DAY HIKER: Catoctin Mountain Park

You can hardly argue with the virtues of Catoctin Mountain Park near Thurmont, Md. The 8-square-miles of second-growth mountain forest may be located just 90 minutes northwest of Washington, D.C., but you can barely tell as you tromp along the 25 miles worth of trails. While many day hikes in the Mid-Atlantic region might serve up one or two natural features, the 8-mile journey described below takes you to a trio of vistas, a rock formation shaped like an obedient dog and Maryland’s largest waterfall.

And, since Catoctin is worthy of U.S. presidents, who have sought its refuge since Camp David was established there in 1942, you can channel your inner fantasy as leader of the free world as you complete this day hike. No, you can’t visit Camp David, that’s verboten, but there’s plenty to see nonetheless.

DIRECTIONS: Take U.S. 15 to the exit for Maryland 77 West near Thurmont in northcentral Maryland. Follow Maryland 77 West for four miles through a mountain forest until you arrive at the Catoctin Mountain Park visitor center on the right.

HIKE ON: This loop leads counterclockwise from the east side of the parking lot, following a newly established trail. The path is not well trodden just yet (give it time), but the park service has tied blue ribbons to the trees to help you find your way. The new trail generally runs parallel to Maryland Route 77 for about 0.8 mile to a second trail juncture. Go straight at this trail juncture to a third juncture, where you turn left and begin an ascent.

Arrive at a sidetrail after 0.7 mile to Chimney Rock, your first vista. The view is southeastward, and in the hazy horizon you can see the monadnock Sugarloaf Mountain rising. Returning to the main trail, follow it just half a mile along the ridgeline to another sidetrail, this one leading to Wolf Rock. Be extremely cautious scrambling over the quartzite rocks to near its far edge, where you see the formation that supposedly is a wolf sitting on its haunches.

Returning to the trail, turn right for a mile through the hardwood forest, which is composed of tulip poplar, oak and hickory, until you reach your second sweeping view – Thurmont Vista. The town, population about 6,000, hosts a mid-March maple syrup festival, rests at the foot of Catoctin Mountain and at the edge of the farm fresh Maryland piedmont.

Back to the trail, pass two junctures where you stay left at the first and turn right at the second. For the next mile, you will generally ascend, steeply at times, from an elevation of about 1,250 feet to 1,660 feet to a pair of vistas. The first is Blue Ridge Summit Overlook, which peers toward Pennsylvania after about 1.2 miles of hiking from Thurmont Vista. Afterwards, cross the park road, hike 0.6 mile and arrive at Hog Rock Vista, so named because farmers once brought their pigs to feed in the area. The picturesque look is of the Monocacy River Valley.

Return to the trail, begin to descend for about 0.8 miles to a trail juncture. Go straight to the road, cross and find a parking lot. The boardwalk leading from the parking lot takes hikers to Cunningham Falls, Maryland’s highest cascade at 78 feet. After gawking at the bridal cake falls, retrace your steps back across the road and return to the trail juncture. Turn right and follow for about one mile back to the visitor center and your car.

For more information about Catoctin, check out GPS waypoints and this route:

 

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Tagged as: Blue Ridge Summit Overlook, Camp David, Catoctin, Catoctin Mountain Park, Cunningham Falls, Hickory, Hike, Hiking, Hog Rock Vista, Maryland, Oak, Thurmont, Thurmont Vista, Trees, Tulip Poplar, Washington D.C., Wolf Rock