Things To Do in Thurmont and Emmitsburg
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Thurmont and Emmitsburg Attractions
Catoctin Mountain Park (tel. 301/663-9343; www.nps.gov/cato), a national park, has several good trails and is the home of presidential retreat Camp David -- whose precise location is top secret. The park's entrance is on Route 77 west of Route 15. Admission is free. Tent camping here is $20 a night; cabin rentals are $55 to $140.
Cunningham Falls State Park (tel. 301/271-7574; www.dnr.maryland.gov) has as its centerpiece a 78-foot high waterfall, set in a canopy of 100-year-old oaks and hickories. Stay for a few minutes or the rest of the day. The park is also the site of 43-acre Hunting Creek Lake, which offers swimming, canoe rentals, and picnic areas. Get a guide to the many park trails at the Manor Area visitor center, off Route 15, or at Park Central, on Route 77. Four short trails will take you to the base of Cunningham Falls. Three are in the William Houck Area, off Route 77. They range from moderate to strenuous and from .5 to 2.8 miles. The fourth trail is wheelchair accessible, with a handicapped-only parking lot on Route 77 and a .3-mile boardwalk that goes all the way to the falls. Another trail ends at the Catoctin Iron Furnace, the remains of a Revolutionary War-era iron-making complex. The park is open daily from 8am to sunset. In peak season, fees run $3 to $4 per person; at other times they're $3 to $4 per car. Campsites are available for $25 a night, $30 with electric hookup; cabins are $50.
- Landmark
National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
This site, at the National Fire Academy, holds special significance since September 11, 2001: The firefighters who died at the World Trade Center have their own memorial here. The service in tribute to firefighters killed in the line of duty is held during Fire Prevention Week, in… - Religious Site
National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
If you know the story of St. Bernadette -- the French peasant girl who saw Mary, mother of Jesus, in a grotto -- but you aren't going to France anytime soon, then you might want to stop here. The site has been re-created on a mountain overlooking Mount St. Mary's University. You'll… - Religious Site
National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
This shrine honors the first American-born saint canonized in the Roman Catholic Church. A young widow who converted to Catholicism, Mother Seton lived here with her children as she began both the Catholic parochial school system and a new order of religious women. The church, a…
Thurmont and Emmitsburg Shopping
Don't miss the orchard stands along your drive. There are several, all selling fruit and vegetables grown right in these foothills.
Catoctin Mountain Orchard, 15036 N. Franklinville Rd. (Rte. 15), Thurmont (tel. 301/271-2737; www.catoctinmountainorchard.com), has locally baked pastries and McCutcheon's preserves, as well as fresh produce. Pick your own berries in June and July, pumpkins and apples in fall. Open May through January, daily 9am to 5pm.
Gateway Farm Market and Candyland, 14802 N. Franklinville Rd. (Rte. 15), Thurmont (tel. 301/271-2322), has not only produce and fresh cider in season but also long tables filled with boxes of penny candy. Open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday from 8am to 10pm, and Sunday from 10am to 7pm.
Scenic View Orchards, 16239 Sabillasville Rd. (Rte. 550), Sabillasville (tel. 301/271-2149), offers valley views along with fresh produce, preserves, and breads. It's open daily from 10am to 6pm, June through Thanksgiving.
