Best Equestrian Camping near Crisfield, MD
Are you looking for a place to stay in Crisfield with your horse? Equestrian camping is the best way to experience nature. Find Maryland equestrian campgrounds with ease on The Dyrt.
Are you looking for a place to stay in Crisfield with your horse? Equestrian camping is the best way to experience nature. Find Maryland equestrian campgrounds with ease on The Dyrt.
Assateague Island National Seashore is a 37-mile long barrier island on the Atlantic Coast of Maryland and Virginia. Famed for its wild horses, this barrier island is a constantly shifting ribbon of sand, altered daily by powerful wind and waves. Assateague Island, dedicated as a National Seashore on September 1, 1965, lays claim to a long and rich history. Today's visitors can explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests, and coastal bays. Only a couple of miles wide at its broadest point, the island's terrain offers shelter to the famed wild horses as well as sika deer, ghost crabs, and migrating birds such as the great blue heron and snowy egret. Favorite recreational activites include fishing, surfing, beachcombing, swimming, and sunbathing. The Over-Sand Vehicle (OSV) Zone at Assateague Island contains miles of unspoiled beaches managed by the National Park Service to accommodate OSV enthusiasts and other beach goers. The Assateague Island National Seashore, Assateague State Park, and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge work together to manage and protect this unique, diverse strip of land. For more information visit the Assateague Island National Seashore website .
Activities are abundant on the island, with both crabbing and clamming as well as a long stretch of beach for swimming, kayaking and fishing.
Assateague Island, famed for its wild horses, lies off the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Coast. This barrier island is a constantly shifting ribbon of sand, altered daily by powerful wind and waves. The Assateague Island National Seashore, Assateague State Park, and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge each manage and protect this unique, diverse strip of land. For more information visit the Assateague Island National Seashore website .
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge offers a 14,000-acre wildlife preserve located at the southern end of Assateague Island. To the north, Assateague State Park features two miles of pristine ocean beaches. Ocean City, Maryland is only about 10 miles away with a 2.5 mile long boardwalk filled with shops, restaurants, and a wide variety of entertainment options. The historic town of Berlin is about 10 miles west of Assateague, offering many shops and restaurants.
Cancellations/Modifications: Customers can modify/cancel reservations starting 18 days after the reservation was made. Customers cancelling a reservation will be charged a $10.00 service fee. Customers wishing to modify a reservation can do so online or over the phone with Recreation.gov and may be subject to a $10.00 service fee. Late Cancellations: Customers who cancel a reservation the day before or the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first nights use fee. Cancellations for a 1-night stay will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to the additional service fee. Early Departures: Customers wishing to early depart before 11am can receive a refund for that night and subsequent nights provided they are off the campsite completely by 11am. Customers wishing to early depart after 11am can receive a refund for subsequent days, but will not get a refund for the current night. ANY early departure requires that you stop at the Ranger Station to check out with the rangers or no refunds will be given. (See Need to Know)
$50 - $80 / night
$35 - $159 / night
Just an hour’s drive south of Dover, Trap Pond State Park is a 3600-acre recreation area that features a freshwater wetland that supports one of the last natural stands of baldcypress trees. The pond was created in the 1700s when it was dammed to provide power for the local sawmills that were harvesting the area’s old-growth timber. Once the trees were gone, the area was used as a drainage for the surrounding farmlands. Finally, in the 1930s, the state acquired the land and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) rehabilitated Trap Pond and surrounding woodland as a nature preserve and recreation space. This created Delaware’s first state park. It has since become a haven for herons, owls, woodpeckers and eagles, and a place where campers and recreationists can enjoy some outdoor time.
The campground at Trap Pond features 142 sites for tent and RV campers. Sites are set in five wooded loops: A, B, and C Loops have back-in sites with full hookups; D Loop has pull-through sites with full hookups; E Loop has primitive, walk-in tent sites. Each site is equipped with picnic tables and fire rings with grills. All camp loops have access to bathhouses with showers, restrooms, laundry facilities, and trash and recycling receptacles; a dump station is available near the campground entrance. The campground also has a picnic pavilion and kids’ playground between A and B Loops. The park also offers several rustic cabins and a couple yurts. Dogs are permitted, but must remain leashed. Campsite rates are $15–$25; cabin and yurt rates are $40–$52; reservations accepted.
