Owens Creek Campground

Show on map 301-663-9388 cato_campmanager@nps.gov

6602 Foxville Rd
Thurmont, MD 21788

Overview

Owens Creek Campground offers families and individuals enjoyable primitive tent camping. Located just five miles (8 km) from Thurmont, Maryland, in the rolling hills of Catoctin Mountain Park.

Recreation

As a primitive camping area, Owens Creek encourages visitors to use healthy doses of imagination while surrounded by the natural landscape. Nature hikes and campfire circles are popular activities.

Catoctin Mountain Park boasts 25 miles (40 km) of trails. The Deerfield Nature Trail connects directly to the campground and is a 1.5 mile (2.4 km) loop with a connection to the park's western system of trails. Browns Farm Trail is nearby in the Owens Creek Picnic Area and offers budding archeologists with a peek into the history of the area. This trail is also a youth friendly 'Track Trail'. For more information, visit the Catoctin Mountain Park - Browns Farm Loop Track Trail information on the Kids in Parks website.

Facilities

This campground offers 48 single campsites with a limit of five people, or immediate family, per site. There are no-hookups. Maximum trailer length is 22 feet (6.4 m) and maximum RV length is 30 feet (9 m). There are three pull through sites: #12, #39 and #43. Flush toilets, showers and drinking water are available and centrally located in the campground. All sites are equipped with a tent pad, picnic tables, and fire ring. All tents must fit on the tent pads. Firewood is available.

Natural Features

The campground is surrounded by a rolling landscape, perfect for hikes of any level from easy to extremely strenuous. Owens Creek flows past the campground providing a peaceful setting beside a bubbling brook. Whether blanketed in snow in winter months, brilliant with color in the fall or blooming with wildflowers in the spring, Owens Creek offers beautiful scenery all year.

Nearby Attractions

Catoctin Mountain Park is located near many historical and cultural sites:

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (8 miles/13 km)
Monocacy National Battlefield (18 miles/29 km)
Antietam National Battlefield (26 miles/45 km)
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (26 miles)
Eisenhower National Historic Site and Gettysburg National Military Park (20 miles/32 km)
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (28 miles/45 km)
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (37 miles/60 km)

Other Attractions include Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo and Cunningham Falls State Park.

For more information visit the Tourism Council of Frederick County.

Camp site features

Across 50 camp sites:

Fire pit: 1 of 50 sites
Picnic table: all 50 sites
Pets allowed: all 50 sites
ADA accessible: 3 of 50 sites
Longest RV: 22 ft
Largest party: 5 people

Directions

For GPS Use Only: The street address is 15882 Foxville Deerfield Road, Sabillasville, MD. This is not the mailing address. The Park mailing address is: Catoctin Mountain Park, 6602 Foxville Road, Thurmont, MD 21788. From From Washington, DC: Take the George Washington Memorial Parkway north to I-495 to I-270 north 27 miles (43.5 km) to Frederick, MD. Take Route 15 for 17 miles (27 km) north to Thurmont, MD. Take Route 77 West (the exit sign is marked Catoctin Mountain Park). Travel approximately 6 miles (9.6 km) west on Route 77 (you will pass Park Central Road and the park visitor center). Turn right onto Foxville-Deerfield Road. As the road forks, keep left and continue on Foxville-Deerfield Road for approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) and turn left into Owens Creek Campground. From Baltimore, MD: Take I-695 beltway to I-70 West to Frederick, MD. Take Route 15 North to Thurmont, MD. Take Route 77 West (the exit sign says Catoctin Mountain Park.) Travel approximately 6 miles (9.6 km) west on Route 77 (you will pass Park Central Road and the park visitor center). Turn right onto Foxville-Deerfield Road. As the road forks, keep left and continue on Foxville-Deerfield Road for approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) and turn left into Owens Creek Campground. From Hagerstown, MD: From Hagerstown, MD: take I-70 East to Route 66 North for 7 miles (11.2 km). Turn right onto Route 64 (East) for 1 mile (1.6 km) then turn right at a traffic light onto Route 77 East for approximately 4 miles (6.4 km). Turn left onto Foxville-Deerfield Road. As the road forks, keep left and continue on Foxville-Deerfield Road for approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) and turn left into Owens Creek Campground. From Gettysburg, PA: Take Route 15 South. In Thurmont, MD, exit onto Route 77 West (the exit sign says Catoctin Mountain Park). Travel approximately 6 miles (9.6 km) west on 77 (you will pass Park Central Road and the park visitor center). Turn right onto Foxville-Deerfield Road. As the road forks, keep left and continue on Foxville-Deerfield Road for approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) and turn left into Owens Creek Campground.

Stay Limit

Check in from 3 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

427 reviews

5 stars

321

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1 stars

Carol M

Loop:Owens Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 8 days ago

The hosts were helpful. Bathrooms were old but clean and the water was hot in the shower. They need to improve the lighting in the shower area however. There were great hikes around the campground area as well as in other parts of the park that I enjoyed.

Rolla C

Loop:Owens Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 8 days ago

They provide seasoned firewood!!!! They provide seasoned firewood!!! for the whole campsite.

Rachel W

Loop:Owens Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 8 days ago

Great campground, free firewood, can't wait to go back.

Bret C

Loop:Owens Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 8 days ago

Mostly tent sites here, but sites 12, 39 and 43 allow RVs up to I think 30 feet long. Lots of the sites that don't allow RVs would have fit our 25 footer better than steep site 43 did, but they have their rules. Great small quiet place, nice hosts this year, I'd stay again. They enthusiastically offer their free firewood which is a nice feature.

DONGHYOUN C

Loop:Owens Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 10 days ago

Always nice camping at Owens Creek. Special thanks to camp host couple. They were really enthusiastic for their job. They took care of the campground atmosphere well enough for the comfortable camping. Thanks again.

Debra B

Loop:Owens Creek Campground

Site:

Reviewed 15 days ago

Great campground. Love the free firewood even though it was pretty green. It would be great to cut a lot and stack a lot of firewood in that shelter before the winter for next summer. The hosts were very friendly and Contact.

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve

Popularity: Very quiet

Busiest in November, when about 3% of guest capacity is reserved. Based on 4 years of reservations.