Assateague State Park is Maryland's only oceanfront state park, with two miles of Atlantic beach, a large campground immediately behind the primary dune and Sinepuxent Bay access for paddling, boating and fishing. Wild horses roam throughout the developed areas, making this an unforgettable destination that also demands unusually careful food storage and wildlife awareness.
This guide focuses on the Maryland state park. Information was checked against Maryland DNR and the National Park Service on July 19, 2026; storms, erosion, wildlife closures and staffing can still affect access.
First: Make Sure You Have the Right Assateague
Assateague Island is managed by different agencies. Their hours, entrance fees, campground rules, pet areas and reservations are not interchangeable.
Assateague State Park
Maryland DNR operates the developed day-use beach and state campground straight ahead after crossing the Verrazzano Bridge. This is the park covered by this page.
National Seashore · Maryland
The National Park Service manages land north and south of the state park, separate oceanside and bayside campgrounds, nature trails and the Maryland over-sand vehicle zone.
Virginia and Chincoteague
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge occupies the Virginia end. There is no road along the island between Maryland and Virginia; drivers must return to the mainland.
Hours, Directions and Day-Use Fees
Location and contacts
- Day-use address: End of Stephen Decatur Highway (Route 611), Berlin, Maryland
- State park headquarters: 7307 Stephen Decatur Highway, Berlin, MD 21811
- Headquarters phone: (410) 641-2120
- Seasonal campground office: (410) 641-2918
- Day-use hours: 7 a.m. to sunset daily
- Marina, boat launch and Rackliffe area: Sunrise to sunset
Current admission
- Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day: $5 per person
- After Labor Day through the Friday before Memorial Day: $5 per vehicle
- Children under 8 in car seats: Free
- Boat launch: $10 per vehicle, including parking
Golden Age, military, veteran and Maryland Park Service passes may reduce or waive admission when valid identification is presented. Summer benefits can apply only to the passholder.
The entrance booth accepts cash and credit when staffed. The off-season honor system requires cash, so carry exact funds.
Wild-Horse Safety and Food Storage
Assateague's horses are feral wildlife, not tame ponies. They may appear on the beach, beside roads, around bathhouses or directly in a campsite. Feeding, touching, approaching or enticing a horse is illegal and can make the animal dangerous around future visitors.
Keep a bus length away
- Stay at least 40 feet away; more distance may be necessary.
- If a horse approaches, back away and return to a building or vehicle.
- Never stand between members of a band or between a mare and foal.
- Do not stop or park in a roadway to watch horses.
- Roll up vehicle windows if horses gather around the car.
Secure every food item
- Store food, drinks, trash and pet food in a vehicle or hard-sided, latched container.
- Keep coolers locked or strapped closed, including on the beach.
- Never leave a picnic, grill, grocery bag or scented item unattended.
- Close vehicle doors and trunks immediately after use.
- Do not surrender food to a horse—move away and contact staff if needed.
Ocean Beach, Swimming and Day-Use Facilities
The state park's two-mile ocean beach supports swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing, surfing and walk-on fishing. A boardwalk crosses from the parking area to the base of the primary dune, and the developed day-use area has facilities close to the guarded summer beach.
Swimming season
- Lifeguards: Memorial Day through Labor Day, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Swim inside the marked guarded sector whenever possible.
- Outside those dates, hours and boundaries, swim at your own risk.
- Watch for rip currents, shore break, changing depth and marine life.
- Keep children within immediate reach at the waterline.
Day-use amenities
- Bathhouse with toilets, warm-water showers and baby-changing stations
- Picnic tables and a limited number of charcoal grills behind the dune
- Seasonal restaurant, grab-and-go food and retail shop
- Free first-come, first-served beach wheelchairs
- Nature Center and seasonal interpretive programs
Alcohol, glass, beach fires, bonfires and charcoal grills are not allowed on the beach. Holes may be no deeper than a small child's knees, tunneling is prohibited and every hole must be filled before leaving. Metal detecting is limited to the published off-season and only on the ocean side of the primary dune.
Beach Camping: Sites, Rates and Reservations
The state campground places 342 family sites in loops immediately behind the primary dune. Every site includes a picnic table and fire ring. Most sites are non-electric; 30-amp hookups are available only in G Loop and I Loop.
Reservation and check-in rules
- Base rates exclude transaction and other applicable charges.
- Check-in begins at 2 p.m.; no early check-in is available.
- No arrivals are accepted after 10 p.m.; there is no overnight waiting lot.
- Maximum stay is 14 nights in any 21-day period.
- Summer weekends generally require two nights; holiday weekends require three.
- Call 1-888-432-2267 or reserve online.
Site and campground facilities
- Bathhouses with showers and toilets throughout the loops
- Potable water access and a dump station
- Accessible sites reserved specifically for qualifying guests
- Maximum six people and three tents on a standard family site
- Three separate youth-group camping areas
- Seasonal campground office and ranger assistance
Camping on a barrier island
Sites are exposed to salt, sun, sand and strong wind with little natural shade. Bring robust tent stakes, extra guy lines, a shade canopy rated for wind, insect protection and layers for cool nights. Keep a weather app active and be prepared to lower awnings or tents quickly when thunderstorms or gusts approach.
Quiet or inverter generators are allowed only when they do not disturb other campers. Generators may not run during quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., may operate only while someone is onsite and must remain near the camping unit.