The nature center at Trap Pond is a good place to start a visit to the park. Interpretive exhibits and nature programs provide information about the history of the wetlands, as well as its flora and fauna. Once acquainted with the park, it’s time to hit the trails and water to discover more and enjoy the natural setting. More than 10 miles of multi-use trails invite hikers, bikers and horseback riders to explore the woods and wetlands. Paddlers can take to the ponds and explore 2.5 miles of water trails. Boat rentals are available in the park, as well as launches and docks for small watercraft. For anglers, common catches in the ponds include pickerel, crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Visitors can also play at the sports courts or disc golf course, or take in bird-watching for waterfowl, songbirds, and raptors.
$21 - $150 / night
$4200 / night
Oceanside Drive-in: Tents, trailers and recreational vehicles (no hookups). Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. Sites are $30 per night. Oceanside Walk-in: Tent-only sites, located 100-200 feet from centralized parking areas. Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. Sites are $30 per night. Walk-in sites are closed from November 16 through March 14.
$30 / night
Located along the beautiful Sinepuxent Bay just five miles from Ocean City, Sun Outdoors Frontier Town (formerly Frontier Town Campround) offers an award-winning camping experience that the whole family will love! Choose from nearly 600 campsites and enjoy all the amenities we have right on site!
Relax on the Lazy River winding through the Water Park while the kids race down the waterslides. Play 18 holes of Miniature Golf amongst a peaceful setting of waterfalls and shade trees. Take a step back in time at the Western Experience, featuring our classic Wild West Shows and Native American Village. And keep in mind, we have plenty of camper-only deals! If you stay with us during peak season, you’ll receive FREE access to the Water Park and Western Theme Park.
Prefer things a bit more leisurely? Head bayside to the 200-foot-long fishing pier. Go for a kayak tour or fishing charter. Take part in our planned activities. Visit the arcade and gift shop. Stroll along the nature trails. We even havetwo dog parks for your furry family members to enjoy! And if you forget something or need a meal away from the campfire, our fully-stocked camp store, full-service restaurant and bar, and ice cream parlor are sure to fix you right up.
CBTEA is a private, waterfront campground resort. Lot owners may build permanent camping additions, room enclosure and even cottages. The Association is governed by Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, and Covenants and managed by five directors.
A primitive camping area is available for overnight stays. Anglers can bottom fish for sea trout, croaker, spot, flounder or bluefish. Crabbing is also possible.
Campground accessible for horses and riders to camp overnightADA Access: All visitor centers, most nature trails, bathhouses and wayside exhibits are accessible. America the Beautiful - Access Pass National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass This is a free, lifetime pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability. The pass provides access to, and use of, Federal recreation sites that charge an Entrance or Standard Amenity fee. It replaces the Golden Access Pass. Golden Access passes may be exchanged free of charge. Beach wheelchairs with balloon tires are available for use on the oceanside beaches in Maryland and Virginia. For more information please check at the Ranger Station in Maryland (410-641-3030). Service animals are allowed in National Parks. For a definition of a service animal please visit www.ada.gov/service\_animals\_2010.htm
This place has been great to us Even though we are tent camping in the middle of winter we have still made it work it has great warm bathrooms that are very clean and sanitary they clean them everyday faithfully we have hot showers we have laundry facilities it's on the border of a beautiful water they have a camp store that could provide everything that you could need every site has barbecue/hot fire pits just a very comfortable; very hospitable everyone's very friendly very willing to help you out everybody's giving and it's just been a very good experience and I would recommend this place for anybody.
Good site space.. no check in before time. We were there Halloween so all sites full. Great biking(mountain and gravel). All in..would stay again
Me and a friend came in on motorcycles and stayed in the primitive tent sites and had a great time. Stayed a few weeks before Halloween and there were plenty of festive activities going on.
Our second time staying here. Spacious campsites in the D loop with half-circle drive in. Clean bath houses and facilities.
Decent walking trails around the lake. Lots of water activities in you're into that.
Camp store has the basics plus a few extras. Firewood for sale at reasonable price.
If you can make it their Halloween season is awesome. It usually lasts every weekend through October. Lots of activities for the kids.
