Assateague Island National Seashore is home to gorgeous seashores, adventurous hiking and a picturesque wildlife refuge. It is also a great place to go camping, but as it is a national park there are very specific guidelines for camping here.
Camping is only permitted on the Maryland side of the National Seashore. The seashore also stretches in to Virginia, and while there are a lot of outdoor activities available on the seashore in Virgina, Maryland is the only state that allows camping. Be sure to enter at this end of the park if you're planning on pitching a tent.
Assateague Island National Seashore is home to four different campgrounds: the ocean side drive-in, the ocean side walk-in, the bay side drive-in and a group campground. The ocean side drive-in is for tent, trailer or RV campers, but does not have hookups. All sites at the ocean side drive-in have grills and picnic tables. The ocean side walk-in offers tent-only sites located near the main parking area. These sites also come equipped with grills and picnic tables. The bay side drive-in is another camping area for multiple types of camping setups, including tents, RVs and trailers. There is a generator-free zone located in the bay side camping area. The tent-only group camping sites can be rented out by large groups and affiliations.
All campgrounds at the Assateague Island National Seashore have chemical toilets, drinking water and cold water showers.
It is possible to book a campsite at Assateague as a walk-on for $16 per night, however this option is first come, first served. To book a campsite in advance, the National Park Service recommends making a reservation by calling 1-877-444-677. Reserved sites are $20 per night, and there is a 50 percent discount on rates for campers with Golden Age, Interagency Senior, Golden Access or Interagency Access passports.
For the adventurous, "backcountry" camping is available at the Assateague Island National Seashore. Backcountry camping is not allowed without a permit, according to the National Park Service. A $5 fee per backcountry permit and a $15 7-day entrance fee per vehicle is required. Due to safety concerns with changing weather conditions, reservations are not taken in advance for backcountry camping. Permits are issued on the date of arrival.
While pets are allowed in the main camping areas, they are prohibited from backcountry camping, nature trails and the lifeguard-protected beach. Additionally, pets are prohibited in the entire Virginia portion of Assateague Island, even in your car.
