Assateague State Park - Assateague State Park

Assateague State Park is a publicly owned recreation area in Worcester County, Maryland, at the north end of Assateague Island, a barrier island bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Sinepuxent Bay on the west. The state park is bordered on both its north and south sides by Assateague Island National Seashore. The park offers wildlife viewing, beach activities, and camping facilities. It is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and is reached via the Verrazano Bridge (Route 611) which crosses Sinepuxent Bay.

HistoryEdit

State planners suggested establishing a state park on Assateague Island in 1940 and again in 1952. The park was created in 1956 when the Board of Public Works accepted a gift of 540 acres from North Ocean Beach, Incorporated. Funds for further acquisitions were allocated by the General Assembly in 1959 and 1962, with funding for facility development allocated in 1965.

WildlifeEdit

Wildlife found in the park's marsh areas include deer, waterfowl, and feral horses.

Activities and amenitiesEdit

• A campground has 350 sites.
• Rackliffe House, which overlooks Sinepuxent Bay, is a restored 18th-century coastal plantation building that houses the Coastal Maryland Heritage Center.
• The park is supported by volunteers working under the auspices of the non-profit Friends of Assateague State Park.

See alsoEdit

• Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

ReferencesEdit

External linksEdit

• Assateague State Park Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service