Oceanside Walk-in Campground site in the Maryland Unit of Assateague Island National Seashore

CAMPING SEASON

The Oceanside Walk-In Campground in the Maryland Unit of Assateague Island National Seashore is located just south of the Oceanside Drive-in Campground. It is open from March 15th through November 15th.

The Group Campground is located just north of the Drive-In Campground. It is open year-round.

TYPE OF CAMPING

The Oceanside Walk-in Campground and the Group Campground are for tent campers only. Campers park in a common parking lot and carry their equipment anywhere from 100 to 200 yards to their campsite, depending on the site location.

NUMBER OF SITES

There are 63 walk-in campsites divided into four sections. Each site can accommodate up to six people and three tents. Only one vehicle per campsite can park in the campground parking lot, and this vehicle must be able to fit into a standard vehicle parking space (like any retail store parking lot). Extra vehicles must park at the North Beach parking lot.

There are 5 group campsites. Each site can hold up to 25 people, and you must have at least seven people. Sites are approximately 160′ x 120′, and you can have as many tents as can fit in the space. There is a limit of ten vehicles per campsite allowed in the Group Campground parking lot. Extra vehicles must be parked in the North Beach parking lot.

AMENITIES

There are no electricity or water hook-ups at any of the campsites. The campground does have drinking water, compositing toilets (fancy portable toilets), and cold water showers from March 15th through November 15th (showers are in the main campground, but all campers at Oceanside can use them).

Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring / grill.

Boardwalks lead over the dunes and to the beaches from the campground. These beaches are located between North and South Ocean Beaches.

Portable toilets at the Walk-in Campground in the Maryland Unit of Assateague Island National Seashore

TERRAIN

All sites in the Walk-in and Group campgrounds are situated in the sand. Long tent stakes are recommended due to the sandy soil. However, the sites are not on the beach. Sand dunes separate the campground from the beach and ocean. It goes without saying that there is no shade.

During the summer, if the wind is not blowing, mosquitoes and other biting insects are a big problem. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent.

RESERVATIONS

Reservations for the individual walk-in and group campsites are required at all times. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance online at Recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. All campgrounds at Assateague Island National Seashore are rolled into this one online reservation web page, so be sure you choose from the Oceanside Walk In campsites. Sites for the weekend are usually taken the day them become available.

All campers must check in at the Ranger Station located near the entrance to the park before proceeding to the campground. Campers who arrive after hours must check in by 10 AM the next morning. Failure to do so will result in you being considered a no-show and your campsite being put back up for sale on the reservation system.

Walk-in campsites not reserved in advance are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of your arrival for that night only. Stop at the Ranger Station to see what is available. If you arrive after hours, there should be a list of available campsites. You must pay at the Ranger Station by 9 AM the next morning (cash or credit card). If you wish to stay longer, you can use your phone to book a campsite via Recreation.gov or hope that a site is available on a day-by-day basis.

FEES

At the time of this writing, individual campsites are $40/night and the group sites are $80/night. Owners of a Senior or Access pass receive a 50% discount on individual campsites.

But be sure to get the current rates on the National Park Service’s Camping at Assateague web page or Recreation.gov.

CAMPGROUND RULES

• CHECKOUT TIME: 11:00 A.M
• CHECK-IN TIME: 12:00 PM
• STAY LIMITS: Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days and a total of 28 cumulative days per year.
• GUESTS: Guests who plan to park at a campsite must register their vehicle at the Ranger Station.
• 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 (e.g. 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 10 PM until 6 AM.
• GENERATORS: Generators are prohibited in the Walk-in and Group campgrounds.
• CAMPFIRES: Fires must be started and contained inside the 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 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 beaches (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 Virginia.
• WASTEWATER: Gray and black water must be emptied at designated dump stations.
• TRASH: All trash must be properly discarded in the dumpsters provided in the park. Please separate trash and recyclables.

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