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Catoctin Mountain Park

4.2 (56 reviews)
Closed 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Updated 2 months ago

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Philip L.

Pretty hiking spot near Frederick. Not too far up there away from the city. On the way back, we were able to find a lot of places to eat and near here, there are other things to do like Apple picking or peach picking. This park has some winding roads to drive on, but a good bit of parking throughout the place so you never really have to start at the bottom. The trails are pretty easy, but I would recommend some hiking shoes because there are a bit of rocks sticking out and if you go on the points or rocky tops, you would need some grip on the bottom so you don't slide. It can be challenging for kids to go up to the top though. Lots of accidents can happen. The trails are well maintained and the roads are pretty clear. It's hard to get lost. The parking situation can be tougher on weekends as there are NOT THAT many parking spots. A good bit, but not even close to a parking lot.

Signage
Marissa C.

Great park with a visitor's center, a variety of hiking trails, and some interesting history. On the day of our visit, we arrived to find that access to part of the trails was unavailable, so we ended up selecting the Blue Blazes Whiskey Still Exhibit from the remaining ones. It was a nice blend of nature (following along a stream with wildflowers) and historic, as signage explained the details of Prohibition in the area and the whiskey still itself, which can be viewed at the end of the trail. It was also interesting to learn about how the area was used for spy training during World War II. There's also an EV charger available in the lot near the visitor's center, which is much appreciated!

Signage
Chris C.

Back to Catoctin for a hike on my favorite trail - Wolf Rock. This trail is right next to the park visitors center building. It's a steady ascent for 1.5 miles all the way. The signage at the trailhead shows two trails, right for Wolf Rock and left for Chimney Rock. This is the first time we decided to do a loop, first Wolf Rock and back via Chimney Rock, for a total of just under 4 miles. Signage is clear for the whole loop. Only thing to note is that the last mile back from Chimney Rock is along Rt 77 and in addition to the road noise it's not very well maintained. You won't get lost since it's pretty straight forward even if you go off trail (which we did since markings disappeared for a bit) but it's not a pleasant trail to hike on, no peace and quiet, especially with massive road work going on (which we unfortunately encountered). So for Chimney Rock, I'd recommend just do an out-and -back via Wolf Rock to avoid this last stretch along the highway. The distance between Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock is only 0.4 miles anyway so the additional length to the hike is negligible. Wolf Rock is very fun with a long stretch of rocks for arbitrary scrambling, and the namesake rock does look like a wolf (or dog). No scenic overlook here however, for that you have to go to Chimney Rock with lots of flat top rocks to sit on and enjoy the view.

John B.

[Coronavirus review] Like many areas, Catoctin is split between federal and state jurisdiction; this is the national park. Normally, people come to the mountain to see Cunningham Falls or to indulge in some recreation on the lake, which are on state property. However, most of that stuff is closed as of this writing in the coronavirus era (also note major road closures due to construction; you really need to check online before you go anywhere these days), bringing the more mountainous federal park into focus. The trails are only a few miles long, but are quite rugged. You can drive up the mountain, or you can park at the bottom and get up the hard way. It's a good workout. Because all the cool water sites are on state land, this area is relatively dry, though when it's been raining water trickles across the path through various small holes. There are some rocky overlooks (with signs warning of rattlesnakes), and a small history trail. If you are the President of the United States, there's also Camp David, but most of us are not allowed into the presidential retreat. Overall, this isn't the most exciting park, but it is scenic, driveable, and quiet.

Patrice Z.

Came here for a group hike and loved it, there are a series of trails that allow you to take a 8 mile loop (not too strenuous) and so you can see 3-4 overlooks. The park is well maintained. I did not see any trash besides orange peels and carrots (these are considered trash- carry out!). The visitor center opens at 9 am and there are plenty of maps and rangers who can help you plan your visit. Bathrooms inside the visitor center are clean. There is also plenty of easy parking besides the visitor center - there was no cost to get into the park. It did recently rain and the water took the easy routine (which is the trail) so if you are hiking after a rain storm do be aware that many of the trails will be muddy and/or under several inches of water. The 8 mile loop was rated as strenuous and had an elevation of 700 feet- you get a mix up of walking on flat ground and walking on rocks. Rocks can and will be slippery and I definitely fell. Though it was rated as strenuous- I would not classify it as such. Hard maybe? But it was fairly easy for what it was rated. Good shoes are recommended with the usual hiking gear. Larger rock formations such as Chimney Rock is a popular place to eat - dogs are not allowed on the larger rock formations. Be very careful! I saw a lot of people falling! The views are pretty nice too!

