Frederick City Watershed

Catoctin National Recreation Trail

2.3 mi · ▲ 367 ft · 57 min

Catoctin National Recreation Trail is a 2.3-mile out-and-back in Frederick City Watershed near Laurelcrest, MD. It climbs 367 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 75/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi1,365 – 1,578 ft · steepest grade: 24%2.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.52539, -77.48421
Nearest town Laurelcrest, MD

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Catoctin National Recreation Trail

2.3 mi · ▲ 367 ft · 57 min

Elevation 1,366–1,578 ft

Out & Back · Frederick City Watershed

Trailhead: 39.52539, -77.48421

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:56 AM · sunset 7:12 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
  3. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  4. 350 ftTurn left onto Blue Connector, heading N.
  5. 50 ftTurn right onto Upper Canaan, heading N.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  7. 200 ftBear left onto Pond Access Trail, heading NW.
  8. 0.1 miTurn right onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading N.
  9. 400 ftSharp left onto Trail 4, heading NE.
  10. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading NE.
  11. 0.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  12. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Trail 4, heading E.
  13. 0.2 miSharp right onto Catoctin National Recreation Trail, heading SE.
  14. 400 ftTurn left onto Pond Access Trail, heading S.
  15. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  16. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  17. 200 ftContinue straight onto Upper Canaan, heading S.
  18. 0.1 miTurn left onto Blue Connector, heading S.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  20. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  21. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  22. 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

93% dirt7% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:56 AMSunset 7:12 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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