The Catoctin Trail is a 26.6 mi (42.4 km) hiking trail that traverses federal, state, and municipal woodlands along the northern half of Catoctin Mountain

Catoctin Mountain

Catoctin Mountain, along with the geologically associated Bull Run Mountains, comprises the easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in turn a part of the Appalachian Mountains range...

 in Frederick County

Frederick County, Maryland

Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....

 in central Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, USA. The hilly terrain is typical of western Maryland with large sections canopied under dense forest cover.

History

The trail was constructed between 1979 and 1982 by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club

Potomac Appalachian Trail Club

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, or ', is a volunteer organization that works to maintain hiking trails in the Washington D.C. area...

 who continue to maintain the trail.

Route

The trail's southern terminus begins in Gambrill State Park

Gambrill State Park

Gambrill State Park is located just outside Frederick, Maryland in the eastern United States. This park has several hiking trails and is a popular destination for area mountain bikers. There is also a picnic area with a playground and a small pond. Fishing is permitted at the...

 (GMP). The trail continues north through GMP for approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) and then leaves the park and enters the Frederick Municipal Forest (Frederick City Watershed). The trail travels north for 10.6 miles (17.1 km) through the Forest, staying mostly to the east of the ridge crest on the bench of the mountain. As the trail enters Cunningham Falls State Park

Cunningham Falls State Park

Cunningham Falls State Park is a Maryland State Park located west of Thurmont, Maryland, USA, in the Catoctin Mountains. It features a man-made lake and its namesake waterfall, Cunningham Falls. Cunningham Falls is a cascading waterfall. It is the largest waterfall in Maryland. Catoctin...

 (CFSP) it descends northeasterly off the bench and into Catoctin Hollow reaching its lowest elevation of 600 feet (182.9 m) as it crosses Catoctin Hollow Road. After crossing the road the trail turns northwesterly and then climbs to its highest elevation of 1760 feet (536.4 m), atop Bob's Hill. After traveling 8.8 miles (14.2 km) through CFSP the trail enters Catoctin Mountain Park

Catoctin Mountain Park

Catoctin Mountain Park, located in north-central Maryland, is part of the forested Catoctin Mountain ridge that forms the eastern rampart of the Appalachian Mountains...

 (CMP), a unit of the federal National Park Service

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

. The trail traverses 4.2 miles (6.8 km) through the Park to its northern terminus at Mt. Zion Road, 1.3 miles (2.1 km) miles north of Owens Creek Campground in CMP. From there, the Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...

may be reached by traveling west on Mt. Zion Road to Raven Rock Road for 2 miles (3.2 km).

Restrictions

• Camping is permitted along the Catoctin Trail only at Rock Run Campground, Gambrill State Park; the Manor and Houck Campgrounds, Cunningham Falls State Park; and Owens Creek Campground, CMP.