Adirondack Shelters — Catoctin Mountain Park

The short 3 mile hike from the parking lot at round meadow was perfect for giving us our first real backpacking experience. The shelters worked just fine and the seating around the firepit was great. My only issue is finding out where to park was a bit of a pain. The reservations through recreation.gov didn't say where to park so we had to hunt for the lot.

As I've heard of many shelters on the nearby Appalachian Trail, there is a problem with mice at these shelters. Proper food hanging is an easy way to alleviate this issue, and I experienced no problem with mice in or around my tent (Although I saw many scurrying around the shelter). Despite the sound of gunshots (Even at 11pm!) from nearby private property, We slept well and were shielded from the downpour outside. I reserved the shelters on a stormy weekend, and was very glad that I could hike regardless of the conditions with untested gear, knowing that if all else failed, I had a dry home base. The surrounding trails are a bit mundane however, and better suited for horseback riding. If you're looking for great hiking trails, check out the eastern half of Catoctin Mountain Park, Cunningham Falls State park, Frederick Municipal Forest, and Gambrill State Park.