#ASSATEAGUE CAMPGROUND MOVIE#

The campsites and roads are all paved and well spaced. It’s a very open camping setting with little to no protection from sun and wind. The campground borders the beach and the water is just steps away. We stayed at the State Park campground because the facilities are better (hot showers vs cold) than the National Seashore campground and it has a section with electrical hookups. To drive beyond the paved road onto the beach requires and off road permit and a four wheel drive vehicle. There’s a nice bike path that starts at the Visitor Center, goes over its own bridge, and follows the paved road on the island until it terminus. The beach is much like the Outer Banks with endless miles of beaches, high dunes, heavy surf, and lots of salt spray. There are two main beaches on the ocean side with large parking areas. There’s some hiking trails, a picnic area, and a boat launch area on the bay side. On our first day, we spent a couple of hours exploring the National Seashore. There's no stores, no houses, no gas stations, no ATM's.

#ASSATEAGUE CAMPGROUND MOVIE#

It has good information about the island, some exhibits, and a short movie about the wild horses that is worth watching.Īssateague Island is undeveloped, which is what makes it so special. The Visitor Center is on the mainland before you cross over to the island. On our way there, we stopped at the National Seashore Visitor Center. Along this short distance you experience a dramatic landscape change going from over developed condo / retail land to rural countryside to barren island. If you're into rustic beachside camping and love the ocean, it doesn't get much better than Assateague Island.Īssateague Island is about 10 miles south from Ocean City. The National Seashore has two camping areas with a total of about 100 sites. The lower part is protected by the Assateague Island National Seashore and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The state park has a large campground (350 sites) and provides beach and bay access. Its protected on the northern end by Assateague State Park. The 37 mile long island is a large undeveloped barrier island off the Delmarva peninsula. The horses have their origins back to colonial times when colonists released horses for grazing on the island. Its also known for its wild feral horses that roam the island. Its got miles and miles of unspoiled beaches. Its one of 10 protected National Seashores. Ocean City is about 15-20 minutes away if you seek a little excitement, & there's a Ruth's Chris that lets you wear jeans reasonably close as well if you seek something really fancy while camping.Assateague Island is a barrier island on Maryland's eastern sea shore. Our last visit site had a firepit instead of grill.įirewood is readily available by local sellers outside the park. So if you are going for longer than a day or so, you probably want to get a solar shower.

Water available is from a hand pump & is cold only. Bathrooms are now permanent structures, but are still pit bathrooms. Showers are cold water only, & not super private. It can get a bit chilly at night during spring & fall. Sites are just behind the dunes on the beach, & it's a beautiful place if you are beach lover. Take longer spikes for your tent, because normal ones will come right out of the sand. Can be very windy also, but mosquitoes & gnats bad when it's not. Sites have no shade, and are quite sunny on bright days. Most camping areas allow the use of generators but quiet-time is st Two RV water tank refill sites and dumping stations are available at no extra charge one serving the bay side and the other serving the beach side. None of the sites have hookups or shade, but each group of campsites is served by nearby cold-water lavatories and showers, non-flush toilets, a waste disposal container and an outdoor potable water faucet. Most campsites are paved but some on the bay side of the island offer grass for tent camping. Permits are available for off-road-vehicles to drive and park on parts of the beach. Parking, just a short stroll from the beach, is available for day visitors. Other campsites which are near the bay offer some beautiful views. Campsites are available behind the dunes on the ocean side of the island. If hiking, biking, birding, watching wild ponies and enjoying the beach and the sea appeal to you, this is THE place to visit.

Assateague campground