Assateague Island National Seashore

Anyone looking for a place to get on the sand should at least consider Assateague Island National Seashore. Assateague is home to the wild ponies.  

The Maryland portion of Assateague Island has about 12 miles of trails that on the beach and some short side trails for viewing the bay. There is an air station at the end of the paved road which makes things easy for someone like me who only has a small electric pump to air up. The NPS (National Park Service) charges $70 for an over the sand permit, which is a bit steep but it is good for a year. The NPS also limits the number of vehicles on the sand so there is sometimes a wait of an hour or more if you get a late start on a weekend or holiday. However, the nice thing about the permit and vehicle limit, is that they keep away the crowds so it doesn't take long to find a fairly deserted spot.

Fishing and surfing appear to be the main activities. Many who go for the day have campers on top of heavy duty trucks. The campers provide both shade and "facilities." Having just the Troop, we had to wing it a bit.

Yes that is a port-o-potty in the back of my Troop. It was a necessary "convenience" for the ladies. We have a 3.5'x3.5' portable shower tent that we planned to use but my daughter's friend couldn't wait for it to be set up. Thankfully, the Troop has a lot of "head" room.

If you do get to Assateague, be sure to take some of the side trails to the Bayside. They are very different from the beach.  Some even have mudholes.

Here are some pics taken on the bayside.