Assateague State Park | |
Maryland State Park | |
Feral horses in Assateague State Park
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Country | United States |
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State | Maryland |
County | Worcester |
Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
Coordinates | 38°13′45″N 75°08′37″W / 38.22917°N 75.14361°WCoordinates: 38°13′45″N 75°08′37″W / 38.22917°N 75.14361°W |
Area | 855 acres (346 ha) |
Established | 1956 |
Management | Maryland Department of Natural Resources |
IUCN category | V - Protected Landscape/Seascape |
Website: 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.
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.
Wildlife found in the park's marsh areas include deer, waterfowl, and feral horses.