Assateague Island ORV

[AdamC]

Hello all.
We are off to OC, MD next week and are going to hit up Assateague Island while there. Question for those who have done it: is it worth the cost for an ORV pass to drive out on the beach or are we just as likely to see the wild horses near the ranger station?
Any input on time of day to visit is greatly appreciated as well!
- Adam

[mmangiarelli]

We were there in April and the horses will greet you in the parking lot. They are not bashful by any means. Besides the parking lot we saw them on hayride as well.

[ependydad]

Oh yeah- there's no point in spending the extra money (isn't it $100+?) if seeing the horses is your primary goal.

In the park and driving near/thru the camping areas, you'll see plenty of horses.

[The_Rhino]

The horses roam freely throughout everyone's campsites & are easy to find/see. Last year, the first time we went to Assateague, we pulled-in at dark & got up early for the kids to see the ocean for the first time. As we crested the sand dune behind our TT 5-7 horses were on the beach/in the ocean with a young colt. I think the wind helps them escape from the flies...

Later, the horses scavenged for food throughout the CG & especially did well turning a tenter's campsite upside down. One grabbed the tenter's keys, causing the guy to panic, but the horse eventually spit them out. My kids still talk about that one!

Assateague veterans told us they have come for years & have not seen the horses on the actual beach/water's edge. This year we saw the horses a couple times per day but never on the actual beach, just in the CG area & marshes.

[Lincolnpond]

I'll ditto the other comments, as soon as you cross the bridge you will probably see your first one.

[AdamC]

Thanks for all the input. We are actually at frontier town. I believe we'll just drive the loop as suggested and park at one of the lots to hit the beach for a while

[Coolharts]

I have never done it but IIRC the requirements for off road are fairly strict.


Stop at the visitor center and take bikes if you have them and ride over the bridge on the bike lane, the ponies will be there to greet you, oh, you will see where they have been if you know what I mean. The bike lane will take you all the way to the National Seashore past the gate to the beach area.