Hike Assateague Island, Maryland, USA
WHAT MAKES THIS AREA UNIQUE?
If you love the coast, there’s no more immersive way to explore it than on foot! Soak up the sun as you follow a sandy footpath along the Atlantic Ocean, take a snack break in a grove of loblolly pines and watch ponies, deer and waterfowl go about their business to the rhythm of the tides.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: maritime and coastal vegetation, evergreen forest, ponies, sika and whitetail deer, pelicans, horseshoe crabs, skates, gulls, crustaceans, many species of waterfowl and aquatic life.
TERRAIN: Coastal dunes, maritime forest and salt marsh.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: spring and fall to avoid peak mosquito season.
ROUTE OPTIONS:
Y Day Trip
Y Weekend Trip
Y 4 to 7-day trip
N 7 to 14-day trip
Y Loop trip
N Shuttle service nearby
POTENTIAL HAZARDS: Freshwater must be packed in; mosquitoes; sun exposure.
WHERE TO FIND MAPS/CHARTS: Search for Tingles Island MD Topographical Map by YellowMaps on any major online retail site.
PERMITS REQUIRED? Yes.
PETS ALLOWED? No.
ASSATEAGUE ISLAND WEEKEND LOOP ITINERARY: 24.8 MILES TOTAL
Day 1
Obtain backcountry permits at the Maryland District Ranger Station.
Park at the North Beach Lot.
Hike 4 miles to camp at Little Levels campsite.
Day 2
Hike 8.5 miles to camp at State Line campsite.
Day 3
Hike 12.4 miles to your car at the North Beach Lot.
Notes
Please note that hiking on soft sand will be more tedious than hiking on a typical hard-packed trail. No freshwater is available in the backcountry. Pack in one gallon per person, per day. Campsites are closed during hunting seasons.
INFORMATION
Assateague Island National Seashore: (410) 641-1441
OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THIS AREA
Paddlesports, swimming, fishing, hunting and bikeing.