These horses have developed the toughness necessary to live with heat, storms, and mosquitoes, and learned to forage for their own food. Climb the assateague lighthouse for a beautiful view of chincoteague and assateague. The wild horses of assateague island national park service. Chincoteague is the gateway to the virginia portion of assateague island and the chincoteague national wildlife refuge, home of the famous chincoteague wild ponies. Legend says their ancestors swam ashore from a shipwrecked spanish galleon, but most likely english settlers put the first horses on assateague, which formed a natural corral. You can plan a trip to the park, and learn all about the birds, horses, trails, camp sites and programs for kids. The assateague island national park reaches across both maryland and virginia. Pictures aside, my favorite part is how informative it is. Welcome to the chincoteague island, virginia official tourist. Jul 08, 2019 assateague island is a 38 milelong wildlife refuge that since anyone can remember has been home to a herd of wild ponies that fluctuates in size every spring with a crop of new, knockkneed foals. Each year, the wild ponies living on assateague island in virginias outer banks are driven to nearby chincoteague, an event immortalized by. Imagine ponies running free on the beaches of their own windswept island and cooling off in the surf. See more ideas about chincoteague island, chincoteague ponies and island.
Chincoteague island is one of several barrier islands in this part of virginia, the largest being assateague island. When most of us think of going camping, we envision a wooded area filled with trees, dirt, and woodland creatures like bears, skunks, and squirrels. Dec 31, 2018 chincoteague national wildlife refuge, va. This 14,000acre refuge is the gateway to assateague island national seashore and home to the famous chincoteague ponies. In a kid and adult friendly manner, it talks about assateague island, ponies and the history of assateague and its ponies. My favorite was misty of chincoteague, illustrated by wesley dennis. Assateague island travel maryland, usa lonely planet. The true story of misty of chincoteague, the pony who. Later made into a film, the book aroused wide interest in the annual pony penning and swim on the last wednesday in july, when ponysize wild horses are rounded up on assateague, forced to swim across to chincoteague, and sold to benefit the local fire department. Its a 37 mile long island that covers maryland and part of virginia. Misty the wild pony and the main character in a famous childrens book and movie. Misty of chincoteague was written by marguerite henry in 1958 and.
Because the horses are handled by two separate entitiesthe national park service on the. A tail of two herds youve probably heard the terms assateague ponies and chincoteague ponies used interchangeably, so if youve ever gotten the two confused or just flatout thought that they were the same thing, youre not alone. Chincoteague and the wild horses of assateague island stayva. The chincoteague pony, also known as the assateague horse, is a breed of horse that developed and lives in a feral condition on assateague island in the states of virginia and maryland in the united states. Misty of chincoteague and the black stallion were my favorite childhood books. Jun 30, 2016 we spent some time on the delmarva peninsula delaware maryland virginia to visit assateague and see the wild horses. People can go camping there and see the wild ponies and other wildlife. Like much of virginia, chincoteague island is a fantastic place for a vacation, no matter the time of year. Yearly visits to assateague island national seashore and nearby chincoteague are now a longstanding family tradition. The assateague island seashore, a perfectly barren landscape of sand dunes and beautiful, secluded beaches, is just 8 miles south but a world away from ocean city. Two herds of wild horses make their home on assateague island, separated by a fence at the marylandvirginia line.
Assateague adventures chincoteague island tripadvisor. Camping on the beach at assateague island off the coast of maryland offers you the opposite experience, allowing you to fall asleep under the stars to the sound of waves crashing on the shore. The 2018 spring pony roundup is scheduled for april th and 14th. An annual pony swim in the summer between the two spots draws thousands of visitors. The number of mares a particular stallion has in his band is dependent upon how dominate the stallion is. Assateague the second of four expected new foals was born into the he. During the brief 3 minute pony swim event, the wild horses swim across the assateague channel when the tide is slack calm so the young ponies, which are born during spring or early summer, are safe from any strong currents. The town includes the whole of chincoteague island and an area of adjacent water. Following in the wake of a storybook pony the new york times. Two herds of wild horses make their home on assateague island, separated by a fence at the marylandvirginia. Things to do in chincoteague and assateague islands. Wildlife on this end is afforded a higher degree of. On the last wednesday of july, the virginia herd of horses is rounded up and swum from assateague island to nearby chincoteage island. Learn about assateagues wild horses 247 from the convenience of your.
