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By Morris Dye

Assateague Island, Virginia and Maryland

Celebrity has not spoiled the extraordinary natural beauty of this 37-mile-long barrier island straddling the Virginia-Maryland border, known to generations of childhood readers as the birthplace of Misty of Chincoteague. Almost 60 years after author Marguerite Henry's equestrian tale brought instant fame to Assateague and neighboring Chincoteague, small, wild horses still graze the island's low, salty grasslands, and careful management by a trio of government agencies has shielded the area from commercial exploitation, making it one of the most alluring stretches of coastal wilderness in the mid-Atlantic region.

Assateague is accessible by car from mainland Maryland near Ocean City, and from Chincoteague Island in far northeastern Virginia, though most of the undeveloped Atlantic seashore can only be reached on foot or by off-road vehicle (permit required). Camping is permitted on the Maryland side of the border, while the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge lands on the Virginia side are only open to day use, with lodging available across the bridge on Chincoteague.

Information: Assateague Island National Seashore, 757-336-6577 or 410-641-1441; Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, 757-336-6122; Assateague State Park, 410-641-2120.

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