Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Welcome to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge located on Virginia’s Assateague Island.

Refuge History: This is a place famous for it’s wild horses and nobody quite knows how they first arrived on the island but one legend says that they swam ashore from a sinking Spanish ship. Most historians believe that the horses are left over from livestock days. This is a place where many shipwrecks have occured, the most famous of which was the Yacht of President Benjamin Harrison which ran ashore on October 10, 1891. One of the more notable landmarks of this refuge is the Assateague Lighthouse which was constructed in 1867 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Flora and Fauna: Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge helps to protect the home of numerous plant and animal species. Some of the plants that grow inside the refuge include red oaks, pink lady’s slippers, mayweeds, loblolly pines, white oaks, red maples, and sweet gums. Some of the wild animals that inhabit this refuge include Fowler’s toads, snapping turltes, redback salamanders, bullfrogs, seagulls, egrets, blue herons, brown pelicans, bald eagles, ospreys, raccoons, red foxes, brown bats, white tailed deer, river otters, and Choncoteague ponies. Please treat their home with respect.

For the lover of the outdoors Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge boasts miltipurpose trails, horseback riding on the beach, and much more. Come on out and have a blast!