Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland
Look Out for the Poison Ivy — It's Beautiful
By Mark LegerAssateague Island
National Seashore
Maryland
Assateague in autumn
Have you ever wondered what lemming-like instinct makes beachgoers all arrive at the seashore on Memorial Day — and leave on Labor Day? On some beaches, fall is the best season of all. For an example, check out the 20-mile-long beach on Assateague Island. Just a channel away from hideously overdeveloped Ocean City, Maryland, Assateague Island is a barrier island that has been kept in its natural state thanks to three separate parks: Assateague State Park and Assateague National Seashore, in Maryland, and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, in Virginia.
Fall sets the dunes aflame with color as the poison ivy — an important part of the ecosystem, which holds the dunes together and provides berries for birds — turns a brilliant red. The water is still warm enough for bathing; you might even see a dolphin or two swimming parallel to the shore (not to mention one of the island's famous wild ponies). And not only are the crowds are long gone, but the island's infamous mosquitoes have also closed up shop for the season — most of them, that is. In their place, you'll find beautiful monarch butterflies, who make Assateague one of their autumn stops along their annual migratory routes.
No camping is permitted on the Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge, although there are commercial campgrounds nearby. Camping is permitted on the Assateague side, either in car campgrounds on in several backcountry sites. You can walk from the Assateague side to a campsite on the Chincoteague border (permits required) in one day, then walk to the Chincoteague side the next day.
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