I grew up here and the beach camping is awesome if you have a self contained vehicle that is 4x4. A permit is required but it's for 12 months. Beware if the wind is out of the west the bugs are vicious.
Lots of trails. Pretty busy with Hunters during the season. Roosters here
This place is simply amazing. Nothing negative about it, just go and experience for yourself
Assateague National Seashore on the Maryland side offers an incredible experience.
Along with soft sand, balmy breezes and coastal views, wild horses wander the park at will.
We chose a campsite that did not require hiking onto the sand to reach. This made setting up camp much easier as no carrying was involved. We were early enough in the seasons that the mosquitoes hadn't kicked in yet, so it was an enjoyable stay.
The restroom facilities are primitive. with a dump toilet, and exterior showers with warmish water. To turn on the shower water, one has to hold down a line to get it to run.
There was a good mix of tents and a variation of camper trailers on both the oceanside and bayside camp areas. The camper trailers are boondocking as no hookups are offered at this campground.
I find the restrooms on the bayside to be better, but in the warmer months, be prepared for lots of mosquitoes in that area.
The horses do their rounds in the morning for breakfast and in the evenings for dinner. DO NOT FEED THE HORSES ! They are rather aggressive and persistent. KEEP ALL FOOD LOCKED UP IN YOUR CAR! They are Houdini's and have no trouble opening up any types of coolers with either their mouths or their hooves. There is a storage cubby below the picnic table - use it.
The best way to shoo them away from your campsite is to bring a metal water bottle with small rocks in it. Shake it at them and they know to move along. It's what the rangers use to get them to move.
To reserve use recreation.gov
We stayed in water view 13 and it was a the perfect site. A little far for the kiddo to be at the park but the view was great, the Wi-Fi worked well, and the pull through site was perfect for our camper (not the best at backing up).
Beautiful spot on the beach. Wild ponies visit your site. They’ll get into everything so make sure you have everything put up and away lol. The beach is a short walk from your site. Beaches are clean and beautiful. Bathrooms are quite nice with great showers and hot water. Short drive to OC beach and boardwalk.
We had a great experience at Trap Pond. Price was reasonable. D Loop sites were a good size. Comes with a fire ring and picnic table. Site wasn't super level, so just bring enough leveling blocks if you're in a camper. D14 specifically is the last site on the row with an unobstructed view of the pond- we loved it. All sites in D loop had great tree coverage. It was also right near the showers, which were clean & warm, just what was needed. Tent sites are more secluded and are walk-in; our buddies tent camped the same weekend. There was a dock within walking distance of our site. Canoes were available for rent & I highly recommend canoeing water trails through the beautiful Cypress trees. No sewer connects, but there are 2 dump stations and we didn't wait long at the dump station heading out on a Sunday in July. Camp store has all the necessities, yet still simple. Free concerts at the nature center every Saturday in the summer. Nice walking/hiking trails around the grounds also. Dog friendly was a plus!! Lots of dogs were on leads at campsites including ours.
Just wow. We made an impromptu visit and camping trip. The walk-in tent sites are BEAUTIFUL!! It’s really great to be able to set up camp and be in nature without the sound of someone charging their phone or blowing up their mattress in the site next to you. All the wall in tent sites on loop E are HUGE!! You can easily fit two tents plus all the glamping extras! The bathrooms are short walk away and are lovely. Clean and big with free showers. The wheelbarrows provided are great for the drop off of equipment. The first night it rained (literal buckets). The site was under 3 inches of water within a half hour!! Once the rain stopped though the puddles were gone just as fast! The hiking is always beautiful and easy to access. The flat trails are wide and loop across to the national park side. The camp store is also a huge plus! They have everything you need for emergency’s and then some! The bikes, ice, and firewood are easy to access. The only complaint is that although there is boating a place to cool off was missed greatly. A pool or splash pad would make a great addition to an almost perfect campground! An added note, during the storm a branch from a tree became loose and we went to the check in to let them know. They gave us expedited care. The checked out the tree and decided for our safety we needed to change sites. They were able to give us a new site right away and even offered to help move us!! Customer camper care is definitely number 1!
