Catoctin Mountain Park
President Franklin D. Roosevelt created programs to give people a chance to rebuild their lives from the Great Depression. The Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps gave this land a second opportunity and through re-growth, a new role as a recreation area.
About 1 hours from Baltimore and 1.5 hours from Washington by car.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Catoctin Mountain Park | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
When to go
October draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Owens Creek Campground | 51 sites | |
| $30 a night · Open for servations May through October. | ||
| Poplar Grove Youth Group Tent Campground | 3 sites | |
| $35 a night · Open for reservations April - November · 3 reservable | ||
| Adirondack Shelters | 2 sites | |
| $10 a night · The Adirondack shelters are available year round. · 2 reservable | ||
| Camp Misty Mount ↗ | 29 sites | |
| Open for reservations May - October · 30 reservable | ||
| Camp Greentop | 1 site | |
| $1500 a night · Reservations available in early May and mid-August through October. Please contact the Camp Manager for more information. | ||
Show all 6 campgroundsHide
| Camp Round Meadow | 1 site | |
| $1500 a night · Open for reservations mid-March through mid-December · 1 reservable | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
The visitor center hosts new exhibits, installed in spring 2019. Learn about the history of Catoctin Mountain and the national park that was created here.
Explore
Things to do
- 8-Mile Loop Trail4-6 Hours
Covering the majority of the sites on the east side of the park, the 8-Mile Loop Trail provides hikers with a good challenge and rewards them with all of the best scenic points along the mountain ridge.
Opens on the Park Service site - Cabin Camping
Lodging in the park can facilitate groups both large and small.
Opens on the Park Service site - Fishing at Lewis Pond1-2 Hours
The Lewis Pond offers a quiet and peaceful opportunity to go freshwater fishing.
Opens on the Park Service site - Fly Fishing
Big Hunting Creek is a catch-and-return, fly fishing stream.
Opens on the Park Service site - Rock Climbing
Wolf Rock is the only location on site open to technical rock climbing.
Opens on the Park Service site - Deerfield Nature Trail40-60 Minutes
This 1.3 mile loop trail travels along Owens Creek, exploring the historical and ecological importance of the area.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Brown's Farm Trail30-45 Minutes
The Brown's Farm Trail is a mostly flat, half-mile loop trail that passes through several different forest ecosystems and the remains of an early 1900s farmstead.
Opens on the Park Service site - Picnic Areas
Catoctin Mountain Park offers many places for individuals to sit down and enjoy a meal under the forest canopy.
Opens on the Park Service site - Park Museum
Step inside the visitor center to walk through the park museum exhibits.
Opens on the Park Service site - Catoctin Junior Ranger Program40-120 Minutes
Come explore Catoctin Mountain Park with our Junior Ranger Book!
Opens on the Park Service site - Orienteering
If you would like to practice your orienteering skills, the park maintains courses that are available for public use.
Opens on the Park Service site - Cross-Country Skiing
Generally, the best skiing is along certain sections of park roads which are closed to vehicular traffic.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- 08:00 AM · freeOwen's Creek Picnic Area is off of Foxville-Deerfield Road Directions and information can be attained at the park visitor…
News
- Catoctin Mountain Park Announces Temporary Road Closure October 2 and 3 ↗2026-10-01
THURMONT, Md.- Due to increased security measures, a section of Park Central Road in Catoctin Mountain Park will temporarily close Friday, October 2, at 10 a.m. The road is expected to reopen by 8 p.m. Saturday, October…
- Catoctin Mountain Park announces temporary closures September 18 - 20, 2026 ↗2026-09-17
Thurmont, Md. – Due to increased security measures, portions of Catoctin Mountain Park will be closed from approximately 5 p.m. on Friday, September 18.
- Catoctin Mountain Park announces temporary closures August 8 – 16, 2026 ↗2026-08-06
Thurmont, Md. – Due to increased security measures, portions of Catoctin Mountain Park will be closed at approximately 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 8.
