Catoctin Mountain Park

Popularized by the President, prized by the People.

Tucked into the secluded shadow of Catoctin Mountain sits the country's most famous vacation home. Technically-speaking, Camp David is a military base and not a vacation home. However, in a natural setting as alluring as Catoctin Mountain Park, it's easy to mistake this high-security military base for a Frederick County, Maryland mountain house.

Understandably, the Camp David compound is cut off and separated from the main Catoctin Mountain Park hiking area. No worries though, the Executive Branch left plenty of park for the rest of us.

Chimney Rock in Catoctin Mountain Park

Trails and Vistas

Six featured attractions grace the park's hiking trails:

Chimney Rock: Expansive view from a visually-stunning rock outcropping
Wolf Rock: No vista to speak of, but a large rock formation with interpretative signs and rock climbing opportunities
Thurmont Vista: Self-explanatory - the town of Thurmont is visible to the southeast
Blue Ridge Summit Overlook: Tree-lined view of the park's expansive northern section
Hog Rock: The highest overlook on the trail at 1610 ft.
Cunningham Falls: A cascading 78-foot waterfall along Big Hunting Creek

The last attraction on the list, Cunningham Falls, is actually in Cunningham Falls State Park, which borders Catoctin Mountain Park directly to the south.

The National Park Service website has a page dedicated to the many different hiking circuit and loop options available for Catoctin hikers. However, two loop options stand out from the rest.

Full Loop (8.5 miles): If you have the time and energy, there is no better way to experience Catoctin Mountain Park than hiking the full length of the outer loop in Catoctin's main hiking area. This loop features stops at all six of the main attractions.
Cunningham Falls / Hog Rock / Blue Ridge Summit Loop (5 miles): This loop cuts out three of the features, but adds the the experience of the pleasant, moderately-pitched central connector trail.

When to Go

Sign marking the entrance to the Visitor Center in Catoctin Mountain Park

The trees of Catoctin Mountain Park offer generous shade in the summer and enhanced vistas in the winter. However, the deciduous hardwood forest that makes up the park truly shines in the fall. By mid to late October, the maples, oaks, and tulip poplars paint the landscape in a dizzying array of autumn colors. If you visit during the weekends of October 17-18 or October 24-25, join a Fall Color Walk with a Catoctin Park Ranger.

Day Hiking Paradise

With multiple loop options, easy access trail heads, and eye-popping vistas, Catoctin Mountain Park is a day hiker's paradise. Chris Elbich, a Catoctin Park Ranger, notes:

We see a lot of people with heavy backpacks using our park as a training ground for longer trips. It's a great place to stay fit.

Chris is being modest - Trail Voice proclaims Catoctin as a must-hike destination for any Washington DC area outdoors enthusiast.

Location / Directions: Thurmont, MD
Park Size: 5,770 acres
Surface / Difficulty: Natural; Moderate
Trail Map: Maps page for Catoctin Mountain Park
Additional Info: See the park's website for upcoming events and more