I was well overdue on visiting Lewes, Delaware to see longtime friends Amanda and Phil, and when the opportunity came up, I immediately headed East. I mentioned that there were two parks I wanted to visit on the Discoverer’s List of the Best State Park in Each State. Amanda immediately jumped on the opportunity to visit Assateague State Park as it had been on her list of places to visit. With our cooler full and a beautiful day in the forecast, we headed south on the scenic Coast Highway to Maryland. The drive was just over an hour and as we drove through one town after another, I was amazed at the number of miniature golf courses along the way.
I’ve shared a bit about the park, ponies, and wildlife in the next sections. So feel free to skip through and jump to my notes about my visit and about Assateague National Seashore.
About the Park
Assateague State Park, Maryland’s only oceanfront park, is located on Maryland’s eastern shore and is known for its breathtaking coastal beauty and unique wildlife, particularly its famous wild ponies. These wild horses, known as Chincoteague Ponies, freely roam the park’s beaches, marshes, and woodlands, creating a distinctive and enchanting atmosphere for visitors. The ponies are believed to be descendants of shipwreck survivors and have adapted to the island’s dynamic ecosystem. Visitors can observe these majestic creatures in their natural habitat, providing a rare and memorable wildlife encounter. Assateague State Park spans 855 acres and offers a range of recreational activities, including camping, hiking trails, bird watching, and pristine sandy beaches for swimming and relaxation. The combination of natural beauty and the presence of these iconic wild ponies makes Assateague State Park a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts and those seeking a unique connection with the untamed charm of coastal wilderness. Fees: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day $5/person | After Labor Day to Memorial Day weekend $5/vehicle.
About the Ponies
There are two herds; one in Maryland and one in Virginia. There are approximately 78 in the Maryland herd and about 150 in the Virginia herd. A contraceptive darting program may be used with the Maryland horses to keep the population size to a sustainable number.
Local lore experts theorized the ponies arrived on the island via a shipwrecked vessel in the late 18th or early 19th century. Others attribute their arrival by pirates drawn to the island who ultimately abandoned the animals. A more likely theory is that farmers in colonial times used the island for grazing areas to avoid paying taxes on the land.
The National Park Service manages the herd of ponies at the northern end of Assateague Island. The separate herd in Virginia is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, which sponsors the annual pony penning and swim every July.
The ponies’ diet consists mainly of marsh and dune grasses. Their water comes from the freshwater ponds located on the island. They are true horses, and not actual ponies, who have adapted to the diet and life on Assateague. During the winter their coats become quite thick to protect them from the harsh winds. Their short, stocky build allows them to navigate the marshes and to store water efficiently.
Other Wildlife
Assateague Island, situated on the Atlantic flyway, is a bird-watcher’s paradise. Over 200 species of birds have been sighted here, ranging from gulls to herons, egrets to eagles, and even rare peregrine falcons and snowy owls. The most commonly seen birds include ospreys, herons, egrets, sandpipers, shorebirds, ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. There are also two types of deer on the island, whitetail and sika.
The ocean and bay that surround the island are full of life. Dolphins can often be seen playing in the waves of the ocean. Flounder, spot, sea trout, puffer, rockfish, croaker, red drum, and bluefish are residents of the area, while marlin and tuna can be found in the deeper waters offshore. Occasionally, seals, whales, sand sharks, and sea turtles wash up on the shore.
My Visit to the Park
Our first stop before we crossed over to Assateague Island, we stopped at the Assateague Island Visitor Center, which is operated by the National Park Service (NPS). The visitor center has a lot of information about the history of and wildlife on the island, as well as a book and souvenir store shop. Assateague State Park encompasses only a small portion of the island, while Assateague Island National Seashore encompasses the majority of the island. Since this is operated by the NPS, we didn’t get much information about the park but did ask where there were pony sightings. The area around the visitor center offers some spectacular views of the Sinepuxent Bay.
Pictures: Outdoor Map at the Visitor Center – if you zoom in on the picture to the left, you can see how small the State Park is relative to the Island.
Let’s find some Ponies!
We headed across the Verrazano Bridge and over Sinepuxent Bay to the State Park and as soon as we got to Stephen Decatur Memorial Road, we saw our first ponies. We then continued straight and into Assateague State Park where we parked, paid our $5, and to our surprise, there was a lone horse just standing in the parking lot! The State Park has a beautiful beach, the 5 Tides Restaurant and Shop (which was closed for the season), and numerous camping sites. We headed to the beach to see if we could get a glimpse of the ponies on the beach, but there were none, just a bunch of surfers. We also walked along the road through the campgrounds (which was empty) in search of more ponies, but only found evidence of them in the form of Horse “Muffins.”
Pictures: Beach Access from the Campgrounds | Horse “Muffins”
Ponies Sighting!
We decided to head out and see if we would have better luck at the Assateague Island National Seashore, so we headed back to the car and then south on Stephen Decatur Memorial Road. And to our surprise, as we left the parking lot, we saw the horse that was in the parking lot, now grazing by the roadside. Then as we turned left onto Stephen Decatur Memorial Road, we saw another pony!
Pictures: The Ponies!
Assateague Island National Seashore
As we approached the entrance to the National Seashore, there was a line of cars paying the entrance fee. I was a bit shocked at the cost of $25 per vehicle for 7 days (Although I swear it was $35). Anyway, I knew I was about to embark on a trip across the country, so I decided to renew my America the Beautiful Pass ($80 for the year), which gave us access to the park. I should note that if you arrive by foot or bicycle, there is no fee. Hint: Perhaps bring your bike, park at the state parking lot for $5, and ride your bike into the National Seashore.
We decided to hike two trails while we were there – the Life of the Marsh Trail and the Life of the Forest Trail. The Life of the Marsh Trail takes you on an elevated boardwalk winding above the wetlands and mudflats and also takes you out to Sinepuxent Bay.
Pictures: Me, Amanda, and Phil | The Wetlands
We ran into a bunch of people during our hike and asked them if they had spotted any ponies. Then we got lucky – someone told us that there were several ponies on the Life of the Forest Trail! So we set off on our mission to see more ponies. The trail was a beautiful one that took us through the woods and eventually led us to a boardwalk with a view of a marshy area. Even though we didn’t spot any ponies on the trail as we had hoped, we did manage to see a few off in the distance. Our goal was still to see the ponies on the beach, so we moved on to the Life of the Dunes Trail. This trail took us through the dunes and along the beach. I was pretty sure that with all the trees and “hiding” places, we would definitely spot some ponies here – but no luck! We were still happy to have seen a couple of the ponies and decided to head out. But before we drove too far, we spotted another pony! With our day complete, we headed back north to grab a bite to eat. I enjoyed our trip to Assateague State Park and the Assateague Island National Seashore and would highly recommend it. On my next visit, I would spend more time on the beach relaxing.
Pictures: From the Life of the Forest Trail
We had lunch in Selbyville, Delaware, just across the Maryland/Delaware border at Catch 54. My meal was a bit of a dichotomy – we all shared Crab Dip Loaded Tots and then I had the Roasted Beets with Pistachios, Grapefruit, Goat Cheese Mousse, and a Ginger Vinaigrette along with a refreshing Thompson Island IPA. Next up on my list to visit – Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Delaware, and I also made a trip to Cape May, New Jersey.
Pictures: Catch 54 Exterior | Catch 54 Bar
Pictures: Crab Dip Loaded Tots | Roasted Beets
Date of Visit: 4 November 2023
