Horse camping at Assateague Island National Seashore provides dedicated facilities on the Maryland portion of the island, 8 miles from Berlin. The area serves tent and RV campers with direct beach access for riders and their horses, featuring toilets and trash collection. While the area lacks electrical hookups and showers, it offers sanitary dump stations for RVers in a natural setting near the island's wild horses.
What to do
Beach riding and trail exploration: Assateague Island National Seashore trails connect riders to both oceanfront and inland routes. "This is a great place to catch some good action fish. I've always had some success whenever I've been here. It's a fun place to spend a night or two and relax," notes Sam D. about Martinak State Park Campground.
Kayaking through cypress trees: The waterways at Trap Pond State Park offer unique paddling experiences. "We walked around the pond and rented boats and kayaks for the day and rowed back to our site which the kids loved. They got to spend the day learning to paddle on the pond," says Lucia B. about Trap Pond State Park Campground.
Wildlife viewing: Horse campgrounds near Ellendale, Delaware provide opportunities to observe native wildlife in their natural habitats. "The Ponies are giant trash pandas. They're smart and can open latches so do bring bungee cords, kayak straps, or ratchet straps to lock all of your food in cases or coolers," warns Tony P. about camping at Assateague.
What campers like
Secluded camping options: Some sites offer more privacy than others in the region's campgrounds. "We took out 1st trip to Tuckahoe over the 4th of July weekend. We really liked the park, but beware, the sites can be small!" says Buck P. about Tuckahoe State Park Campground.
Clean facilities: Many horse-friendly campgrounds near Ellendale maintain well-kept bathhouses. "Bathhouses are located in the A and C loops plus additional ones by the tent camping area. All seemed to be reasonably clean and were cleaned on a rolling basis, starting at 10 am for the A loop," writes Lee D. about Trap Pond State Park.
Beach proximity: Several camping areas provide quick access to shorelines. "First, let me start by saying this campground is not what I usually like. I like trees, mountains, shade… this is a beach, plain and simple. That being said- we absolutely loved it and are already booked for next year!" shares Gayle B. about Delaware Seashore State Park Campground.
What you should know
Bug preparation: Insects can be problematic depending on season and wind direction. "It's beautiful here, horses are cool, beach is great, but the bugs stink! Bring some deet it's the only thing that works!" advises Kirsten J. about Assateague Island National Seashore Oceanside Campground.
Site limitations: Some campgrounds have restrictions on amenities or activities. "No camp fires as it was not safe. The canopy was directly over the pit!! It also rained pretty hard one day, and since we couldn't put the mat in front of the door, there was water & mud right when you stepped out," notes Buck P. about Tuckahoe State Park.
Weather considerations: Coastal camping areas experience unique weather patterns. "It is really neat to be able to camp right on the sand dunes and by the beach but prepare for lots of wind. Check the weather a lot because the storms roll in quickly," warns Tori V. about oceanside camping at Assateague.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Regional horse campgrounds offer various recreational options for children. "For kids, there is a nice and educational play area (plus a game I'd never heard of– Gaga ball). There is an additional playground in the day-use area, plus a volleyball net," mentions Lee D. about Trap Pond State Park.
Educational opportunities: Many parks include nature programs. "We had great time with our 3 little ones. They have lots of easily walked trails. Bath houses are kept clean. They have quite a few playgrounds throughout the park, which was a major plus for us," says Bill F. about Martinak State Park.
Free equipment rentals: Some parks offer complimentary recreation equipment. "They also had a bike shed where you can sign out bikes for free for the day which was super neat. They also have wheelbarrows to borrow so if you have a drive up site you can use them," Lucia B. notes about Trap Pond.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Choose appropriate campsites based on your RV dimensions. "The sites were awesome. Clean shower houses all day long. Lots of activities for the kids and the water park was amazing. Best part was that even though it was hot the breeze off the bay made it so much nicer," writes Jason J. about Sun Outdoors Frontier Town.
Hookup availability: Not all campgrounds provide full RV services. "Sites have 30A electric and water with a nearby convenient dump station," reports Jim G. about Trap Pond State Park, while noting "They are not level and have a sandy base so it took a bit of work to finally get the rig level, even with auto-levelers."
Campground navigation: Access roads vary in quality throughout the region. "Easy to navigate through with a trailer. Nice trails and playground. Bathrooms were like brand new. Water and electric on our loop," shares Rhonda S. about Martinak State Park.
