Assateague State Park Campground

General: Large campground in 10 units (A-J). J is a walk-in tent site only; the others all have paved camper pads. The layout is horizontal so that all units are close to the ocean. Some back right up to the dunes while the ones on the other side of the loops have a tree barrier separating the sites from the ocean. 80-100 wild horses roam free on the beach and throughout the campground. You are instructed to give them a 40-foot berth. Generators need to be “whisper quiet” and the hours are strictly enforced (although the camper in the site next to us did not understand the definition of whisper quiet; when we asked the camp host, we were told it was up to the ranger to police this). 

Site Quality: Sites are level and paved. Each comes with a picnic table and a fire ring. Although there is nothing to physically separate the sites, they are located a modest distance apart from each other. I don't believe there are hookups in any of the sites.

Bath/Shower House: Modern and very clean. Hot water from the taps was appreciated. The showers looked nice, but we did not use them. 

Activities/Amenities: There is beach access from each loop in the campground and miles of beach await you. There is a beach toy lending station, and it was filled with toys. A little free library, recycling, and dishwashing sinks. The visitor center sells ice and other basic sundries. Only saw a couple of horses as we arrived but a site across and down from us had four horses wander into their site when they were making hot chocolate, and they wouldn’t leave! As we were leaving the next morning, we saw many horses. They tended to congregate in the sites closer to the entrance. 

We were only able to spend one night here. The check-in time of 2 pm is strict as is the check-out time of 11 am, which was a bit of a bummer. Wish we could have spent more time here and would definitely return.

When we retire, we are going to take the camper and stay here for a week….better yet, might have to try the campground host thing……that's how much I love going here!  I'm sure spring and fall are best because bugs in Assateague are notorious!  It's also the reason that all of our trips have been in the fall!  It's so beautiful.  We have only had our battery power both times we have been there, but we've never been unhappy.  There is so much to do….walks, bike riding, watching the horses….our big joke seems to be that the horses show up the same time everyday and I swear they have a button up at the ranger station that they use that's like *Cue the horses*!  Seriously though, this is a GREAT PARK!  Bathrooms are clean and tidy, you can hear the ocean on a nice day….it's just peaceful and relaxing!  Never have too much of an issue getting the camper level and the sites are amazing in size compared to the commercial places close by.  To make a reservation, you will need to start going in when they let sites loose.  We'd love full hooks up here, but we will have solar soon.  Just so much wu sah there!

I'm including two trips to include our pictures from when we owned our teardrop Minion.  This is a fun way to get out of a tent and be comfy!  Highly recommended!

BOTTOM LINE: Assateague State Park was a fantastic family tent camping experience. 

BACKGROUND: We camped with our then-3 year old for two nights in early-October 2022 and stayed on the J Loop (walk-in tent camping only). The temp was low-40s to mid-60s, clear skies, slight continuous breeze. 

• Key equipment: Nemo Wagontop 6-person tent, Exped MegaMat (double), ThermaRest single sleeping mat, Eureka! Ignite+ camp stove

DETAILS: Sorry for the random order of things, but here it goes...

Assateague State Park is very well-run and in great shape. Rangers are very friendly, though we interacted with a few rangers/staff who couldn't answer certain questions (but they did try to help or found someone who knew). There are also camp hosts--long-term visitors with additional responsibilities for managing camping areas--who were helpful, knowledgeable, and nice. 

The facilities are really great. Particularly the bathhouses, which were immaculate for park bathrooms/showers. Expect potable water, private shower stalls with warm water, and very clean bathrooms.

Loops A-H were too cramped for our liking.  Spaces are very close together, and it appears >75% of visitors are RV/camp trailers, so tent campers were stuck in between towering, loud vehicles. I Loop was still mostly vehicle campers, but there was a bit more space. I'd consider staying there if J Loop wasn't available.

