Assateague Island, famous for its wild horses and historic lighthouse, also attracts visitors to its iconic barrier island ecosystem, breezy beaches, marshes and shifting sand dunes. The island, just off the Maryland and Virginia coasts, is controlled by both states. Assateague Island National Seashore, managed by three federal agencies, offers camping only on the Maryland side of the island.
Significance
After a devastating storm stopped plans to develop Assateague Island into a resort, the U.S. government in 1965 designated the island as a National Seashore. The park service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Department of Natural Resources manage the island for public outdoor recreation use. Assateague's ecosystem provides feeding and resting grounds for more than 320 birds, according to the Assateague Island Tourism website.
Populations of wild horses brought the island and neighboring Chincoteague Island global recognition in the 1947 book, "Misty of Chincoteague." Virginia maintains its wild horse herd numbers by hosting an auction of some animal each July.
Campgrounds
Assateague Island National Seashore includes three campgrounds, all on the Maryland side of the island, according to the park service website. The campgrounds provide bay and ocean views and access, and are open year-round. Virginia prohibits camping on its side of the island.
Assateague State Park, also on the Maryland side of the island, offers another 300 campsites, according to the Assateague Island Tourism website.
Features
The National Seashore's Oceanside drive-in campground allows recreational vehicles, tents and trailers. The campsites include a picnic table and grill, but no recreational vehicle hookups. The Oceanside walk-in campground allows only tents. The tent sites, located 100 to 200 feet from a parking area, include picnic tables and grills.
The Bayside drive-in campground accommodates recreational vehicles, trailers and tents. The park service maintains a "generator-free zone" in this campground. Groups must reserve the larger campsites in advance, at a cost of $30 per site per night in the summer of 2010.
Backcountry
The park service provides six backcountry camping areas for visitors trekking or paddling around the island. Using the sites requires obtaining a backcountry permit and hiking or paddling as much as 13 miles from the Maryland or Virginia ranger stations, according to the park service website. Ocean-side sites sit among the island's inner dunes while most of the bay-side sites are in forested areas. All sites include picnic tables and chemical toilets.
Backcountry permits must be obtained in person at the ranger stations. In 2010, backcountry campers paid a $5 fee for the permit plus a $15 entrance fee per vehicle.
Activities
Assateague Island includes more than 37 miles of sandy beaches, according to the Assateague Island Tourism website. The white sands attract runners, walkers and shell collectors as well as visitors who want to simply relax. The island campsites also offer access to hiking and biking trails as well as kayak or canoe routes.
Considerations
The National Park Service cautions that island camping conditions may include intense heat during summer days, cool temperatures at night, high winds and large insect populations. The agency website recommends campers bring adequate supplies of insect repellent, sunscreen, firewood and extra-long tent stakes to secure tents in the shifting sand.
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