Wild Horse Island Virginia
T he annual round up of the wild chincoteague ponies from chincoteague national wildlife refuge on assateague island is cancelled for 2020.
Wild horse island virginia. Located on virginia s eastern shore chincoteague is within easy reach from all major cities on the mid atlantic seaboard. Fish wildlife service refuge and state park the land and water boundaries of. Saturday july 25 2020. Assateague became a national park in 1965 and together with the u s.
The island was once famous for its oysters but is now more known for the annual swim and auction of the wild horses of assateague. Volunteer firemen round up the ponies on assateague island and on the last wednesday in july before the last thursday swim them across the channel to chincoteague island where they rest. Like much of virginia chincoteague island is a fantastic place for a vacation no matter the time of year. The wild horses on assateague are actually feral animals meaning that they are descendants of domestic animals that have reverted to a wild state.
Watched a fascinating short film on the wild horses at the national park visitors center drove over the bridge onto assateague island and immediately saw. Assateague island national seashore is located close to chincoteague island virginia and ocean city maryland assateague contains over 37 miles of pristine beach. The weekend prior to wednesday s pony swim saltwater cowboys on horseback will begin to round up the approximately 150 adult wild ponies that live on assateague island along with the 60 to 70 foals that were born in the spring. Assateague s south entrance is a 1 4 mile east of chincoteague its north entrance is eight miles from ocean city.
This event has captured the hearts and minds of visitors for years. Assateague island wild ponies travel the beach near chincoteague virginia ocean city maryland. Read all 1 076 reviews full view. Chincoteague island is virginia s only resort island.
Cumberland island national seashore the largest and southernmost barrier island in georgia is home to more than 200 wild or feral horses. The chincoteague national wildlife refuge is a wonderfully unspoiled spot for bird watching horseback riding swimming and biking. Chincoteague is the gateway to the virginia portion of assateague island and the chincoteague national wildlife refuge home of the famous chincoteague wild ponies. More than 300 wild ponies wander the beaches inland pine forest and salt marshes.
Although some of their original roots may have similarities to those of the wild horses in north carolina and virginia the cumberland island horses are larger because of mixed breeding.