This campground was wonderful for our family of 5 with 6. 4 and 2 year old boys. The setting is wooded with great shade and a very peaceful pond backdrop. We stayed in loop A, and found that A and B loops are the place to be if you have young children- the playground is awesome and is sandwiched between them. The loops get progressively quieter as you go towards E. All sites are great, but the best ones are definitely the ones closest to the pond. We really enjoyed the pontoon boat ride- this is definitely not a typical pond! The cypress trees are stunning and the history there alone is definitely worth the price of admission, not to mention the otherworldly narrow passages through cypress swaps and all kinds of wildlife on display. The trail around the campground goes through nice pine forests and crosses the swampland and pond. It is smooth stone dust, great for foot travel or any kind of biking. The sites are not huge but spaced well. Important to note- this pond is NOT for swimming. Very shallow and lots of trees just under the surface. If you are kid free or have older kids, they have kayaks for rent and I would highly recommend taking a paddle across the pond and deep into the water trails through the cypress forest. Magical. The camp store is fantastic. The sites are dirt/grass and not full hookup, but they have two dumpstations on the way out. Our site was nice because it had trail access and only one neighbor. Be forewarned that there are ticks here, the tiny dangerous kind.... we found some on us, so just check thoroughly. Overall a great place!
Stayed at Tom's Cove for 2 nights, the rates are perfect for us, they have electric and water on sites. All around lovely experience for tent camping.
Camp store is well stocked with essentials and extras (fishing licenses are not sold but can be purchased online). Facilities are clean. Showers have water saver flow. Sites with water benefit from a water filter attachment at the source. Park has playgrounds for kids. Boat rental and other services can be seasonal so best to check in advance.
You can't literally walk a couple of hundred yards over the sand dunes to the ocean. There are pit toilets and outdoor showers available nearby.
I was fortunate to have gorgeous weather in November. I stayed in campsite B31 Bayside and it was nice. The B loop does not allow generators, so it is definitely more peaceful. Next time I’ll plan ahead and reserve either a Bayside spot on the water side or an Oceanside spot.
The check in is very straightforward and the rangers are super helpful and kind. The rules are definitely enforced here and I appreciate that very much as it makes the experience much more pleasant.
The wild horses are amazing, but please heed the warnings about how brazen they can be if you leave food out. They WILL raid your site.
I took advantage of the beach off road access and it was incredible-highly recommend it if you have a high clearance 4WD vehicle.
We stayed with my parents for the weekend on a walk in site. HUGE SITE. I was amazed at the size, especially since the car / RV sites were on top of each other. The bathrooms were individual rather than shared. As usual, we had a malfunction and had our car battery die our last night there. Thankfully we were with a bunch of other people & were able to get back on the road in the morning.
Overall we had a wonderful stay. The campground is huge and I suggest renting a golf cart (if you don't have one) to unlock the full potential of the grounds.
It was bike week so the campground was a bit more lively than we anticipated but that was more on us for not double checking the events calendar. All the bikers and their families were solid people. One guy even let my son borrow his fishing rod and bait the one evening and just told us to return it after we were done.
It was off season so the waterpark was closed and things were winding down. We knew that to be the case so no knock there. We keep busy on our golf cart rental taking scenic drives, heading to the pier to crab and fish, and a few spirited games of ice hockey in the arcade.
The campground is at a great location to either head towards Assateague Island or Ocean City. We normally stay in Ocean City over the summer in July so we chose to explore more of the Assateague side. With that said, Route 611 has a lot to offer if you have the time to explore.
Assateague Surf Shop - amazing breakfast
Sinepuxent Brewing - great beer and smoked pull pork
The Shrimp Boat - tasty seafood takeout
Assateague Island State Park - beautiful beach and park
My only major con was the trash removal at 5 or 6AM!! It sounded like the trash truck and dumpster were inside our camper. I think that only occurred 2 mornings but it was more than enough. - minus a half star
Also the pricing is a bit outrageous. For all the work you put into set up and prep just to pay close to what you would for a mid level hotel stay is kinda insane. Stayed from Thursday to Monday and it was right around or above the $500 mark for ONLY electric and water hookups. - minus a half star
Overall we had a very enjoyable time as a family and that was the goal.
