Campgrounds
Visitors to the Maryland district of Assateague Island may enjoy a variety of camping opportunities. The National Park Service provides year-round camping in the oceanside and bayside campgrounds.
For backcountry camping enthusiasts, two oceanside and four bayside sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis for visitors who wish to backpack or paddle the island. A backcountry permit is required and is only issued during business hours.
There is no camping available in the Virginia district of Assateague Island.
Assateague State Park is also located in Maryland on Assateague Island. The State Park provides 350 beautiful campsites that are open from April through October. For more information call (410) 641-2120.
Assateague Island National Seashore has two oceanside and four bayside camping areas for visitors who wish to backpack or paddle the island. All backcountry sites are located in Maryland; no camping is permitted in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The distance traveled to backcountry sites from the Ranger Station in Maryland range from 2 1/2 to 13 miles. If traveling from the Toms Cove Visitor Center in Virginia the nearest campsites are State Line and Pope Bay, each at 12.5 miles.
The oceanside and bayside campgrounds offer drive-in pads suitable for tent camping, trailer camping and recreational vehicles (no hookups). The Oceanside campground also provides walk-in, tent-only sites, located 100-200 feet from centralized parking areas. All campsites provide a picnic table and a grill. All Oceanside sites have upright grills. All Bayside sites have ground fire rings. All fires must be in grills provided at the campsites. Ground fires are prohibited at sites without a ground fire ring. Centrally located facilities include chemical toilets, cold water showers and drinking water.
Reservations
The campgrounds at the Maryland district are first-come, first-served from October 16 through April 14. Reservations are recommended April 15 through October 15.
Tent, trailer or RV campers may reserve a drive-in site in the new "Generator-Free Zone" available in the Bayside campground.
There is no camping in the Virginia District of Assateague Island.
To make reservations, call the National Park Reservation Service at: 1-800-365-CAMP (2267)