- Catoctin Mountain Park announces temporary closure July 31, 2026 ↗2026-07-30
Thurmont, Md. – Due to increased security measures, portions of Catoctin Mountain Park will be closed from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 31.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Guidebooks for the Mid-Atlantic
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 28× · Peregrine Falcon 2× · Red Fox 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 133 birds, 42 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barred Owl · Black Vulture · Broad-winged Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Eastern Screech-Owl · Great Horned Owl · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Black Duck · Blue-winged Teal · Canada Goose · Common Loon · Great Blue Heron · Green Heron · Hooded Merganser · Wood Duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Woodcock · Killdeer · Ring-billed Gull
Gamebirds & dovesCommon Pigeon · Mourning Dove · Northern Bobwhite · Ruffed Grouse · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Also on the checklistAcadian Flycatcher · American Crow · American Goldfinch · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · Baltimore Oriole · Barn Swallow · Belted kingfisher · Black and White Warbler · Black-billed Cuckoo · Black-throated Green Warbler · Black-throated blue warbler · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Blue-headed vireo · Blue-winged Warbler · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Canada Warbler · Cape May Warbler · Carolina Wren · Cedar Waxwing · Cerulean Warbler · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chipping Sparrow · Common Grackle · Common Starling · Common Yellowthroat · Dark-eyed Junco · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Towhee · Eastern Wood Pewee · Evening Grosbeak · Field Sparrow · Fish Crow · Fox Sparrow · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Gray Catbird · Gray-cheecked Thrush · Great Crested Flycatcher · Hermit Thrush · Hooded Warbler · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Kentucky Warbler · Least Flycatcher · Louisiana Waterthrush · Magnolia Warbler · Mallard · Mangrove Warbler · Mourning Warbler · Myrtle Warbler · Nashville Warbler · Northern Cardinal · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Raven · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Orange-crowned Warbler · Ovenbird · Palm Warbler · Pine Siskin · Pine Warbler · Purple Finch · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-Crowned Kinglet · Scarlet Tanager · Song Sparrow · Summer Tanager · Swainson's Thrush · Tennessee Warbler · Tree Swallow · Veery · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed Vireo · White-throated Sparrow · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Wood Thrush · Worm-eating Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-throated Vireo · Yellow-throated Warbler
Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · American Pygmy Shrew · Brown Rat · Cinereus Shrew · Common Muskrat · Deer Mouse · Eastern Chipmunk · Eastern Cottontail · Eastern Fox Squirrel · Eastern Gray Squirrel · Gapper's Red-backed Mouse · House Mouse · Meadow Jumping Mouse · Meadow Vole · Northern Red-backed Mouse · Pine Vole · Red Squirrel · Southern Flying Squirrel · White-footed Deermouse · bee shrew · mole shrew · smokey shrew
PredatorsAmerican Black Bear · American Mink · Bobcat · Common Gray Fox · Coyote · Cross Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · Striped Skunk · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsWhite-tailed Deer
BatsBig Brown Bat · Eastern Red Bat · Eastern Small-footed Bat · Hoary Bat · Keen's Myotis · Little Brown Bat · Northern Bat · Tricolored bat
Also on the checklistCommon Opossum · Groundhog
Activities
Activity guides for this park Camping in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Horseback riding in the national parks · Rock climbing in the national parks · Skiing in the national parks
Weather & climate
Summer (June-Aug) average temperature is between 61 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Fall (Sep-Nov) average temperature is between 45 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Fall foliage is at its peak in mid-October Winter (Dec-Feb) average temperature is between 24 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter snowfall is between 5-12" per month. Spring (March-May) average temperature is between 41 and 63 degrees Fahrenheit. Average precipitation is approximately 4 inches per month. (Source: usclimatedata.com)
Questions people ask
Does Catoctin Mountain charge an entrance fee?
No. Catoctin Mountain is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Catoctin Mountain?
Standard hours are Sunrise to Sunset, every day.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Catoctin Mountain?
Yes. The Park Service lists 6 campgrounds in Catoctin Mountain: Owens Creek, Poplar Grove Youth Group Tent, Adirondack Shelters, Camp Misty Mount, and Camp Greentop, and more. 6 take reservations through Recreation.gov.
Which Catoctin Mountain campgrounds have showers, hookups, or a dump station?
Showers: Owens Creek, Camp Misty Mount, Camp Greentop, and Camp Round Meadow.
Source: Campgrounds
How busy is Catoctin Mountain?
460,857 recreation visits in 2025, number 120 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Catoctin Mountain?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Catoctin Mountain?
Summer (June-Aug) average temperature is between 61 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Fall (Sep-Nov) average temperature is between 45 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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