Catoctin Mountain Park

Wolf Rock in winter.

A Camp Misty Mount cabin.

Enjoy the autumn colors at Big Hunting Creek.

Catoctin Mountain Park, a 90-minute drive from Washington D.C., offers a forested reprieve from the rampant development and pavement that surround the nation's capital.

Originally planned as recreational camps for federal employees (one became Camp David, the Presidential retreat), today the 5,810-acre park is home to 280 animal species, 25 miles of hiking trails, and great fly fishing.

Catoctin's trails range from easy strolls to rugged hikes. The park's animal population includes squirrels, chipmunks, white-tailed deer, and red fox. Recent sightings of beaver, mink, and black bear indicate these species are returning to the area.

At Owens Creek Campground, visitors may hear the duck-like cackle of the wood frog, the hoot of a great horned owl, or see bats zipping overhead in search of insects.

Of the 14 species of snakes found in the park, only two of them, the copperhead and timber rattlesnake, are venomous. However, encounters with these two venomous snakes are rare due to their shy and elusive behaviors. Their habitats include rocky slopes, loose rock walls, stream areas, and abandoned buildings or woodpiles.

The hardwood forest and stream environment provides excellent habitat for many species of birds. More than 200 native and migratory species can be seen in the park, including wild turkey that began to return to their former habitat in the 1960s. The pileated woodpecker is also abundant in the park due to the vast expanse of hardwood forest habitat that the bird requires.

The roads of Catoctin Mountain Park offer scenic driving all year, but sections of Park Central Road and Manahan Road are closed in winter.

Owens Creek Campground, with 51 tent sites, is open April 15 through the third Sunday in November. Camp Misty Mount, a family cabin rental facility, is open from April 15 through the end of October. The Poplar Grove Youth Group Tent Camping Area is closed from March 1 to April 15.

Two Adirondack shelters, which require a 1.5- to three-mile hike to reach, can be reserved. Permits are issued without charge at the visitor center on a first-come, first-served basis.

Catoctin Mountain Park is part of a larger forested public lands complex that includes Cunningham Falls State Park, Frederick and Thurmont Watersheds, and Gambrill State Park. Big Hunting Creek and Owens Creek support healthy populations of brown and brook trout, which attract anglers.

The Spicebush Nature Trail and the Sawmill Trail are wheelchair-accessible.

About six miles of trails in the park are designated for horseback riding.

A rock climbing permit may only be issued for Wolf Rock. All other areas within the park are closed to rock climbing and rappelling.