U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Reviews

Great place to see nature. Enjoyed seeing the wild ponies and the other wildlife in the area

We saw bunnies, wild horses, a bold eagle, and all kinds of other animals.

Really beautiful, clean, great! Kids loved the beach, I loved seeing the wild horses.

Love to watch the ponies, be near the ocean, just relax

The beach was awesome! It was a nice cooler but sunny day. We had a great time!

We went for the day and were charged for an entire week. No daily pass. Ridiculous. Overall it was okay.

Terrible place blah just awful. Lol. I can't move here fast enough

Great views of the famous Chincoteague Ponies. Awesome beach, showers, ! Bring your own food & Drinks! Miles of beach 2 walk on!

this is an amazing area. The two islands are barely above sea level. I wonder how long this beauty will last? The rangers are knowledgeable and helpful and we got to see the horses!

Awesome experience, the trails were nice and we saw lots of wildlife while walking. The lighthouse tour offered an awesome view of the entire area and even though there was a lot of steps it wasnt too bad to climb.

Don't speed over the bridge when entering! It's tempting because it's a long empty stretch, especially in the desolate winter but there is a cop monitoring your speed over the bridge.

A lovely refuge. We saw the Chincoteague ponies, as well as plenty of bird species. Do check out the visitors center - it's really informative.

Beautiful. Place. Lots of wild birds, wild ponies, deer and sitka elk.

Peaceful, beautiful place to visit,especially in the off season. Have enjoyed coming here over the years.

$20 visitors admission and $40 for a year. If you plan to make multiple visits pay for the later. During off season payment is done on an honor system. Arrived about noon on Saturday and absolutely no horses in sight, but the beach walk was refreshing. Sunday morning we witnessed about a dozen horses after being told that an opening in a fence allowed them to get free. Horses were all branded with numbers on the left hip and were obviously indifferent to the humans vying to get photos alongside them. Wished we had some carrots or apples to share and bought some for the following morning, but on Monday morning, there were no horses in sight. So grateful for the Sunday morning experience, the visit to the light house and the long walk around the loop in the park. All well worth the price of admission.

Nice paths for walking and bicycling. Great overlook areas for photography as well.

One stop to make in Chincoteague to learn about the area,its wildlife and history

Great beach, offbeat and many birds to watch clean restrooms and changing places nice place for wknd getaway

Peaceful. Restful. Quiet. Desolate on a drizzling Mother s Day.

The Visitor Center was a perfect place to begin the exploration of the Chincoteague National Park. Lots of information including maps, a souvenir store that carries Misty of Chincoteague, educational exhibits, volunteers to patiently answer questions, and clean rest rooms here.

The lighthouse was opened. Old and young managed the steep 175 steps to the top of the lighthouse. Many of us were huffing and puffing. Some of us gave up. A few kids said that it was scary. The reward at the end was the aerial view of the Atlantic Ocean, bay, park, and town of Chincoteague.

For me, the best part of the park was the 3 1/2 mile Wildlife Loop. Cars were not permitted until 3 p.m. Pedestrians and cyclists had the entire loop to themselves. Wild birds and wildflowers were abundant. No wild ponies, only their droppings.

Benches dotted the loop. I rested on one of the benches to breathe the beauty and enjoy quiet time.

Wild turkeys called out boisterously. Herons or egrets or ibises or Canada geese flew, fussed, fought, and whistled. A deer chomped quietly. The mosquitoes and flies bit my face and hands. They got smacked!

Around the loop were trails. I took the trail to the beach. Devoid of people. Only roaring waves, seagulls, strong winds, intermittent rain, and white clean sand. Heaven on earth.

This was a lovely national park. It was small enough so it did not overwhelm but large enough to hold interest. It was indeed a Happy Mother s Day.

Great visitor center, nice hiking trails beautiful beach, but unfortunately we were there off season.

One of the most beautiful place I have ever visited. The shore, wild ponies, and light house is nice

Beautiful, unadulterated nature without the hassle of the outer banks.

Beautiful beach!
This is probably one of the best natural beaches you'll ever see. It's not the type you see on the boardwalk where they groom it each night with machines. It's a natural beach that somehow is easy on your feet to walk on and seems to keep itself clean on it's own. In comparison, Assateague Island, which is basically right around the corner, is much rougher to walk for some reason. It's not as beautiful nor as enjoyable in my opinion. Chincoteague also has a quaint little town full of charm which you could explore all day if so desired. I recommend it for the whole family.

