distance from the rangers station. It wasn’t empty, we had at least 3 more cars in our loop, but we managed to snatch what I think was the best spot – loop 1, side 9. The walk in site is closed, but both the Oceanside and Bayside are open. While in summer booking a spot in the park’s campsites is close to impossible, in winter they are first come-first serve basis. The station is located to the right of the entrance booths and is open 9 am – 4:30 pm. If you arrive after hours, you just drive through and pay the next day at the rangers station.

Camping at assateague free#

Entrance fee is $25 for 7 days, free with America the Beautiful pass. Great souvenirs and a lot of information.Īs you enter the island and drive up to the National Seashore, you have to pass through the entrance booths. It is worth visiting before entering the island, but it closes at 4pm, and we arrived on Friday late in the evening, so we could only stop by there on our way back. The Visitor Centre is located just before the bridge to the island. Maryland side of Assateague island map, from nps.com The National Seashore has 35 miles of beach, two campsites (Ocean side and Bay side) with summer showers and vault toilets, and is open all year round. The State park is smaller, with 2 miles of beach, but with better facilities (proper showers/restrooms). On the Maryland side, there’s a State park and a National Seashore. You can enter from the Virginia side or the Maryland side, but there are no places to camp on the Virginia side. I pitched the idea to my boyfriend and our friend… and off we went.Īssateague island stretches for 37 miles between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chincoteague bay. After reading this blog, I had my heart set on going to Assateague in winter. This is a dream destination for many Marylanders, but stars just weren’t aligning for us this summer. Read below about general winter camping information at Assateague, ponies, hiking, winter beach camping tips, food/drink places around, and backcountry camping. Long walks on a beach, breathtaking sunrises and wild ponies… if any of those are your thing, you must visit the Assateague island.