North Mountain Hiker-biker Campsite
Open — Open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis. Water pumps are turned off from mid-November through mid-April. One-night stay limit per trip.
Wind Advisory issued December 30 at 12:34AM EST until December 30 at 12:00PM EST by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
* WHAT...West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts around 45 to 50 mph. There may be a lull in the wind gusts between 3 AM and 7 AM, but winds will increase again later Tuesday morning before gradually subsiding during the afternoon. * WHERE...In Maryland, Washington County. In Virginia, Clarke and Frederick VA Counties. In West Virginia, Hampshire, Hardy, Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties. * WHEN...Until noon EST today. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
Closures: Detours; Towpath; Points of Interest
Multiple items are closed due to hazardous conditions or maintenance. See below for more details.
Hiking in Gold Mine Tract
Visitors are restricted to the designated trails within the Gold Mine Tract in the Great Falls area. This location is generally defined as that area bordered by MacArthur Boulevard and Berma Road and depicted on the Great Falls Maryland Hiking Map.
Equestrian Traffic Temporarily Prohibited Milepost 173.37 to 184.5
Horses are prohibited between Spring Gap (mile 173.37) and Cumberland (mile 184.5) due to recent and ongoing towpath resurfacing. See more for details.
Scheduled Closure
From 6/27-7/1, CSX Transportation will close the railroad crossings at Point of Rocks (mile 48.2), Lander (mile 50.8), and Brunswick (mile 55) to perform repairs. Vehicles will be unable to reach the parking lot or boat ramp. The towpath will remain open.
About
North Mountain Hiker-Biker Campsite is a primitive overnight camping area located at mile 110.0 on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath near Clear Spring, Maryland. Part of a network of hiker-biker campsites spaced approximately every 5-7 miles along the canal, this site provides basic amenities for cyclists and hikers traveling the historic towpath. The campsite is free and operates on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations accepted. Overnight stays are limited to one night per trip to ensure availability for through-travelers. The site includes a chemical toilet (available year-round), picnic table, and fire grill. A hand pump provides non-potable water from mid-April through mid-November, but the water is not treated and must be filtered, chemically treated, or boiled before use. No water is available from mid-November through mid-April. Firewood may be collected from dead material on the ground for use at the campsite, but fires must be confined to the provided grill or fire ring. Portable grills are permitted if positioned off the ground. The site is located in proximity to the Potomac River and may be subject to flooding after heavy rainfall. This walk-in only site is not accessible to vehicles and is not ADA accessible.
Directions
Located at mile 110.0 on the C&O Canal towpath near Clear Spring, Maryland. Walk-in access only from the towpath.
Nearby Campgrounds
- Mccoy's Ferry Campground 0.6mi
- Fort Frederick State Park Campground 2.6mi
- Licking Creek Hiker-biker Campsite 5.5mi
- Jordan Junction Hiker-biker Campsite 5.7mi
- Cumberland Valley Hiker-biker Overnight Campsite 6.6mi
- Opequon Junction Hiker-biker Overnight Campsite 8.4mi
- Little Pool Hiker-biker Campsite 9.6mi
- Big Woods Hiker-biker Overnight Campsite 12mi
- Killiansburg Cave Hiker-biker Campsite 14mi
Location
Amenities
| Water | Yes |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | No |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | — |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $0 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Contact
| CHOH_information@nps.gov | |
| Phone | +1 (301) 739-4200 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | Yes |
| Verizon | Yes |
| T-Mobile | Yes |
Photos
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