Finding Wild Horses in Maryland & Virginia
Return to Finding Wild Horses here for tips on visiting the range and to find herds in other areas
The Assateague wild horses and Chincoteague wild ponies can be found at the Assateague Island National Seashore. The island is divided by the state line and a fence with the Assateague on the north end and the Chincoteague on the south end.
The Assateague wild horses are managed by the National Park Service and the Chincoteague wild ponies are managed by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company who purchase a grazing permit each year that allows the ponies to graze in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
The Grayson Highlands and Mt Rogers ponies are not a BLM herd, but well worth visiting. They can be found at Grayson Highlands State Park and the Mt Rogers National Recreation Area.
The Assateague wild horses are managed by the National Park Service and the Chincoteague wild ponies are managed by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company who purchase a grazing permit each year that allows the ponies to graze in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
The Grayson Highlands and Mt Rogers ponies are not a BLM herd, but well worth visiting. They can be found at Grayson Highlands State Park and the Mt Rogers National Recreation Area.
Assateague Island National Seashore Wild Horses and Ponies
Size: 48,000 acres
Number of wild horses and ponies in the area is approximately 300
Size: 48,000 acres
Number of wild horses and ponies in the area is approximately 300
Assateague Wild Horses
The Assateague National Seashore area is mostly paved and suitable for all vehicles. There is an off-road sand area in the southern end; if you have have experience driving on sand and letting the air out of your tires, you can get a Over Sand Vehicle Permit and tour this area to see additional wild horses. To visit the National Seashore you will also need a National Park Pass or to purchase a day pass. Park passes can be purchased at the Visitor Center which is on the right just before the Verrazano Bridge.
There is also camping available in the area either in tents or your RV/camper. The closest town to stay in is Ocean City, about 10 miles from the entrance to the Seashore. There are plenty of hotels and condos available for overnight stays.
As soon as you cross over the Verrazano Bridge to enter the National Seashore you may begin to see wild horses along the road or out in the marshes. I suggest taking every small available public road and driving through every parking lot to look for horses. At the parking lots, park and look for horses over the dunes near the water. If you see wild horses along the road ways, go slow and give them space. Do not block the road, pull over safely off the road away from the horses if you want to photograph them. Remember to keep your distance and give the wild horses the space they need.
If you get the Over Sand Vehicle Permit to drive the southern beach area, go slow and keep your eyes peeled to your right looking for horses around the dunes. If you plan to do any hiking on the trails in the marshes, I highly suggest high rain boots as the area can be muddy and there are ticks in the grasses.
There are picnic tables available so take a lunch with you to enjoy the day.
There is also camping available in the area either in tents or your RV/camper. The closest town to stay in is Ocean City, about 10 miles from the entrance to the Seashore. There are plenty of hotels and condos available for overnight stays.
As soon as you cross over the Verrazano Bridge to enter the National Seashore you may begin to see wild horses along the road or out in the marshes. I suggest taking every small available public road and driving through every parking lot to look for horses. At the parking lots, park and look for horses over the dunes near the water. If you see wild horses along the road ways, go slow and give them space. Do not block the road, pull over safely off the road away from the horses if you want to photograph them. Remember to keep your distance and give the wild horses the space they need.
If you get the Over Sand Vehicle Permit to drive the southern beach area, go slow and keep your eyes peeled to your right looking for horses around the dunes. If you plan to do any hiking on the trails in the marshes, I highly suggest high rain boots as the area can be muddy and there are ticks in the grasses.
There are picnic tables available so take a lunch with you to enjoy the day.
Chincoteague Wild Ponies
The Chincoteague wild ponies are found on the southern end of the Assateague Island National Seashore within the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The nearest town is Chincoteague and there are small hotels and rental houses to stay in for overnight trips. This portion of the Seashore is also paved in most areas and suitable for all vehicles, and you will need a park pass or day pass to enter the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, which can be purchased at the gate. In addition to the wild ponies, there is other wildlife to view including many varieties of birds, deer, and other small mammals.
In my opinion it is not as easy to see wild horses here as it is in the northern section but it is a nice area with plenty to see during your visit including the Assateague Lighthouse. Just after you pass the entrance station there is a wildlife loop you can drive but it is only open certain hours and I'm not sure the ponies have access to the area.
About .9 miles in from the entrance station the views from the road open up and you can start looking for ponies to the right on the other side of the fence. There are some hikes and bike trails in the area to help you get around too. This is a small area and the road quickly ends at Assateague Beach. If you are staying overnight in town or camping on the island I suggest driving around at different times of the day to find the ponies.
