Hiking trail at Catoctin Mountain Park in Maryland

PARK OVERVIEW

Catoctin Mountain Park is an outdoor recreation park in Thurmont, Maryland. It was originally one of 46 Recreational Demonstration Areas (RDAs) that were created in the 1930s and early 1940s by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), two organizations designed to get men back to work during the Great Depression. The WPA mainly built public works in urban areas while the CCC worked in more rural areas. The WPA began construction on the Catoctin RDA in 1936, and later in 1939 the CCC came in to renovate the landscape by planting trees and turning old farms into meadows.

President Franklin Roosevelt believed that people who lived in cities should have the same opportunity to enjoy nature as those living in rural areas, and thus he began the RDA program. The RDAs were meant to be temporary federal government projects that would eventually be turned over to the states, and most were. A few, however, remained in federal hands. The Catoctin RDA was one of them, though it was split in two in 1954 to form the adjacent Cunningham Falls State Park.

Visitors to Catoctin Mountain Park can enjoy 25 miles of trails, six of which are open to horseback riding. Fishing and rock climbing are also popular activities. The park has picnic areas, a campground, and rental cabins for individuals and large groups.

While being mainly a nature-oriented park, Catoctin Mountain Park has seen its share of history. It is best known for being the home of Camp David, a retreat originally designed for federal government employees but quickly became a presidential retreat when it was visited by Franklin Roosevelt. It was initially named Camp Hi-Catoctin, though Roosevelt called it Shangri-La. The current name was bestowed upon it by President Dwight Eisenhower, who named it after his grandfather and father, both of whom were named David. Every president since has made a visit. However, don’t look for Camp David on the map or expect any mention of it once you get to the park—it’s sort of Top Secret. (There is one road in the park with DO NOT ENTER and NO PHOTOGRAPHS signs posted at the entrance—do you think that might be the road to Camp David?)

During World War II the park was closed and turned into a training facility for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which was the precursor to the CIA. Prior to being a park, the land was home to bootleggers and charcoal producers. Visitors can see an old liquor still and the remnants of a kiln via two short trails.

OPERATING HOURS

The grounds of Catoctin Mountain Park are open every day from dawn to dusk. Some roads are closed in the winter, but visitors are welcome to drive as far as they can and then walk, ski, or snowshoe into the areas closed to vehicles.

The Visitor Center is open daily from 9 AM to 4:30 PM except when closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Keep in mind that times can always change. Before making travel plans, be sure to visit the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for Catoctin Mountain Park.

FEES

There is no fee to enter Catoctin Mountain Park. There is a fee to camp and rent the cabin facilities.

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