Courtesy Ocean City CVB
Assateague National Seashore
Situated on an island near the popular vacation destination of Ocean City, Md., Assateague Island National Seashore may be best known for the herd of wild horses that inhabits it.
“Legend has it that many years ago, there were Spanish ships wrecked off the coast, and the ponies swam to the island,” said Donna Abbot of the Ocean City Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The other story is that there were farmers trying to avoid livestock taxes, so they took their horses over to the island, and they’ve been there ever since.”
Whatever their origin, the wild horses are one of the highlights of a visit to the island, which has no human population. The park service has a visitors center on the island, along with campgrounds and hiking trails.
Groups that visit the island often take short treks on the wooden walkways built over the beach, where they can look out at the surf and see the horses, pelicans, miniature sika deer and other wildlife that live in the area.
Island experiences are also available on sightseeing cruises, which sail by the island, and ecotours, which explore the back bays between the island and the Maryland mainland.
