Assateague Island National Seashore

Check-in Time: 12:00 NOON: All campers must register at the Ranger Station prior to establishing camp, and one member of the party must be 18 years of age or older. All vehicles at the campsite must be registered and have a valid entrance pass. Overflow parking is available at the North Beach lot. Commercial use or resale of campsites is prohibited.

Check-out Time: 11:00 A.M. Failure to vacate by 11 a.m. may result in law enforcement action and/or a monetary fine. Upon departure Campground Parking Permits (hangtag) may be left at the Ranger Station or placed in the Camper Checkout box located at the Entrance Station. Any items remaining on the campsite after 11 a.m. will be considered abandoned property.

Late Arrivals: Campers with a reservation arriving after business hours must register by 11 a.m. at the Ranger Station the following morning. Campers without a reservation arriving after business hours must check at the Ranger Station vestibule to see if there are any unreserved sites available for a 1 night stay only. If so, campers may occupy the site for one night and must register and pay required fees before 9am the next morning.

Stay Limits: Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days and a total of 28 cumulative days during both the Memorial Day thru Labor Day season and the winter off-season when camping is on a first come, first served basis. Camping and/or sleeping overnight are prohibited except in designated campsites.

Drive-in Site Limits: 6 persons (or immediate family), 3 tents, 2 registered motor vehicles, or one vehicle and a trailer, allowed per drive-in campsite. Guests of campers must also register at the Ranger Station any vehicles parked at the site. Overnight guests may not exceed the six-person site limits. All vehicle wheels and trailer wheels must be on the pavement.

Walk-in Site Limits: 6 persons (or immediate family), 3 tents and 1 registered vehicle. Additional vehicles must be parked in the North Beach parking lot. Overnight guests may not exceed the 6 person site limits.

Group Site Limits: Groups of 7 to 25 people may make reservations year-round up to six months in advance of arrival date. Registered group campers may only camp within their designated group site. Vehicle numbers are limited to 10 vehicles for registered group campers. Group camper vehicles must be registered and display a valid campground parking permit.

Entrance Passes, Campground Parking Permits: After entering the park campers must have in their possession a valid entrance pass and display on their vehicle a valid campground parking permit (hangtag).

Horses: Visitors observed to be 40 feet or closer to a horse may be subject to a minimum fine of $100.00.

Touching, feeding, or enticing Assateague horses is ILLEGAL.

Food/Drinks: All food and beverages must be stored in a hard-sided container (i.e. vehicles, locked coolers, or other latched storage) when not in use. Food items in use must be closely guarded by campers and their guests to prevent consumption by any wildlife, especially horses. Food items and unlocked coolers left out and unattended are subject to search and may be confiscated.

Quiet Hours: Quiet hours are from 10pm until 6am. Outside of quiet hours every reasonable effort should be made by campers to maintain peace and tranquility. Please consider your neighbors before turning up the volume.

Generators: Generator use during quiet hours is prohibited. Idling vehicles during quiet hours to charge batteries is also prohibited. Generator use is prohibited in Bayside Loop B, Oceanside walk-in and group camping sites 24 hours a day. Generator noise levels must not exceed 60 decibels at 50 feet as measured on the A-weighted scale.

Campfires: Fires must be started and contained inside an NPS provided fire ring or a privately owned, self-contained grill. Do not move provided fire-rings. Only firewood purchased within 50 miles of the park, or down and dead wood, may be used for fires. Fires are permitted on the Atlantic Ocean beach (excluding lifeguard beach area) ONLY below the high tide line. Do not cover beach fires with sand. All fires, regardless of location, must be completely extinguished with water. All debris and unburned fire wood must be properly disposed of and the beach restored to its natural condition.

Pets: Pets must be physically controlled and on a leash no longer than six (6) feet at all times. Owners are responsible for removing pet waste and for the health, welfare and behavior (including barking) of their pet. Pets must never be left unattended in vehicles or elsewhere in the park. Pets are prohibited on lifeguarded beach (in season), in backcountry campsites, on nature trails, in Assateague State Park and north to the Ocean City Inlet, and within Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in VA.

Site Set Up: Tent and other camping equipment must be placed within 30 feet of the designated NPS provided fire ring. Do not hang or tie items on vegetation or fences.

Wastewater: Gray and black water must be emptied at designated dump stations. See Campground Map for locations.

Trash: All trash must be properly discarded in the dumpsters provided in the park. Please separate trash and recyclables.

Recreational Equipment: Bicycle riders must comply with Maryland traffic safety regulations and are restricted to public roads, parking areas or designated bicycle paths. Riders under age 16 are required to wear a helmet. Inline skates, skateboards and non-motorized scooters may only be used on the bike path.