Jamar S.

One of the most exhausting hikes I've ever been on in my life but so worth it considering the view. My GF and I found Catoctin while randomly searching for places to go, and bc hiking is our favorite activity together we decided to give it a try. What we got was pure exhaustion. The elevation makes it quite the workout but when I tell you the view was amazing, that's honestly an understatement. I want a rematch with that mountain tho.

Heather W.

Beautiful set of trails with views every mile or less. Plenty of parking across several lots, bathroom or port a potties at every lot. Most lots have picnic tables, no grills or trash though. Dog friendly. Nice visitor center with bathrooms. Waterfall isn't that exciting from where we were standing on the boardwalk, but if you got off, which you're not supposed to, it's probably better.

Charcoal Trail
Bryan P.

Catoctin Mountain Park is an beautiful place to learn about the history of the region and to see breathtaking views of the ridges through MD and PA. A great place to start is the welcome center. They provide maps of the many trails and historical places throughout the park, and answer questions you may have on the locations and difficulties of them. We have come a few times and done the Chimney Rock trail and Charcoal Trail so far. Chimney was much more difficult, but a great and worthwhile hike. Charcoal was a nice flat trail with lots of history to behold. This is a great National Park to spend a day or just go for a walk, and also has the neighboring Cunningham Falls State Park with picnic tables and waterfront to enjoy your day. I would highly recommend Catoctin to anyone!

Paisley T.

Great place. Not a bad hike at all. Catoctin really is closer to 4 stars due to the most efficient, tidy, and friendly welcome center. And the lush trails. Very clean. Very well-marked. These guys are on point. I'm just disappointed in the lookout views. The cute little Cunningham Falls are just that. (Shame on all these rule-breakers who let their toddlers crawl on slippery rocks and who are the worst role models...just hop the fence and destroy the natural area the park is trying to preserve. Sigh. But I digress). The Hog Rock and Blue Ridge summit are also "just cute." I guess if I want a good view I need to try the other summits. We'll do that next time. Catoctin is definitely worth a return trip. I think we just need to find the right trail with the worthwhile view.

Riddhika J.

We chose The cotactin mountain park for one of those our weekend hikes mainly because it is only 45 mins drive from Rockville. The drive to park was really pretty and we saw quite a few orchids on the way. We started by visiting welcome center first and got the information regarding opened trails and a map from the rangers. The visitor is worth a pit stop for snacks an the small but cool display of inhabitant stuffed animals and a very aged tree stem section. The staff was very friendly and helpful. As for the hike itself, we choose the 8 mile loop starting from visitor center consist of chimney rock, wolf rock and Thurmont vista and back to visitor center. The view along the trail was usual as you would hoped in this area. the trails wasn't that busy. The 2 mile trail to chimmney rock is strenuous but the rest of the loop is easy hike. The View from chimney rock is breathtaking. The view point itself was very crowded and noisy but the beautiful view would definitely compensate for it. the wolf rock viewpoint is the rock formation and sitting there was very peaceful. Rest of the hike was pretty much straight or downhill trail. Packing sufficient water and snacks is must. After coming back to visitor center, we hiked on the Cunningham falls trail and back which is another 2.4 miles loop. The parking lot near the falls is marked as disabled parking only, so the trail is the one option. the second option is you can walk along the road from visitor center but there are no walkways. The trail ends into the broadwalk which leads to the trail. The end of the walkway have two benches to sit on and enjoy the view of the falls. There are several signs along the broadway regarding not climb the falls or get off the broadwalk but there were plenty of people doing that anyway. The falls wasn't that great but then again it was summer.

Visitor Center
Christopher C.

