Tall Pines / Chesapeake Bay KOA Holiday Blog
2026 Season: March 12 - November 30!
Driving Directions from the North
A wild horse can wander past your car door on Beach Road without so much as a glance, completely unbothered by the traffic. That's the kind of moment that makes an Assateague Island day trip worth planning around, and the Virginia side of the island delivers it without a ferry, a lottery, or a multi-day commitment. Tom's Cove, the Assateague Lighthouse, and miles of open beach all sit inside Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, a short hop east of Temperanceville.
The refuge doesn't allow overnight stays, though, so where you sleep matters. Here's what the entrance actually costs, where to spot the horses, and why families keep choosing a full-hookup site at Tall Pines / Chesapeake Bay KOA over trying to make camping work on the island itself.
Temperanceville sits right on Route 13, and Route 175 splits off toward the coast just a few miles south. That turn is most of the trip. Chincoteague Island is roughly 13 miles away, about a 20-minute drive, and the Virginia entrance to Assateague Island National Seashore sits a couple of miles past town, over the Assateague Channel Bridge. Door to door, plan on close to 25 minutes from campsite to entrance gate.
Because Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the Virginia district of the National Seashore share one entrance, a single pass covers both:
If your stay runs more than a couple of days, the weekly pass usually beats paying daily twice. Guests who'd rather skip the driving can book the campground's own guided wildlife tour and shuttle to Chincoteague Island instead.
The wild horses on the Virginia side of Assateague aren't the same herd you'll read about in Maryland. This one is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, grazes on refuge land under a long-standing agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and was made famous by Marguerite Henry's novel Misty of Chincoteague. The Virginia herd generally runs around 150 horses in small bands across the marsh and dune grass.
Three spots give you the best odds of a sighting:
Late July brings the herd's best-known event, the Pony Swim, when the fire company drives the horses across the channel to Chincoteague for the annual foal auction that funds the department. For the full schedule, parking, and viewing-spot breakdown, see our dedicated Chincoteague Pony Swim guide. Outside that week, sightings stay fairly reliable most mornings and evenings. One rule matters more than any viewing tip: keep your distance. These are wild, unpredictable animals, and refuge staff ask visitors to stay at least 10 feet back, no exceptions for a better photo.
Two landmarks anchor most day trips to this side of the island, close enough together to see both in one visit.
The lighthouse rises just inside the refuge boundary, a black-and-white striped tower visible above the loblolly pines from the parking area near Tom's Cove. A paved path through maritime forest gets you there, flat enough for strollers, roughly a half mile round trip. The current tower dates to the 1860s, built after an earlier, shorter light failed to warn ships off the shifting shoals just offshore.
Climbing to the top isn't guaranteed every day. The lighthouse runs on a limited, volunteer-staffed schedule during the warmer months, so check the current calendar first. Even when the tower is closed, the grounds and gift shop stay open, and the climb involves a steep, narrow staircase better suited to older kids and adults.
Tom's Cove is the main swimming beach here, a few minutes past the lighthouse turnoff with its own parking lot, bathhouse, and seasonal lifeguard stands. The sand tends to be less crowded than the boardwalk scene up in Ocean City, and the water on the bay side of the cove stays calmer than the open Atlantic beach a short walk away.
A day trip runs smoother with a rough plan instead of winging it once you're through the gate. Here's a sequence that works well for most families staying at Tall Pines:
1. Check the tide and lighthouse schedule the night before. Low tide widens the beach, and knowing whether the lighthouse is climbable helps you budget your time.
2. Leave Tall Pines by mid-morning. Aim to be on the road by 9 or 9:30 a.m. so you're through the entrance booth before the lots fill up.
3. Buy your pass at the entrance station. Keep the receipt, since it doubles as your pass if you leave and come back the same day.
4. Drive the Wildlife Loop first. Horses are more active earlier in the day, well before the beach crowds settle in.
5. Walk to the lighthouse mid-morning. The path stays shaded longer before noon, and the climb, if it's open, beats the afternoon heat.
6. Spend midday at Tom's Cove. Pack a cooler, since food options are limited, and reapply sunscreen more than feels necessary.
7. Head back to Tall Pines by late afternoon, leaving time for the pool, the crabbing pier, or resetting before dinner.
The most common misconception about visiting is that you can pitch a tent or park an RV on the island itself. You can't, at least not on the Virginia side. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge prohibits overnight camping and overnight parking entirely, and the gates close at a posted time each evening. If wild horses and the lighthouse are the draw, this side of the island is a day-use destination, full stop.
For a family towing a 35-foot travel trailer who wants a pool between beach days, that comparison settles itself fast. Tall Pines puts you close enough to treat Assateague as an outing instead of the whole trip, then brings you back each evening to real hookups and a spot on Pocomoke Sound to watch the sun go down.
A daily vehicle pass costs $10 and covers both Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the Virginia district of Assateague Island National Seashore. A weekly pass runs $25, an annual refuge pass is $45, and walking or biking in is free.
No. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, which manages the Virginia side of the island, prohibits overnight camping and parking entirely. It's day-use only, with gates closing at a posted time each evening. Overnight camping on Assateague Island is only available at NPS campgrounds in the Maryland district, a considerable drive north.
Plan on roughly 25 minutes door to door. Temperanceville sits on Route 13, and Route 175 carries you east to Chincoteague Island in about 20 minutes, with a few more minutes to reach the Virginia entrance station past town, making it an easy half-day outing.
The Wildlife Loop and Beach Road offer the most reliable sightings, especially early morning or evening. The Marsh Trail boardwalk is a quieter option. Wherever you spot them, stay at least 10 feet back, since these are wild, unpredictable animals.
Tall Pines / Chesapeake Bay KOA sits on Pocomoke Sound in Temperanceville, Virginia, with full-hookup sites, cabins, and cottages about 25 minutes from Assateague Island, Chincoteague, and NASA Wallops.
That doesn't mean this area has to always be empty. When you start reviewing camping options, your history will display here to help compare sites and find the best stay. You will be able to share your stay information with friends or family and save it for a later time if you have a KOA Account.
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