 Photo Courtesy Jack Ryan
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Facilities and Activities:
| Day-Use | Fishing | yes | | | Hunting | yes | | | Hiking Trail, miles | yes |
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Nearby Parks:
Assateague Island National Seashore
Vaughn State Wildlife Management Area
Assateague State Park
Shad Landing State Park
Milburn Landing State Park
Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge
Pocomoke State Forest
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| National Park Contact Information: |
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Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
8231 Beach Road
Chincoteague, Virginia 23336
Email: fw5rw_cnwr@fws.gov
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Photography: add your photos
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| National Park Overview: |
| Chincoteague NWR, located primarily on the Virginia side of Assateague Island, consists of more than 14,000 acres of beach, dunes, marsh, and maritime forest. Chincoteague Refuge, originally established in 1943 to provide habitat for migratory birds (with an emphasis on conserving greater snow geese), today provides habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and song birds, as well as other species of wildlife and plants. Refuge staff manage this barrier island habitat to allow many species of wildlife to coexist, each establishing their own place in the environment. In fact, more than 320 species of birds are known to occur on the refuge. The refuge has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area, is part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and designated as one of the top ten birding Hotspots by the National Audubon Society.
Refuge management programs restore threatened and endangered species such as the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel, the bald eagle and the piping plover. More than 2,600 acres of man-made marshes, or moist soil management units, are managed for wintering waterfowl and shorebirds during migration. Unique residents of the island, the famous Chincoteague ponies, are housed in two areas on the refuge through a special agreement with the ponies' owners, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.
With approximately 1.4 million visits a year, Chincoteague NWR is one of the most visited refuges in the nation. Chincoteague Refuge provides visitors with extraordinary educational and recreational opportunities. In addition, a special partnership exists with the National Park Service which allows Assateague Island National Seashore to administer public activities on a five-mile portion of the refuge beach.
The new Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center is currently under the construction phase and will open in 2003. The Center will offer educational exhibits, an auditorium and wet laboratory/classroom for visiting groups. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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A great place to go
I really enjoyed going to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. I wish I could have seen more but some the trail were closed that day, definately something that I will return to do.
Written by Crystal
21-May-2009
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Funny sand crabs
We really enjoyed Chincoteague this year. You can walk miles in the soft sand and have fun watching the ghost crabs peeping from their hiding places. If you prefer a place where you can have privacy and great seafood, go visit Chincoteague!
Written by Anna
7-Jul-2009
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Wonderful History & Wow The Food
We visited this park because it was relatively close to Wallops Island, a NASA launch site for atmospheric rockets. We found a clean little motel only a few miles away and very good restaurants down by the ocean. The style was relaxed and family friendly. We also stayed at a Bed and Breakfast where the main event was feeding the twenty plus cats that the owners had rescued. The cats were friendly and the owners were too. It was a relaxing vacation and we discovered the wild horses were probably from the time of Spanish exploration. Several hundred years and they had still survived. Many happy memories.
Written by FrankLivingFully
2-Jan-2010
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...vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental, etc read more.... |
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| Related Links: |
| New Refuge Visitor Complex for Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge - Proposed New Visitor Complex for Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge | | Birding on Assateague and Chincoteague - Birds by Type - Chincoteague and Assateague Birding List by Type | | Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge - Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island. Do not leave cameras in the trunk! Have them ready all the time! The Islands of Assateague and Chincoteague have a lot more than just... | | Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge - Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Delaware River / Delmarva Coastal Area Ecosystem. Information about this Refuge is currently being assembled. You can contact the refuge by: Phone... | | Calander of Events - Introduction. History. Wildlife. Habitat. Management. Visitor Services. Calendar of Events. Kids Corner. Directions. Frequently Asked Questions. Opportunities. Contact CNWR. Chincoteague... | | Area Campgrounds | | |
| Directions: |
| From the Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel near Norfolk, Virginia, take US 13 North to State Route 175 East to Chincoteague Island. After crossing the bridge to Chincoteague, turn left at the traffic light onto Main Street. At Maddox Blvd. turn right and follow for about 2.5 miles, which will take you directly onto the refuge. |
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