The Wild Ponies of Chincoteague

Wander Here

Jan 10

Wander Here: Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge, Chincoteague Island, Virginia USA

Wander Here: Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge, Chincoteague Island, Virginia, USA

Living on the edge….of this tiny east coast island - an unforgettable (although chilly!) adventure.

We’ve all heard of Jekyl Island, Hatteras and Hilton Head...but what about Chincoteague and Assateague Island? A little lesser known, but so full of character, beauty and adventure it kills me a little that I never knew about them all these years. After discovering them one night while researching our cross country road trip, we instantly fell in love and knew no distance (even 21 hours of driving) could keep us away.

We home based on Chincoteague Island during our time there because we found the cutest little Airbnb (complete with chicken coop!), so on day one we headed just across the bridge to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge + Assateague National Seashore. Being November, it was off season which meant a chill in the air, but also nearly empty beaches and bike paths to explore. Because the ocean air had been calling to me day and night since Costa Rica this past summer, we started out hopping the dunes to let the kids run wild, chase shells and sea birds - and splash in the crisp Atlantic waves.

Standing on the edge of the surf and deep breathing in the moment, Viv suddenly ripped off her shoes and jacket, tossed them at Jon yelling “you only live once!!!” as she cartwheeled into the waves. Those euphoric moments are the ones I live for and replay over and over and over. I can still see the sheer joy written across her face as she danced + flipped + sprinted up and down the beach, the little girls and Linc, her wingmen. By the time we headed back toward the trails and refuge, all four kids were half soaking with sand blanketing their legs and feet. Definitely didn’t plan for swimming, but sometimes it’s just better that way, isn’t it? :)

Like so many places, the best way to explore the refuge is by bike. The trails are mostly pavement or gravel, perfect for cruising and searching for wildlife. We started off on the Woodland Trail and not too far down the trail, ditched our bikes to skip down a wooden path to the marshes, where the wild ponies were grazing in the distance. The kids loved using their binoculars to spot birds and get a more up-close look at the ponies.

After biking a little further up the refuge road, we hopped off our bikes again and hiked a little bit more rugged trail, the Lighthouse Trail, to the 100+ year old Chincoteague lighthouse! We had heard that you could find out if the lighthouse was open by walking the trail and….reading the sign posted out front hahaha. So there may have been a brief meltdown moment of one unnamed child when we biked and hiked only to find out (from the sign of course) it was closed for tours. But after the initial letdown, we still enjoyed playing around the lighthouse, scoping out the view through the binoculars there and taking lots of pics. Part of our homeschool lifestyle is learning in all the moments, so I loved sharing the stories I’d read of how the lighthouse keeper used to walk up and down the 175 steps with two five-gallon cans of oil every hour on the hour to keep the flame burning for the ships at sea. It’s hard to imagine the reality of it...so awe-inspiring to think about.

But let’s be honest...what really drew us to Chincoteague (aside from the ocean) was word of the wild ponies that lived on the island, and while we had been able to see them several times across the marshes, we were still hoping to get a closer view. I guess the Chincoteague ponies really like their marshlands, at least in the off-season, so we knew a trip to Assateague State park the next day was a must. In search of wild ponies we went!

to be continued…

Wander Guide

Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge, Chincoteague Island, Virginia

Cost

You can purchase a daily pass to get into the Wildlife Refuge + Assateague National Seashore for $10 or a weekly pass for $25. You can also purchase year-long entrance for $45.

But if you like to frequent the National Parks like we do, I recommended purchasing a yearly National Parks Pass that will get you into any of the national parks for just $80.

Hours

Open year round, 24 hours a day

Facilities

There are campground style bathrooms located at the end of the road, near the NPS Visitor Center.

What to Pack

It depends on during which season you’re visiting! We visited during off-season, so we packed water, snacks, binoculars, bug spray, layers like jackets and sweaters. And if your kids are anything like mine and don’t feel temperature - a chance of clothes/socks for after they frolic in the ocean:)). If you’re going during a warmer season, make sure and add in all the beach things like swimsuits, towels, sunscreen and a blanket.

Things to Know

We weren’t able to get up close and personal with the ponies because they hung out in the distant marshes while we were in the Refuge this day. But if you do come across them on the paths or at the beach, give them their space. On the advice of the visitor’s center, we told our kiddos a bus length away to be extra safe. As cute and magical as they are, they’re still wild animals! And after our little run-in with the wild horses in Costa Rica last summer, we know you can’t be too careful:)