mom@shiloh Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Anyone familiar with camping on Assateague Island, MD? Specifically, I'm wondering how sandy it is. We tried camping on Corpus Christi one time, right on the beach and we were sorry about that for a long time -- sand everywhere. We don't want to make the same mistake with Assateague. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 (edited) There are two types of sites - the ones on the beach in the dunes and the ones in the woods. I'm pretty sure all the MD state park ones are in the dunes, though I could be wrong. The National park has ones that are both. The state park has slightly nicer bathrooms. Don't be afraid to scare the horses away. Bring things specifically to bang at them. If they come around, be brutal (ETA: that sounded bad... I mean, be brutal in banging things and trying to wave at them and chase them away - don't touch them, give them a wide berth while you do it because they can be dangerous if you try to get too up close and personal - it's all for their own good to keep them out of your campsite as much as possible). They can - and will - try to open your coolers and so forth even with you right there. Store all food in the car overnight. It's mostly car camping - sites are all pretty close to either a parking spot or just a short walk from a small lot. I've heard that the bugs can be bad, bad in the woods. However, in season, they're horrid on the dunes at night too, so there's that. I actually sort of like dune camping. No need for mattress pads or blow up mattresses or anything. You do get sand in everything all the time, but you just keep washing it out in the ocean or the showers until you go home. Edited May 9, 2016 by Farrar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 It's going to be sandy. Everywhere. And the black flies are brutal. Love it, though. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 This is completely irrelevant, but just last week my kid (the reader) kept asking me something from the backseat. "Can we go to [garbled Assateague] island?" I made her repeat it 3 times before I said "what the heck is ass cheek island?" Need to work on diction around here I think. :P Have fun! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 It's been ages, but we camped on Chincoteague when I was a kid, in a campground not on the beach, and it was still pretty sandy! The flies were still a bigger nuisance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 I have camped on the National Park side many times. You're camping on sand - I don't know how that can be less sandy. I hate sand but suffered through to hang out with friends. Often when camping on the other side of the dunes then the wind isn't bad. :) The Mosquitos however.... Oh my goodness they were horrid. But I have been there 1-2 times with hardly any to normal Mosquitos so there is always hope. And yes, camping with the ponies is always exciting. No joke about putting away your food. They will break open coolers and tear open tents of you think putting food in a tent is safe. And will bite and kick too - but only if you're getting too close or like the endless people that try to pet them despite the many warnings. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThursdayNext Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 I have no useful information. But yay! That sounds so exciting! My daughter and I are big fans of the books, and it is on our list to go camping there during pony penning day someday. I am afraid of the bugs though. Sand is not so bad for me if there are showers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vera Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 We have been there a few times, the last time we went the mosquitoes were like nothing I have ever seen. We drove to a hiking trail, got out of the car and it literally looked like a cloud of mosquitoes. We almost couldn't see through them. We all jumped back into the car as fast as possible and swatted mosquitoes all the way back to the hotel. We spent most of the weekend in the hotel. There was an outdoor pool which was OK as long as you didn't come up for air. We haven't been back since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom@shiloh Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 Thanks for all the information. I would never have thought to ask about mosquitoes and flies being bad. Yikes!! Assateague is just one of our stops, so I really don't want to have sand through everything for the rest of the trip. We may camp nearby and just visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 OMG, yes. Bring bug spray and slather yourself in it in July/August. There are two types of sites - the ones on the beach in the dunes and the ones in the woods. I'm pretty sure all the MD state park ones are in the dunes, though I could be wrong. The National park has ones that are both. The state park has slightly nicer bathrooms. Don't be afraid to scare the horses away. Bring things specifically to bang at them. If they come around, be brutal (ETA: that sounded bad... I mean, be brutal in banging things and trying to wave at them and chase them away - don't touch them, give them a wide berth while you do it because they can be dangerous if you try to get too up close and personal - it's all for their own good to keep them out of your campsite as much as possible). They can - and will - try to open your coolers and so forth even with you right there. Store all food in the car overnight. It's mostly car camping - sites are all pretty close to either a parking spot or just a short walk from a small lot. I've heard that the bugs can be bad, bad in the woods. However, in season, they're horrid on the dunes at night too, so there's that. I actually sort of like dune camping. No need for mattress pads or blow up mattresses or anything. You do get sand in everything all the time, but you just keep washing it out in the ocean or the showers until you go home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 There are plenty of inexpensive hotels nearby to avoid the bugs. That's what we do when we hit Assateague (but we stay on the Virginia side). Thanks for all the information. I would never have thought to ask about mosquitoes and flies being bad. Yikes!! Assateague is just one of our stops, so I really don't want to have sand through everything for the rest of the trip. We may camp nearby and just visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Yeah, if you're trying to camp there as one of many stops, that might not be great for keeping your gear sand free. It's a pretty special place to see though and there's nothing like camping there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I've camped there. It's been a few years. There is sand. Being there is worth the hassle of the sand. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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