Pet-Friendly Camping Areas
During camping season, registered campers may bring pets only to G, H and I loops and their adjoining beaches. Pets may use the campground hiker/biker path along the east side of Campground Road; they are not allowed in loops A through F.
Pet requirements
- Keep pets leashed except while actively swimming in an allowed area.
- Carry proof of current vaccinations.
- Pick up and properly dispose of all pet waste.
- Secure pet food inside a vehicle or camper.
- Never allow a pet to approach, chase or bark at wild horses.
Confirm before booking
Pet access outside the camping season and beyond the named loops can change. Select an explicitly pet-friendly site during reservation and review the current Assateague State Park pet policy before bringing an animal.
National seashore and Virginia refuge pet rules are different. Do not assume state-park permission carries into adjacent lands.
Sinepuxent Bay, Marina, Paddling and Fishing
The state park marina sits on the north side of Route 611 before the Verrazzano Bridge. It has two boat ramps, a soft launch, fishing piers and the short Living Shoreline Trail along Sinepuxent Bay. Marina and launch access runs from sunrise to sunset year-round.
Boating and paddling
- Launch fee: $10 per vehicle, including parking
- Pay through self-registration at the marina bulletin board.
- Use the soft launch for hand-carried kayaks and canoes.
- Restrooms are seasonal; an off-season portable toilet has no running water.
- Check wind, tide, boat traffic and thunderstorms before launching.
Fishing and clamming
- Fish from the state-park beach outside the day-use swim sector.
- Bay fishing is available from marina piers and boats in permitted areas.
- A basic fish-cleaning station at the pier has no running water.
- Clamming is allowed only in designated bay areas.
- Maryland fishing licenses and saltwater angler registration apply.
Nature Center, Visitor Center and Wildlife
Inside the state park
The state Nature Center adds exhibits on Assateague's plants, animals, history, art and culture, with seasonal programs for campers and day visitors. Weekly schedules are posted at the ranger station and campground bulletin boards.
More than 200 bird species have been recorded on the island. Osprey, pelicans, oystercatchers, herons, sanderlings and many migrating waterfowl share the island with sika and white-tailed deer, foxes and other mammals.
Before the bridge
The Assateague Island Visitor Center at 11800 Marsh View Lane is operated by the National Park Service before the Verrazzano Bridge. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Thanksgiving and Christmas, and includes aquariums, a touch tank, horse film, exhibits, maps, restrooms and bookstore.
Nearby Rackliffe House and its trail introduce the mainland's cultural landscape; the area is open sunrise to sunset.
Accessibility
Beach wheelchairs are available free from the state ranger station on a first-come, first-served basis. All state-park bathhouses and the marina facilities are wheelchair accessible, and the day-use boardwalk reaches the base of the primary dune.
ADA-only campsites may be booked online or by calling 1-888-432-2267. The visitor with a disability must occupy the site throughout the reservation. Contact the campground office at (410) 641-2918to confirm beach-wheelchair availability, current sand conditions and the most appropriate campsite or access route.
Essential Rules and Packing Checklist
Protect the island
- Cross dunes only on designated walkways.
- Never feed, touch or crowd horses or other wildlife.
- Secure food, trash, coolers and scented items at all times.
- Pack out fishing line and fill every beach hole.
- Observe nesting closures and do not disturb resting seals or turtles.
- Use fires and grills only where the state park permits them.
Bring more than beach gear
- Strong insect repellent and protective clothing
- Sun protection, shade and more drinking water than expected
- Wind-resistant shelter, stakes and tie-downs for camping
- Hard-sided, latching food and trash storage
- Hard-soled water shoes for bay shallows
- Layers for wind, rain and rapidly changing coastal weather
Mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats and ticks can be abundant from spring through autumn. Conditions vary dramatically with wind and recent weather, so pack protection even when an earlier forecast looks favorable.
Assateague State Park FAQ
Will I definitely see wild horses?
Horses roam freely and may be anywhere, including the campground and beach, but sightings are never guaranteed. Do not stop in a roadway or approach closer than 40 feet to improve a view.
Can I drive on the state-park beach?
No. Maryland over-sand vehicle access is in the neighboring National Park Service zone and requires its own permit. Walk-on surf fishing is allowed in state-park areas outside the guarded swim beach.
How far ahead can I reserve a campsite?
Up to 365 days. Summer and weekend sites can fill quickly, so reserve as soon as your booking window opens. The 2026 reservable season runs April 22 through November 1.
Which loops have electricity and allow pets?
G and I loops have 30-amp electric sites. Registered campers may bring pets to G, H and I loops and their adjoining beaches during camping season. Confirm both features on the individual site listing before booking.
Can I arrive after the campground office closes?
Follow the after-hours instructions in your confirmation, but no check-in is permitted after 10 p.m. There is no overnight parking area for guests who miss the cutoff.
Does the campground have shade?
Very little. It sits on an exposed barrier island behind the dune. Bring shade, sun protection and equipment designed for strong coastal wind.
Can I visit Chincoteague from the park?
Yes, but not by driving down Assateague Island. Return to the mainland and use public roads to reach Chincoteague and the Virginia refuge entrance.
Live Information and Reservations
Use these official links for details that can change after this guide is published: storm impacts, closures, site inventory, seasonal services and neighboring federal-park conditions.