Chincoteague island is virginias only resort island. The wild horses of assateague island island adventure. Once the ponies get to chincoteague, they are auctioned. We spent some time on the delmarva peninsula delaware maryland virginia to visit assateague and see the wild horses. Learn mistys story as you and your grandchild visit her home, and get up close to the wild ponies of today.
If you go, be prepared to wait for long hours with the crowds in the hot sun. It has a lot of really interesting facts and it is a great find whether you are sitting at home reading about it or actually visiting the island. Assateague explorer departs from the assateague nature centre the closest dock to assateague with the best access to all herds of horses along the island. Finding the wild horses of chincoteague like most girls in the 70s, i read and loved the horse books,misty of chincoteague and stormy, mistys foal. People from all over the world visit for its wild horses, pristine beaches, and the assateague lighthouse. The northern twothirds of the island is in maryland while the southern third is in virginia. Managed as a wildlife population, the assateague horses are free to roam over approximately 27 miles of the barrier island and can be difficult to find at times. The town is known for the chincoteague ponies, although these are not actually on the island of chincoteague but on nearby assateague island. Long known as a fishing village, chincoteague island became synonymous with the ponies after the book misty of chincoteague and a later movie. Chincoteague island travel guide assateague island national. Ponies swim at chincoteague in annual virginia tradition. Made famous by marguerite henrys famous series of books misty of chincoteague, these beautiful horses roam freely on the island. It was one of the runnersup for the annual newbery medal, now called newbery honor books. One unique area to visit while in ocean city, maryland is called assateague island.
In 1947, marguerite henrys book misty of chincoteague brought the tradition of island pony penning to the attention of children all over the world. Assateague island is a 37mile 60 km long barrier island located off the eastern coast of the delmarva peninsula facing the atlantic ocean. See the wild horses of assateague at the 2018 spring pony. In the cold months, this barrier island is a place of austere stillness, its famed wild ponies grazing along brown marshes, their long faces. Things to see in chincoteague and assateague islands. There is plenty to see and do in this pristine park, including hunting, hiking, biking, fishing and kayaking. Wild horses of assateague island and the outer banks motm.
Assateague island is a great place to visit anytime of the year and also a great place to see wildlife. Misty of chincoteague is a childrens novel written by marguerite henry, illustrated by wesley dennis, and published by rand mcnally in 1947. This undeveloped barrier island is populated by a herd of wild horses, made famous in the book. The maryland section contains the majority of assateague island national seashore and assateague state park. I had forgotten all about the wild horses, but my daughters experience made me recall the book about misty. The ponies in the hold of the galleon swim to assateague and become feral. Virginia district toms cove visitor center 7573366577. Ponies can be seen with their foals 7 days a week, apriloctober on the boat or kayaking tour.
Things to do in chincoteague and assateague islands frommers. Because living on the island is difficult, the chincoteague pony also known as the assateague pony has had to adapt, and it survives by eating marsh and beach grasses. See chincoteague wild ponies during your stay at the hampton inn chincoteague, va hotel, on the waterfront in the heart of downtown and near assateague island. Finding the wild horses of chincoteague travel by the book. Chincoteague has fascinated children for generations, thanks to the islands most famous resident in history. The wild ponies on assateague island congregate in small groups, called bands. Misty of chincoteague, a 16yearold palomino mare, was the bestknown member of the herd of wild ponies. Pets are prohibited in the entire virginia portion of assateague island, even in your car. Its two miles of ocean beaches offer swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing, surfing and fishing. Wild horses of assateague island and the outer banks.
Mar 14, 2017 many visitors first learn about the assateague horses from marguerite henrys famous book misty of chincoteague. Things to see in chincoteague and assateague islands frommers. Department of the interior assateague island national seashore maryland and virginia the wild horses of assateague island a national treasure the wild horses of assateague island are descendents of domesticated animals brought to the island over 300 years ago. She catapulted to fame 14 years earlier, when childrens book author marguerite henry. Assateague changes constantly with the ocean and wind, and is now protected as a national seashore. See wild ponies swim from this undiscovered national seashore.