Some of the reviews for Catoctin are really funny because people are taking away stars for ludicrous things. * Yes, Camp David is on the grounds and if the Prez shows up and a few roads are closed how is that the fault of the park? Their listing on nps.gov is updated regularly, I met the ranger that handles their web page & their Facebook account, with any closings be it because of the weather or a visit from POTUS. If you didn't look it's your fault not theirs. * Don't forget that right across the street is Cunningham Falls State Park. State Park meaning the state of Maryland not the National Park Service which also means a totally different set of rules, regs and requirements. Don't confuse one for the other because they are not the same entity. As for Catoctin itself: We paid spent some time at the visitor center and while small it's worth a brief pit stop. Clean bathrooms, a few snacks, drinks, books/trinkets along with maps, a cool touch screen board that explains the different rocks/vistas along with a small display of stuffed animals that inhabit the area. The rangers there were extremely nice although either because they're not allowed to or because they're clueless, if you ask anything under the sun about Camp David including simple questions about its history you get a Sgt. Schultz answer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmzsWxPLIOo As for the trails, I'm not a hiking snob so to me they're perfectly fine. Sure I suppose it's not the most scenic area (trees everywhere) but then again what do you expect coming out to the rural badlands of Central Maryland? Again, if you didn't know what to expect you didn't do your homework and quite honestly you're an idiot. We did the short and simple Blue Blazes trail to the ruins of the whiskey still and the far more challenging five mile-ish Chimney Rock-Wolf Rock-Visitor Center Loop. The one valid complaint about that loop hike is that they could use more signage because at times it is quasi-difficult to figure out where the trail goes or if your making your own trail into who knows where? In terms of crowds it was a cool, damp and drizzly October Saturday so while there were certainly people hiking when we did the five mile loop maybe we encountered ten-twelve other people and the visitor center lot was deserted when we got there at ten and maybe half-filled when we left a little after three. If you go the key thing to keep in mind is that the cost is free so there really is no reason to complain about anything. As I usually say, your tax dollars keep it open so you might as well see what the hell is going on. The visitor center is open 9:30-5:00 daily with the exception of the usual major holidays but the grounds are open 365 days a year from dawn until dusk. They do have a ton of on site camping options there as well but since to me camping is staying at a Hampton Inn I'm not much help in that department. Park info: http://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/hours.htm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatoctinNPS Camping reservations: http://www.recreation.gov/ If you have kids this place does offer a Junior Ranger Program. The booklet(s) (different books depending on age) can be printed off their NPS page and they're not terribly difficult.

Jenny T.

* Dynamic trails, very rocky, though, so careful! * Many many rock formations to check out/climb around on. * Pretty sweet interactive touch-screen with the map at the visitor center * No fee to park/enter the park! * Really friendly park rangers that help you with planning out a suitable hike/trails to follow. * Trail markings are pretty clear. * Pretty cool to end the hike by the lake! Useful Links: http://www.nps.gov/cato/planyourvisit/hiking.htm (Downloadable map, but you can also obtain from the visitor center)

Wolf rock
Heather H.

I had a wonderful day at this beautiful national park. Hiked on the wold rock and chimney rock trails which overall took my 2 1/2 hours. The hike was a bit intense in the beginning but much worth the hike for a medium/intermediate trail level. Lots of people I passed by were very friendly. Be sure to check this place out!!

Slick climbing falls if it even sprinkles.

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Incredible hikes that are well marked and have rewarding views at their peaks. Simply a tranquil, paradise waiting to be explored.

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Great hiking and scenic views. Well marked trails. Some history included. Additional handicapped parking and trails

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8 years ago

Nosey Nancy drives around in her white cart checking in on you every 10 minutes. But besides that's it's a great campground....

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Ask the Community - Catoctin Mountain Park

Review Highlights - Catoctin Mountain Park

So for Chimney Rock, I'd recommend just do an out-and -back via Wolf Rock to avoid this last stretch along the highway.

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Cunningham Falls State Park - Every table has a grill

Cunningham Falls State Park

4.0(96 reviews)
0.4 mi

A bit of a mixed bag for me at Cunningham Falls…read more.. I was excited to find a listing of parks that supposedly had wheelchair accessible trails. I've never been to Cunningham Falls before and the idea of seeing a waterfall seemed lovely. However, the accessible boardwalk has strips on pretty much everything board which made me feel like I was riding a very angry horse. Each bump shot pain up my spine. I'm writing this a day later and I still hurt, and I think I'm a pretty tough chick... and the view of the falls was mostly blocked and not worth the actual pain. The Falls is more like a small stream of water that splashes down some rocks. It's a soothing noise but I was expecting something more grandiose... I suppose I could blame climate change. Most of the old stream beds are dry. We also checked out the "south beach" which I enjoyed. There's plenty of pavement, and packed gravel. I couldn't get close to the water, but that's okay because it was a sunny day and I prefer to stick to the shade. I was impressed by the fact that every picnic table has a grill nearby. If I lived closer I'd like to think I'd come to the south beach often, hide in the trees near the river, grill something delicious... but I was a several hours long trip from Dundalk, so it's unlikely that I'll return. It was a nice day-trip though. I don't regret going.