I had an ocean front tent site. You park and walk in. I may pick a drive up site next time because hauling all of my equipment over the sand took several trips. Was there for the sound of the ocean and beautiful sunrises, which was amazing, and several horses came through. I never used the bathhouses (bring my own camp toilet and camp shower bag) but they have very simple facilities and water pumps at each loop. It was very windy at times (my tent didn’t make the trip home RIP) and you must have deep screw in tent anchors for the sand. Regular tent stakes don’t work. There is a store a few miles outside of the park where they sell basic camping and fishing equipment, food, snacks, firewood etc. I really enjoyed having a campfire in the ring provided at every tent site. There is nothing like having a fire on the beach at sunset. 
The Bayside Campground at Assateague is a large and crowded campground with precious little shade- but the trade off is absolutely spectacular stargazing.
We stayed one night in site #28- we initially were extremely disappointed with our site because of the lack of shade and the overall lack of friendliness towards dogs in the park. It was difficult to do anything with our dog because he wasn’t allowed anywhere and it was too warm to leave him in the car, and too warm for us to sit in the car with him- especially at the campsite, hence the problem with there not being any shade.
But we were absolutely delighted to find that the stargazing from our campsite that night was phenomenal. Our neighbor seemed to be aware that this would be the case- he had a whole telescope set up! We stayed up for a couple hours and watched the skies overhead. It was also very cool to watch the ponies walk through our campsite.
There are a handful of sites at this campground that I would consider booking again, but based on the lack of shade and activities to do with our dog in the park, we would not return to Assateague any time soon.
Wonderful experience at an oceanfront site. Beautiful view from among the dunes and during my time there, horses came by to visit 1-2 times a day. Parking area, pit toilets and shower stalls are a 3-4 minute walk from the oceanfront sites. Bring your bug spray…..otherwise a magical experience!
I’ve been coming to Assateague since I was a few months old and I can honestly say I never get tired of it’s beauty!
There is plenty of beach to swim and roam, You’ll have no problems running into wild ponies and they’re babies! Just don’t feed or get close to them, they are definitely WILD!
There is plenty of RV, Tent and van camping dispersed throughout the park in designated areas, You can get a camp pass at the main gate.
There is on beach camping as well as camping spots with picnic tables and fire rings, Bathroom and shower houses as well. Quiet park and it’s ALSO One of the best star observatory spots in the US!
You won’t regret coming here, On your way in or out check out the amazing local produce farm Assateague Farms for all kinds of organic fresh picked snacks!
Would have enjoyed it more if it weren’t for the bugs. Had to be covered head to toe in order to attempt to not get bit. Will have to try again in the fall!
Our first trip here and we loved it! We stayed in water view site 10. WV sites 1-7 have great views and some shade. WV sites 8-20 are more open and close together. The black tank clean out is near site WV15 so avoid that area. They pump it out daily. There are beach grasses between them but still close. Waterfront sites looked great. There are about 6 I think. There is a beach area to swim but also 2 pools. The original pool from when this was Tall Pines Harbor is a traditional rectangle. The new one is larger and also has a large splash pad. There is a jump zone and a rec room. There are fishing piers and boat rentals. They also have vacation rentals if you don’t have your own. They have laundry and a cafe and of course playgrounds. The office / store was nice. You can rent a golf cart and you might need it to get from the WV sites to the pool. Not real far but with stuff to carry it’s nice to have. A band played in their pavilion on Sat. night. It was Jeep weekend so other activities were happening. Some of this campground is seasonal and some transient. It wasn’t noted which were which in their map. The bath house is not close to the water view or water front sites. We visited Chincoteague which was a cute town. Eat at Ray’s Shanty but skip Capt Es Hurricane Tiki Bar. However, visit the Saxis Island Museum which was very interesting. If it’s closed you can call a number listed on the door and someone may come open it for you. Everyone was so incredibly welcoming and nice.
There is a lot to do the water park is good and the lazy river is nice and big the Wild West shows are great. It’s a bit expensive but all in all it’s a great place for family that just wants to get way for a few days
Horse camping in Maryland offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of well-reviewed locations, horse enthusiasts can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the scenic trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Crisfield, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Crisfield, MD is Bayside Assateague Campground — Assateague Island National Seashore with a 4.5-star rating from 55 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Crisfield, MD?
TheDyrt.com has all 9 equestrian camping locations near Crisfield, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.