Catoctin Mountain Park
Catoctin Mountain Park is a park located in part of the Monocacy Valley and Catoctin Mountain ridge−range that forms the northeastern rampart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the Appalachian Mountains System. On the map, it sits 2 mi northwest of Thurmont. Running it is the National Park Service.
A national park site, 2 mi northwest of Thurmont
Visits rose 21% in 2025
The National Park Service counted 460,857 visitors in 2025, up from 380,681 the year before. Visitors ↓
You can sleep inside the park
4 places to stay are inside the park: Poplar Grove Youth Group Tent Campground and Camp Round Meadow. The nearest town with more is Frederick. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 50 miles southeast and Washington is about 56 miles southeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 65–83°. When to go ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather, month by month
Crowds at Catoctin Mountain Park rise and fall through the year, as below.
Catoctin Mountain Park
Catoctin Mountain Park is a park located in part of the Monocacy Valley and Catoctin Mountain ridge−range that forms the northeastern rampart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the Appalachian Mountains System. The park is approximately 5120 acres or 8 square miles (21 km2) in area.
Catoctin Mountain Park is managed by the National Park Service, and lies north of and directly adjacent to the similarly sized Cunningham Falls State Park.
- Type
- National park site
- Area
- 5,872 acres
- Elevation
- 1,854 ft
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (2014)
- Wikipedia readers
- 11K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/cato
Address and hours
Where to stay near Catoctin Mountain Park
You can sleep inside the park (4 places). Close by, places to stay are in Gettysburg (31) and Frederick (16).
Stay in the park
- Poplar Grove Youth Group Tent Campground campground
- Camp Round Meadow campground
- Owens Creek Campground campground
- Camp Greentop campground
Gettysburg
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
8,365 people
18 mi northeast of the visitor center · 16 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gettysburg | 18 mi northeast | 25 min | 31 11 hotels · 1 motel · 18 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 8,365 | $242K | B+ |
| Frederick | 14 mi south | 20 min | 16 8 hotels · 2 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins | 92,059 | $402K | C− |
| Hagerstown | 15 mi west | 20 min | 17 16 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 44,228 | $225K | D |
| Cumberland Township | 16 mi northeast | 25 min | 18 6 hotels · 3 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 4 campgrounds | 7,219 | $293K | A |
| Thurmont | 2 mi southeast | 5 min | 4 1 hotel · 1 motel · 2 campgrounds | 6,337 | $365K | A− |
| Ballenger Creek | 18 mi south | 25 min | 18 17 hotels · 1 RV park | 26,390 | $387K | — |
| Washington Township | 10 mi northwest | 15 min | 4 3 hotels · 1 campground | 15,518 | $268K | B |
| Chambersburg | 23 mi northwest | 35 min | 21 16 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 23,376 | $215K | C |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
More near Catoctin Mountain Park
Places worth adding lie within 60 miles.
Big draw17 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
Big draw55 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw56 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw56 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw56 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw56 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw56 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw59 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest StadiumPhoto credits
Raven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0
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Visitors in 2025: 460,857
The record starts in 2016 and runs to 2025.
Quick answers on Catoctin Mountain Park
What town is Catoctin Mountain Park near?
Thurmont, MD, about 2 miles southeast.
When is the best time to visit Catoctin Mountain Park?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 65–83°. October is the busiest month (about 50,572 visitors).
How many people visit Catoctin Mountain Park each year?
460,857 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 539,983, set in 2020.
How far is Catoctin Mountain Park from Baltimore and Washington?
About 50 miles southeast of Baltimore and about 56 miles southeast of Washington, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Catoctin Mountain Park?
Hagerstown Regional Richard A Henson Field (HGR), about 16 miles away. The nearest big hub is Washington Dulles (IAD), about 48 miles.
Where should I stay near Catoctin Mountain Park?
Inside the park: Poplar Grove Youth Group Tent Campground, Camp Round Meadow and Owens Creek Campground. Nearby: Gettysburg (18 mi, 31 places to stay), Frederick (14 mi, 16 places to stay) and Hagerstown (15 mi, 17 places to stay).
Locals’ advice in Thurmont
No one has shared advice yet; Thurmont’s Town Square takes questions.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.