Chincoteague is an island off the coast of virginia and maryland. You and i own all of assateague island, which is completely occupied by the chincoteague national wildlife refuge and the assateague island national seashore, and thus jointly administered by the u. We saw countless birds, marine wildlife, and as a spectacular finale. It is a place that wild ponies have called home for hundreds of years. Chincoteague island, virginia campground chincoteague. Chincoteague pony breed history assateague island is a barrier island of virginia and maryland. Dolphins and other marine creatures inhabit chincoteague. The island was once famous for its oysters but is now more known for the annual swim and auction of the wild horses of assateague. Book early for the pony penning the famous wild ponies theyre actually small horses have lived on assateague since the 1600s. The horses of chincoteague when i was a child, one of my favorite authors was marguerite henry.
Chincoteague and nearby assateague island are known for their freeranging herds of wild horses. She wrote about wild ponies that live on the island of chincoteague. Located on virginias eastern shore, chincoteague is within easy reach from all major cities on the midatlantic seaboard. Assateague is composed of a narrow band of sandy land with marshes, beaches, maritime forests and coastal bays. That is what youll find on assateague island national seashore, a barrier island off the coast of maryland and virginia. Each band has one dominate stallion and the rest are mares that the stallion breeds with. These small but sturdy, shaggy horses have adapted to their environment over the years by eating dune and marsh grasses and drinking fresh water from ponds. This is a rare opportunity to see the horses so close. Assateague island national seashore 2020 all you need to. While they appear tame, they are wild, and park rangers urge visitors not. His eyes lit up when i told him that it is true, the wild ponies really do exist.
The virginia section contains chincoteague national wildlife refuge. Assateague island is a 38 milelong wildlife refuge that since anyone can remember has been home to a herd of wild ponies that fluctuates in size every spring with a crop of new, knockkneed foals. Chincoteague was a barrier island until the mid1800s, when assateague extended so far south that it shielded chincoteague from the ocean. During each census, horses are identified by their distinguishing characteristics, mapped and counted. I ordered them for our 7 year old grandson and he loved them.
Early last saturday morning, the popular mare gokey gogo bones gave birth to a chestnut foal and the mother and daughter appear to be thriving thus far on the barrier island. When you stay at our waterfront hotel, youll be only 1. Welcome to the chincoteague island, virginia official. Aug 27, 2018 one unique area to visit while in ocean city, maryland is called assateague island. Assateague island, where the ponies live year round, is wilder than chincoteague. Jan 03, 2019 long known as a fishing village, chincoteague island became synonymous with the ponies after the book misty of chincoteague and a later movie. Assateagues wild horses assateague island national seashore. See more ideas about horses, wild horses and chincoteague ponies.
Assateagues wild horses assateague island national. Chincoteague, a small island community on the eastern shore of virginia, historically made its living from the sea. Fish and wildlife service and the national park service. For a lifetime, i have imagined a herd of wild ponies and could picture them swimming in the sea between the islands. Many visitors first learn about the assateague horses from marguerite henrys famous book misty of chincoteague. The story takes place during a traditional chincoteague festival called pony penning. Because the horses are handled by two separate entities the national park service on the maryland side your assateague ponies and the chincoteague volunteer fire department on the virginia side your chincoteague ponies, although theyre technically just on the virginia side of assateague island the horses on either side of the barrier. If thats the case, then today youre going to learn something new. It is located on assateague island, a barrier island bordered by the atlantic ocean on the east and the sinepuxent bay on the west. Marguerite henrys popular childrens book, misty of chincoteague, continues to make that true to this very day.
Chincoteague is a small island and historic fishing village on virginias eastern shore made famous for the annual swim of the wild horses of. The year of 1650 marks the first land grant issued on chincoteague island, for 1,500 acres 6. The breed was made famous by the misty of chincoteague series of novels written by marguerite henry starting in 1947. Set in the island town of chincoteague, virginia, the book tells the story of the beebe family and their efforts to raise a filly born to a wild horse. Chincoteague is 7 miles long and assateague is 37 miles long. Assateague state park is marylands only oceanfront park. For hundreds of years, wild ponies have lived on chincoteagues neighboring island, assateague. The wild ponies and childrens book misty of chincoteague are what chincoteague island is best known for. The wild and famous chincoteague ponies are a mustsee in our charming community.
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