J Loop (where we stayed) is a no-vehicle, no-generator area. It's technically a "walk-in" site, but the parking lot is about 200 feet from the loop entrance (it took about 2 mins to walk from our truck to the tent). We were able to quickly and easily carry all our gear from car to site, and still manage a toddler running around. J Loop sites are spaced-out far enough that you cannot hear each other--even during the quiet morning period or in the evening as the late-nighters stay up by their fires--but you have the comfort of knowing you're not totally alone and isolated. From J Loop sites, the walk to the beach is about 3-4 mins down a pedestrian (and horse) only sand trail. In October, the beach was effectively empty. We highly recommend J Loop for tent campers.

Tent pads are soft beach sand. Bring tent stakes made for sand! Regular piton stakes will not hold your tent in even the slightest wind. We used some plastic screw-in stakes from Amazon and they worked beautifully. Recommend 10" stakes, but you could get by with 7.5".

Sites include picnic tables (very sturdy and in very good shape), with a built-in food locker underneath the table. Lockers are not raccoon or bear proof -- just horse proof. Being so close to the beach, there's a steady light breeze all the time; and sometimes it a mild wind with slightly stronger gusts. Nothing worrisome--sand and dust were not flying in the air or anything--but for camp stove bring your wind shield, and for tents be sure to use sand stakes.

Sites also include fire rings with adjustable grills. Fire wood is sold at the ranger station, $5 per bundle. It's mostly yellow pine, which burns pretty quickly, so you'll probably go through 1-2 bundles per night, depending on your usage. After hours, firewood payments are on the honor system (cash box), or you can pay by card during business hours. Firewood sold out on our last night, so I recommend stocking up for a couple days worth of wood at a time. Sites do not have much in the way of natural shade, so if it's going to be sunny and/or if you are particularly sensitive to sunlight/burns, then consider bringing your own canopy, sun shade, or umbrella.

Weather-wise, in early October, the temperature was perfect for camping: warm enough during the day to be comfortable in pants or shorts and a long sleeve shirt, but not sweat; but cool enough to keep away all the bugs, and enjoy the warmth of a camp fire in the evening. We were able to enjoy daytime temps on the beach, and we could splash in the surf a little, but the water was way too cold to go swimming. For sleeping, this time of year I recommend a regular 3-season sleeping bag, but bring an extra warming layer if you sleep cold. (Of note, during warmer months the mosquitoes and flies can be overwhelming and oppressive. We were lucky to mitigate this by choosing a cooler time to camp.)

The Nature Center was closed while we were there, but it looked interesting -- a small building on stilts. It wouldn't be enough to fill a day, but maybe an hour or so (pending any programming the rangers might have). There was also a decent little playground, if you have kids -- but who needs a pg when you've got nature and a beach!?

From the state park, it's a short 7-10 min drive out, around, and south to the National Seashore (operated by the National Park Service). Assateague National Seashore has some nice, but short hiking trails/boardwalks, a couple historic sites, and more beach to explore. Being an entirely separate park, you will have to pay to access the Natl Seashore. To access the Chincoteague side of the national seashore, you'll have to drive the 1.5 hours back over the bridge, south to Chincoteague, and re-enter from the south entrance. You cannot get to Chincoteague (Virginia) from Assateague (Maryland).

The ranger station itself is pretty basic. They do sell ice and firewood, but not food/water/provisions, and the selection of knick-knacks was pretty scant. 

In the future, we'll probably bring our bikes so we can quickly move between the state park and national seashore (it's probably quicker and simpler than driving), and we'll definitely bring our own canopy/sun shade.

The massive state park on the ocean and next door to the Assateague National Seashore offers a large number of campsites with paved parking pads as well as a few walk-in sites for tents only(J-loop). Because it’s at the beach, there are no trees to provide shade, so it’s worth pacing a canopy for shade or even a shade house for both shade and insect protection. Plan to keep your food items secured in your vehicle or at least a locking cooler because the other visitors to the campsites, the wild horses or Assateague, have the run of the place and they’ve learned that they can find food at the campground. Alcohol not permitted.

