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Assateague Island National Seashore

7206 National Seashore Lane Berlin, MD 21811

Hours Vary By Season, Check the Website

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hikes, indoor-activities, outdoor-adventures, parks

Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

Assateague Island National Seashore, along with Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge located in the Virginia district of Assateague Island, is a public land preserved by the National Park Service and is one of the Eastern Shore’s most popular and diverse resources to take your family walking on the beach, swimming, surfing, wildlife viewing, birding, crabbing, fishing and kayaking.  And when we say “wildlife viewing,” we’re most definitely talking about the wild Chincoteague ponies.

Though you’re not necessarily assured an up-close visit with them as they can be a little shy depending on the time of year, time of day or the weather, they’re worth the trip just for the chance to see these animals that have adapted to this unusual habitat. (The Wildlife Service advised us that cloudy and wet days tend to be great days to spot the ponies.)

Take some free advice and if you see some ponies, stop what you’re doing and enjoy them.  You may not get another chance. These ponies come and go as they please. This isn’t a zoo or a farm. The animals are 100% free-range and the rangers see to it that they are well protected from the approximately 1,000,000 visitors the park entertains each year.

It’s also a good idea to come prepared for other types of wildlife.  Insect repellent could mean the difference between an enjoyable hike through a unique system of trails and beaches and running for your life from golf ball-sized flies that will terrorize you until you reach the safety of an enclosed shelter or your car.  Much like the ponies, the flies are heavily dependent on which way the winds blow so it’s best to be prepared for anything.

The park has three notable trails: Life of the Marsh, Life of the Forest, and Life of the Dunes. Each trail offers a hike through a unique terrain and each is worth a visit. We were told that The Life of the Forest trail tends to be the best bet for seeing ponies as there is fresh water available there. The Life of the Marsh trail features mostly boardwalk paths making it a great choice for a stroller. The Life of the Dunes is a sandy trail so it is definitely the most challenging of the three. 

Assateague Island Visitor Center is open March-December, 7 days/week. January-February it’s open Thursday-Monday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.  It’s closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

The Visitor Center houses a gift shop and several exhibits including marine aquariums, touch tanks, maps, a film about the wild horses of the island, and brochures.  This is also where you’ll find restrooms, purchase park passes, and meet with rangers to discuss the area and see if they know where the ponies may be at any given time. Be sure to ask for a Junior Ranger booklet while you’re there. Kids can complete activities during your visit and return at the end of the day to be sworn in as Junior Park Rangers. 

Assateague 7 day per vehicle pass - $20.00 includes entrance into Assateague Island National Seashore & Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and is valid for 7 days. This 7-day pass comes in handy as you may want to spend one day on the Maryland side of the park and the other day checking out Chincoteague in Virginia.

Assateague Island National Seashore Annual Pass - $40.00 and is valid for 1 year from month of purchase for entry to Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge.

If you're interested in camping on the beach sand next to the Atlantic Ocean, National Seashore campgrounds and offices are open year-round. Reservations are recommended March 15 - November 15 and sites are $30 per night. November 16 - March 14 sites are first come first served and $30 per night. Equestrian campsites are available by reservation from October 16 - April 14.  Backcountry Camping Hike-in sites and paddle-in sites are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. A backcountry camping permit ($10 per person, age 16 years and older, valid for up to 7 days) is required and several restrictions apply. Area Campgrounds within Assateague State Park are open April-October.  

Pets are permitted only in specific areas of the Maryland portion of the National Seashore and must be leashed at all times.  Please check the website to see a list of areas where pets are prohibited.

If you're staying in Ocean City (or anywhere on the eastern shore), do yourself a favor and visit this amazing national park. There are few other places where you can see horses freely roam while hiking beautiful salt marshes, maritime forests, and coastal bays. You should probably take advantage of it while you have the chance!

If you're looking for places to eat outside the park, consider Captain Zack's or Pico Taqueria, and don't miss Mr. Whippy's or Island Creamery for dessert. If you want to stay outside of the park, we recommend Frontier Town Campground.

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