All about nature- from the woods to the marsh to the ocean!

Had such a great time with family. The waves and the cross current were a bit strong that day, but we still had fun. Beautiful scenery.

Very special place. We're blessed to be able to share and enjoy it.

Neat place to check out wild horses/ponies. Also has a nice beach. It is in close proximity to a NASA launch site at Wallops Island. There is a lot to do. I'm sure there are plenty of hiking trails available.

Very very peaceful place to go small town great place if you want to relax, we rented a Moped while we were there and it was pretty amazing you could from one corner to another in less than 10 min the downside you mosquitos a bug repellent is a must if you go during the summer like I did I would definitely go back to it again.

Nice beaches and the programs with the rangers are great fun and educational for the entire family.

Enjoyed walking to the lighthouse and seeing the wild ponies.

Great place to visit. Wild horses, beaches, hiking, and a cool light house.

The rangers are kind and provide informative suggestions. Enjoyed the hikes and wildlife. Be aware of the bugs for the hikers. They are wild.

Beautiful, well maintained, pristine, beach and wildlife refuge. Make sure you go to the top of the lighthouse for the gorgeous view and bring your bug spray!!

Beautiful scenery, nice beaches and plenty of trails!

Amazing park and beach. We were able to see the ponies on out drive in while they were feeding in the marsh.

Went only with the intentions of climbing the lighthouse, checked the website to make sure it was open and then got there and paid twenty dollars only to get to the lighthouse and find out it's closed! What's the point of a website if you aren't going to have the correct information! Don't expect a refund!

Amazing visitors center. Be sure to ask to see the video.

Loved being out on the water. Really loved seeing the ponies.

Such a peaceful place. If you want a beach not packed with people. This place is a hidden gem. You may access the island free by bike but cars are $20 for the day or $40 for the season.

Very quiet and only 3 other people here, a little chilly but the ponies will walk right along with you, great time!

Loved seeing the animals...especially the squirrels and the horses!

Beautiful wildlife preserve. Just properly prepare for never ending mosquitoes

Absolutely loved seeing the ponies in their natural state. The mosquitos were terrible though. Make sure you have $20 for the fee. You can come and go for 7 days on the fee. And the beach is at the end of the drive. Magnificent

Beautiful natural pine island with coastal marshlands. Not only can you see the wild ponies that inhabit the island but also you can enjoy blue herons, egrets, and hundreds of fouls that migrate the eastern shore. A short walk down a pine lined path will bring you the foot of the 1866 Assateague lighthouse. All that is before you to the shore. As you cruve you waythough the pines, the marshlands open up into back bays and then to sand dunes. Just over the dunes is a beautiful beach. This is a place you can truly spend all day and want to come back tomorrow.

We took our car onto the wildlife loop ($8). Certainly worth it - there are so many birds, deer, and of course the ponies! It took us 30 minutes to locate them, but it was a great day "out in nature". Certainly worth a visit if you're around! A perhaps even better way to visit is by boat - either you own, rent one, or be toured around.

Nice little park - cost $10 to get into the park. The walk up the lighthouse was pretty cool, nice views at the top (especially in the fall when these images were taken).

It's a nice place to visit, but to go on the beach for just one day is a little pricy.

Great family vacation away room the hustle of boardwalks. Calm, peaceful, enjoy nature setting with the option of amusement areas, local restaurants, crabbing, kayaking, etc...

A must stop.. love this place.. A+, Smell the salt in the air and view nature.. bike , hike.. Fall in Love..

Wonderfully unique. The entire island is charged with natural beauty. One can have a peaceful getaway or exciting adventure.*** If you're going to see the ponies swim, watching from the water is the only way I Strongly suggest doing it. It's the best view. Not worth going, to watch from the shore (very limited veiw.) Bring your own, or rent a kayak/canoe.
My girlfriend and I brought our own canoe. We paid $10 to park and $25 to launch. We had a terrific time!

We've been here twice and loved it!!! Would recommend to anyone. Such beautiful natural scenery and the ponies are the best.

Amazing day trip to take. Great part of the eastern shore

Lovely views and ponies galore. We climbed the lighthouse and could see for miles. Beautiful!