There are group campsite available as well.

Some of the sites at the edge of the loop closest to the to the beach are a bit larger, but size is not an issue with any of these sites. Showers are available at the bathrooms. You have easy access to the beach just over the dunes and it’s worth getting up to see the sunrise.  Generator noise can be an issue from sites that don't offer electric. There's a fee to use the boat launch at the park. Fishing is permitted from the beach and bay marina.

You can explore Assateague National Seashore as well, but keep in mind that there is a separate entrance fee for that area. Camping in the national seashore is more rustic, but less crowded. There’s ORV travel permitted…the line forms early in the morning! You can also rent kayak at the national lakeshore.

Site Details: We stayed on site #I328, in the I loop at the very end of the campground. The site was level but on the small side; I wouldn’t recommend attempting to fit in with anything larger than a pop-up or hybrid. That said, it had electrical service(a hot commodity in this park!), and was well situated, with a nice open space between the edge of the site and the dunes. This open space was pretty low-lying, so I imagine flooding/standing water could bring some major bug issues in the summer. As with all other loops in the park, this loop is separated from the beach by a row of sand dunes, so beach access is very quick and easy. There is no shade to speak of; all sites are surrounded by scrub brush and other plants typical of a beach/marsh environment. Watch out for sandburs! 

Facilities/Overall Park: Assateague SP is widely known, loved, and hard to book for a reason. The scenery and setting simply cannot be beat. The beautiful beaches, unspoiled natural setting, and wild ponies all make for an incredible and truly unique camping experience. Additionally, the rangers are very helpful, and the bath houses are pristine. We visited in the fall, and the weather happened to be perfect, with no bugs. Based on other campers’ experiences, as well as having grown up on the Eastern Shore, I would honestly avoid the summertime due to the extreme heat and bugs. Summertime is undoubtedly a more popular time, and a more convenient time for many to travel and take advantage of the beach, but I’d lean toward going in the fall if you can. 

Surrounding Area/Attractions: There is so much to do and see nearby, if you can tear yourself away from the park. The state park sits adjacent to Assateague National Seashore, with its own visitor center, campground, and beaches. The NP side has more primitive facilities, and tends to be less crowded and a bit more “wild.” Outside the island, there is of course Ocean City nearby, with plenty to do, see, and eat. It’s a typical tourist beach town, which I have no desire to visit again, but might be worth checking out if you’re into boardwalks, shopping, mini golf, etc. If you do go, make sure to grab some Thrasher’s fries and Fisher’s popcorn. Also nearby is the cute small town of Berlin. 

Overall, this is a fantastic park for beach and nature lovers, and lives up to its hype. Make sure you book far in advance (especially for the electric sites!); be prepared for bugs, heat, and wind; and you’ll be sure to have a memorable experience.

Love this campground! It is beautiful and right on the beach! Campsites are generally roomy and well spaced apart. Bathrooms are HUGE and clean, the cleanest campground bathroom I've ever seen. However, this means that a lot of teenagers spend their time in there, ha. There is an outdoor shower and sink as well as several paths to the beach. The beach is beautiful and clean. I wish there were bathrooms closer to the beach though, you have to walk all the way back over the dunes to the bathroom, but that's just us being lazy. The downside to this place is that it is HARD to book. It is almost always full and you have to book at least a year out for peak weekends. Some sites are near the grassy areas and have cacti and burrs. I am not sure why they don't go and remove the cacti. These are dangerous for kids, pets and adults alike. We've been injured several times. There are horses walking around all the time, and they DO get up in your face! I cannot believe how many people idiotically stand too close to the horses or just freak out and let the horses ravage their trash, etc. PAY attention, keep trash tied up and food put away. Tip- if the horses come too close, splash water on them (from a safe distance). There are mosquitoes and flies too. Bring bug spray! Also, another great thing is that Ocean City is only a 15 minute drive. We like to go out to the boardwalk or to the beach/bars and then come back to the campground. Really nice!