Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is a 14,000-acre preserve on Assateague Island in Virginia and Maryland that protects beaches, dunes, marshes, impoundments, shrublands, and maritime forest within a dynamic barrier-island landscape. Established after federal land acquisition in 1943, it occupies an area once home to Assateague Village, which declined after residents lost access to Toms Cove and many homes were moved to Chincoteague Island. The refuge is famed for the Chincoteague ponies and the annual Pony Swim and foal auction. It also draws large crowds to its beach, shelters diverse wildlife, and includes the historic Assateague Lighthouse, completed in 1867.

Virginia · United States