AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Frederick City Watershed

Catoctin National Recreation Trail

2.7 mi · ▲ 378 ft · 1 hr 5 min

Catoctin National Recreation Trail is a 2.7-mile out-and-back in Frederick City Watershed near Laurelcrest, MD. It climbs 378 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 75/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi1,358 – 1,578 ft · steepest grade: 19%3.1 mi

Getting there

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

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Catoctin National Recreation Trail

2.7 mi · ▲ 378 ft · 1 hr 5 min

Elevation 1,359–1,578 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. 1 miBear left onto Blue Connector, heading SE.
  13. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  14. 50 ftTurn right onto Soccer Mom, heading S.
  15. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  16. 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/catoctin-national-recreation-trail-out-back-4-km-d08a

Trail surface

96% dirt4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:56 AMSunset 7:12 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Laurelcrest, Maryland