Catoctin Mountain Park

INTRODUCTION AND LOGISTICS

Catoctin Mountain Park is located in Maryland, about 80 minutes north of GWG, and is managed by the National Park Service. The park features popular trails on the east side, with camping available on the west side. There is no entry fee, but camping requires advance reservations through recreation.gov. The park also includes several "camps," which are group lodging facilities. Additionally, it surrounds the Camp David presidential retreat. Cell phone coverage is limited, but I had good reception with Verizon in most areas. Here are recommendations for hiking, car camping, and backpacking, plus a stop to treat yourself after the trip.

HIKES

Wolf Rock (above left), Chimney Rock (above right), and Thurmont Vista are popular hiking destinations on the east side of the park. There are many routes to choose from, including several possible loops, depending on where you park and which sites you want to visit. The NPS map above shows a few of the options, and Upward Hiking describes an 8-mile loop.

Other hikes in the area include Cunningham Falls, an easy and very popular trail in nearby Cunningham Falls State Park.

CAR CAMPING

The Owens Creek Campground in Catoctin Mountain Park has 50 well-maintained sites, each with a 12’ x 12’ tent pad, picnic table, and fire ring. Hot showers and flush toilets are available. The campground is open from May through October, and there is a nightly fee of $30 (as of 2024). Reservations are required for all sites and can be made on recreation.gov.

Two nearby Maryland state parks also offer camping:

Gambrill State Park has 13 sites at the Rock Run Area Campground, including 4 with electrical hookups. Rates start at $18.50 per night.

Cunningham Falls State Park offers two options with hot showers and flush toilets starting at $21.50 per night (as of 2024):

• the William Houck Campground has 142 sites, including 36 with electrical hookups, with rates starting at $21.50 per night, 
• the Manor Area Campground has 27 sites, including 7 with electrical hookups, with rates starting at $21.50 per night. Manor is the only year-round campground, but note that showers and flush toilets are only available from April to October.

BEGINNING BACKPACKING

For new backpackers, the Adirondack Shelters on the west side of the park are recommended. The two three-sided Appalachian Trail-style shelters offer protection from bad weather, and each has its own privy and fire ring. These small shelters have a maximum occupancy of 5 people, and tents are not allowed. Your party will have the entire shelter to yourselves, making it ideal for first-timers. The shelters must be reserved in advance on recreation.gov for a nightly fee of $8 (as of 2024). Be sure to bring your bear canister, as there have been bear sightings in the park, and remember to pack out your trash.

The shelters are about 3 ½ miles from the trailhead. To reach them, park at Camp Round Meadow and follow the white-blazed Brown's Farm Trail to the Owens Creek Picnic Area. From there, take the orange-blazed (and unimaginatively named) Orange Trail, which leads to the shelters. Most intersections are marked with signs showing the way to the shelters, so navigation is straightforward. The pleasant trails have a few hilly sections and are just long enough to work up an appetite without being too tiring. The Brown's Farm Trail highlights some of the area's human history, and the Owens Creek Sawmill Exhibit is worth a short detour. Be sure to carry in all the water you'll need, as surface water in the park can be affected by agricultural runoff.

The west side of the park is much quieter than the popular east side. After seeing other hikers every few minutes when I visited Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock, I saw no one else on my way to the shelters that afternoon or on the way back to my car the next morning.

ADVANCED BACKPACKING

The 27-mile Catoctin Trail provides a unique backpacking opportunity to spend the days hiking and to camp in developed campgrounds. The trail passes through Gambrill State Park, Cunningham Falls State Park, and Catoctin Mountain Park, all of which offer developed campgrounds. The southern terminus is in Gambrill State Park, near the Rock Run Campground. Here are some approximate distances to parking and camping areas.

The Catoctin Trail Challenge covers the entire length of the Catoctin Trail in one night, with camping at Cunningham Falls SP Manor Campground. The hike consists of two days—about 16 miles on the first day and 11 miles on the second. You can self-shuttle with two cars, or have a friend with a support vehicle take your camping gear to Manor Camp, allowing you to "slackpack" with only what you need for the day. You can also choose different start and end points to shorten the hike, or add a second night on the trail. Here’s what I would do with two cars on a weekend:

(Thanks to Tina, one of our great customers, for telling me about this hike!)

Fun fact: Catoctin Mountain was first used as a presidential retreat in the 1940s and was named “Shangri-La” by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1953, President Eisenhower renamed the retreat "Camp David," after his grandson.

"WORTH A STOP"

The Little Red Barn Ice Cream Café in Jefferson, MD, is worth a stop. Treat yourself to their famous Reuben Sandwich and indulge your craving for ice cream!

Please stop by the store if you have any questions about the trails, camping, or gear you'll need. We love helping our neighbors get outside!

LINKS