National Seashore and Lakeshore · NPS · MD, VA
Assateague Island National Seashore
Photo: NPS Photo, Wild Horses on the dunes at Assateague
Alerts and conditions
Information OSV Status
10/30/26 MD OSV is OPEN to State Line. VA South OSV is OPEN. Beware of overwash conditions at high tides. The VA North OSV fishing mile is closed.
Overview
Want to live on the edge? Visit a place recreated each day by ocean wind and waves. Life on Assateague Island has adapted to an existence on the move. Explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests and coastal bays. Rest, relax, recreate and enjoy some time on the edge of the continent.
From the National Park Service
History
The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.
What to see and do
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Auto and ATV
- Auto Off-Roading
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Fishing
- Saltwater Fishing
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
- Horseback Riding
- Hunting and Gathering
- Hunting
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Kayaking
- Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Saltwater Swimming
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Plan your visit
Hours
Assateague Island National Seashore - Maryland District: Open year round, 24 hours a day.
Assateague Island National Seashore - Virginia District: Open January-March 8: 6 am - 6 pm. March 9-April: 6 am - 8 pm. May-September: 5 am - 10 pm. October: 6 am - 8 pm. November-December: 6 am - 6 pm. Check with the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (757-336-6122) for updates to operating hours.
Fees and passes
- Entrance - Private Vehicle — $25.00
- Entrance - Motorcycle — $20.00
- Entrance - Per Person
- Annual Entrance - Park — $45.00
The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at federal recreation lands across all four agencies.
Getting there
There are two entrances to Assateague Island National Seashore. Assateague's north entrance is at the end of Route 611, eight miles south of Ocean City, MD. The south entrance is at the end of Route 175, two miles east of Chincoteague, VA. There is no vehicle access between the two entrances on Assateague Island. Vehicles must return to the mainland to access either the north or south entrance.
Visitor centers
- Assateague Island Visitor Center
- Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center
- Maryland District Ranger Contact Station & Campground Office
Campgrounds
- Oceanside Drive-in Campground (16 sites) — reserve
- Bayside Drive-in Campground (22 sites) — reserve
- Oceanside Walk-in campground (62 sites) — reserve
- Oceanside Group Campground (5 sites) — reserve
- Horse camping (2 sites) — reserve
- Back Country Camping - Pine Tree (1 sites)
- Back Country Camping - Tingles Island (1 sites)
- Back Country Camping - Green Run (1 sites)
- Back Country Camping - Pope Bay (1 sites)
- Back Country Camping - Little Levels (1 sites)
- Back Country Camping - State Line (1 sites)
Weather
Spring: Often windy and cool with lows in the 40's and highs in the 60's. Summer: Hot and humid with lows in the 60's and highs in the 80's. Fall: Warm with lows in the 50's and highs in the 70's. Winter: Damp cold and often windy. Lows in the 20's, highs in the 40's.
Phone: 4106411441
Whose lands these are
These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.
Photos
Pair it with
- Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 9 miles
- Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 15 miles
- Martin National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 42 miles
- Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 55 miles
- Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 55 miles
- Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park NPS · 56 miles