Hikes in a Sunday with friends. 100% recommend. I'd say it's beginner friendly. Beautiful water…read moreviews both on the hike and in the picnic areas. Hammocks, rental canoes. Such a nice all day event with families or a mate. Trash free park, wheelchair accessible, clean bathrooms. 100% recommend

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Cunningham Falls State Park - Just people are enjoying a good day

Just people are enjoying a good day

Cunningham Falls State Park
Cunningham Falls State Park

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Sherwood Gardens

Sherwood Gardens

4.9(65 reviews)
49.0 miGuilford

Spring time in Baltimore does not get any better without a visit to Sherwood gardens for the full…read morebloom of the tulips. Me and my friends made a quick stop on the way home from brunch in the Cross Keys area, and the day was perfect for it. The park was alive with families and their furry friends just having small picnics and taking in the scenery. If you're not familiar with Sherwood Garden's, it's a privately owned community park in the Guilford section of Baltimore City. It's been famous for its annual tulip since the 1920's by John Sherwood, whose home bordered the park. To this day up to 70000 tulips are planted annually along with other flowers such as magnolias and dogwoods to name a few. Best time to visit is always towards the end of April and beginning of May. Although a private park, the public is always invited to stroll at your leisure throughout the grounds. The ongoing displays are 100% privately funded and depends entirely on contributions to fulfill its mission of providing a natural place for recreation for the community and related education.

I love tulips, so when I read about this place, I couldn't wait to visit. It's located as the…read morecenter of an expensive Baltimore block, surrounded by million dollar homes. There is no start or end, so just park on one of the surrounding streets and walk over. We were there the third weekend in April, and while the tulips were definitely past their peak, and many were completely gone, there were plenty of flower beds of tulips still blooming. Plus, almost all of the azaleas were blooming. I loved that they had so many different colored tulips and azaleas. They did different combination of colors in all the different flower beds, so we ended up seeing some surprisingly beautiful displays, even with some tulips no longer blooming. We weren't there very long because it was cold out, but this would be a great spot for engagement pictures or a picnic.

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Sherwood Gardens
Sherwood Gardens
Sherwood Gardens

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Greenbrier State Park - Campsite BBQ pit

Greenbrier State Park

3.8(71 reviews)
11.5 mi

This is a huge park, great for camping, hiking, walking, beach relaxing and more…read more Be aware: constructions are currently going on at different places of the park including the main entrance. After the constructions are completed, the park will start to request campers or day visitors to make reservations online during holidays and weekends visitors. Atmosphere: it's a large park filled with nature's love, trees, water, birds, logs, dirt paths, bugs, wildlife, fresh air and tables benches roads for visitors. Service: staff in the visitors' center are friendly and knowledgeable. Value: you cannot put a price tag on your love of nature and experience of outdoors. Parking: there is no issue to find parkings inside the park, just depending on how far you are willing to walk. Beautiful park, highly recommend.

Visited Greenbrier State Park this summer and had plenty of fun in the sun! My family and I went on…read morea weekday and it was fairly busy (but of course I can't imagine how much busier it would be on weekends, let alone holiday weekends). I think families with young kids (or even new swimmers) really appreciate the "beach" area because the water level doesn't exceed 5.5 feet (swimming vests are encouraged). There are life guards present as well. There are spacious bathrooms available for use a short walk up from the water and have changing rooms in addition to shower areas as well. The bathrooms were clean as well as the changing rooms, but there was a lot of standing water in areas. I'd definitely recommend walking carefully. Bring a picnic and come early if you plan on getting a grill. Those were all taken even on the weekday we went. Costs Day-use Admission Fees: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day- $5/person After Labor Day to Memorial Day weekend - $5/vehicle https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/oc.aspx

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Greenbrier State Park
Greenbrier State Park - Level pads! Wish we brought lights to string between the lantern posts.

Level pads! Wish we brought lights to string between the lantern posts.

Greenbrier State Park

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Catoctin Mountain Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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