Assateague Island National Seashore: Fees, Hours, Camping and How to Get There

TypeNational Seashore

StateMaryland, Virginia

Entrance fee$25 per vehicle

Campgrounds11

Nearest national parkShenandoah (172 mi)

Closest airportOCE (19 mi)

Wild horses on the dunes at Assateague — There are few places in the United States where you can view wild horses.Take advantage of the opportunity to view these horses in a natural habitat. Photo: NPS Photo

Assateague Island National Seashore is a national seashore run by the National Park Service in Maryland and Virginia.

In the park service’s words

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 (public domain).

Things to do

Ranger-Led Programs at Assateague: A variety of ranger guided programs are available to encourage visitors of all ages to enjoy and learn more about the barrier island environment.
Surf Fishing on Assateague: Grab your fishing pole and get comfortable on the beach! Surf fishing is an activity that is not only fun and relaxing, but also has the potential of producing your dinner for the night! Spring, summer and fall are the recommended times of the year to fish.
Bird at Toms Cove: The Virginia district of Assateague Island lies within the Atlantic Flyway, providing excellent birding opportunities year-round. No matter what time of year you visit, a great spot to start your birding adventure is along Beach Road overlooking Toms Cove.
See the Wild Horses in the Maryland district: View the wild horses of Assateague Island National Seashore. The wild horses are free roaming and spend time in the various habitats on the island. While they graze in the marshes and find freshwater in the forest, you may even see them out on the beach with you! Remember to observe the horses from no less than 40 feet
See the Wild Horses in the Virginia District: Assateague Island is well known for the famous wild horses who call the island home. In the Virginia district, the wild horses are commonly referred to as “Chincoteague Ponies”. Unlike the Maryland district where the horses are free to roam, the Chincoteague Ponies are fenced off the road and trails in two separate lar
Crabbing at Assateague Island: Who doesn’t love to eat a blue crab? After all, the literal translation of this Latin name (Callinectes sapidus) is the beautiful (calli) swimmer (nectes) that is savory (sapidus). Crabbing is a great activity for the entire family regardless of age.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: $25 per vehicle. The America the Beautiful pass covers it.

Hours: Open 24 hours, every day. Open year round, 24 hours a day.

Camping

Campground	Sites	Booking	From	RVs	Amenities
Oceanside Walk-in campground	62	Reservable	$40	No	dump station, showers, water, cell signal
Bayside Drive-in Campground	22	Reservable	$40	Yes, up to 45 ft	dump station, showers, water, cell signal
Oceanside Drive-in Campground	16	Reservable	$40	Yes, up to 45 ft	dump station, showers, water, cell signal
Oceanside Group Campground	5	Reservable	$80	No	dump station, showers, water, cell signal
Horse camping	2	Reservable	$80	Yes, up to 45 ft	dump station, showers, water, cell signal
Back Country Camping - Pine Tree	1	First come	$10	No	dump station, cell signal
Back Country Camping - Tingles Island	1	First come	$10	No	dump station, cell signal
Back Country Camping - Green Run	1	Both	$10	No	dump station, cell signal
Back Country Camping - Pope Bay	1	Both	$10	No	dump station, cell signal
Back Country Camping - Little Levels	1	First come	$10	No	dump station, cell signal
Back Country Camping - State Line	1	First come	$10	No	dump station, cell signal

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.

Airport	City	Drive to the park	Straight-line miles	Type
Ocean City Municipal Airport (OCE)	Ocean City, MD	No road route	19	Regional
Salisbury Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY)	Salisbury, MD	No road route	24	Regional
Dover Civil Air Terminal/Dover Air Force Base (DOV)	Dover, DE	No road route	75	Regional
Norfolk International Airport (ORF)	Norfolk, VA	No road route	96	Large hub

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

Assateague Island Visitor Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 4:00PM. Open 7 days/week, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas days.
Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center: Mon 10:00AM - 4:00PM; Tue Closed; Wed Closed; Thu Closed; Fri 10:00AM - 4:00PM; Sat 10:00AM - 4:00PM; Sun 10:00AM - 4:00PM. Open Friday - Monday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm As of October 13, 2026
[Maryland District Ranger Contact Station & Campground Office](): Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Hours change seasonally. Contact the Ranger Station/Campground Office for current hours of operation. Currently open 9 am - 5 pm daily as of October 7, 2026

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.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.