In my opinion it is not as easy to see wild horses here as it is in the northern section but it is a nice area with plenty to see during your visit including the Assateague Lighthouse. Just after you pass the entrance station there is a wildlife loop you can drive but it is only open certain hours and I'm not sure the ponies have access to the area.
About .9 miles in from the entrance station the views from the road open up and you can start looking for ponies to the right on the other side of the fence. There are some hikes and bike trails in the area to help you get around too. This is a small area and the road quickly ends at Assateague Beach. If you are staying overnight in town or camping on the island I suggest driving around at different times of the day to find the ponies.
The Feral Ponies of Grayson Highlands and Mt Rogers
This is not a BLM or Forest Service herd. The Grayson Highlands and Mt Rogers ponies generally hang out in the pony triangle which consists of open spaces inside the Grayson Highlands State Park and the Mt Rogers National Recreation Area. The state park is run by state employees and the National Rec Area by Federal employees. So the basic rules are a bit different but they ask that you refrain from touching or feeding the ponies and that you remain a safe distance from them and respect their space. The ponies are considered feral because they are all owned by a 5013C organization called the Wilburn Ridge Pony Association.
If you look at a map the ponies generally range from the state park area near Massie Gap, which forms the point of an upside down triangle. They then fan out along the edges of the Appalachian trail South towards Mt Rogers and North towards the "Scales" area ... this being the long end of the triangle. The ponies are not allowed in the Wilderness areas and are mostly fenced off from them.
You can start your hike from Grayson Highlands State Park as it provides easy parking and access to the trails leading to the ponies. There is a $10 fee to enter the park. You might find ponies in just 10 minutes because they like to graze the Bald just up from the Parking lot there. For the more motivated and adventurous hiker, you can hike along the Appalachian trail for views and look down for ponies and along the trail you can find them among in the little saddle dips and balds between the high points. You can follow the Appalachian trail or one of the horse trails to Mt Rogers, such as the Rhododendron trail to Rhododendron Gap which is also a horseback trail. This trail is lower and also has bald patches where the ponies like to graze. You will find these two hikes to be the most fruitful.
The wilder herds roam along the trails known as the Crest Trail and along the Old AT which is now called the Pine Mt Trail and across the "top" of the triangle to the other side to the "Scales" where the North Bound AT crosses into the wilderness area and out of the Recreation Area. These remote trails are really only accessible by hiking in and they form the top part of the upside down triangle with Grayson Highlands State Park as the point. If you want to do a loop you will need the map as it calls for hiking on different trails.
You can use the paper maps that National Geographic makes of the area.. There are 2: one is #318 Map, more detailed of the State Park and surrounding area. And the other is #786 Of Mt Rogers National Recreation Area; Jefferson National Forest.
I want to thank Elizabeth Wegmann, The Feral Ponies of Grayson Highlands and Mt Rogers for all of this information! You can follow their Facebook page here for more directions and places to see the ponies.
If you look at a map the ponies generally range from the state park area near Massie Gap, which forms the point of an upside down triangle. They then fan out along the edges of the Appalachian trail South towards Mt Rogers and North towards the "Scales" area ... this being the long end of the triangle. The ponies are not allowed in the Wilderness areas and are mostly fenced off from them.
You can start your hike from Grayson Highlands State Park as it provides easy parking and access to the trails leading to the ponies. There is a $10 fee to enter the park. You might find ponies in just 10 minutes because they like to graze the Bald just up from the Parking lot there. For the more motivated and adventurous hiker, you can hike along the Appalachian trail for views and look down for ponies and along the trail you can find them among in the little saddle dips and balds between the high points. You can follow the Appalachian trail or one of the horse trails to Mt Rogers, such as the Rhododendron trail to Rhododendron Gap which is also a horseback trail. This trail is lower and also has bald patches where the ponies like to graze. You will find these two hikes to be the most fruitful.
The wilder herds roam along the trails known as the Crest Trail and along the Old AT which is now called the Pine Mt Trail and across the "top" of the triangle to the other side to the "Scales" where the North Bound AT crosses into the wilderness area and out of the Recreation Area. These remote trails are really only accessible by hiking in and they form the top part of the upside down triangle with Grayson Highlands State Park as the point. If you want to do a loop you will need the map as it calls for hiking on different trails.
You can use the paper maps that National Geographic makes of the area.. There are 2: one is #318 Map, more detailed of the State Park and surrounding area. And the other is #786 Of Mt Rogers National Recreation Area; Jefferson National Forest.
I want to thank Elizabeth Wegmann, The Feral Ponies of Grayson Highlands and Mt Rogers for all of this information! You can follow their Facebook page here for more directions and places to see the ponies.