Link Chimney Rock and Wolf Rock
Catoctin Mountains / Frederick County, Maryland
Activity
Hiking / Rock Formations
Difficulty
Strenuous / steep, narrow and rocky
Distance
3.9 mi round trip
Elevation gain
~600 ft
Duration
~2–4 hrs
Route
Loop
The adventure
Climb from the Catoctin valley to two very different rock formations on one orange-blazed mountain loop.
Take the orange-blazed loop out of the valley and climb until Catoctin trades forest floor for ridge rock. Reach Chimney Rock, continue to the long fractured spine of Wolf Rock, then stay with the marked loop all the way back to the Visitor Center.
What you'll do
Start at Catoctin Mountain Park Visitor Center main parking lot, then follow the route about 3.9 miles round trip.
Expect steep, narrow and rocky mountain trail.
Expect roughly 600 ft of climbing along the way.
What you're looking at
- Chimney Rock looks east over the Piedmont.
- The loop links two of Catoctin Mountain Park's best-known rock formations.
Once you're there
Park in the main paved Visitor Center lot at 14707 Park Central Road. The orange-blazed loop begins from the Visitor Center trail system.
Follow the orange rectangles toward Chimney Rock, then continue on the same marked loop to Wolf Rock. Do not create shortcuts across the rock formations.
Stay with the orange-blazed return as it drops back toward the Visitor Center and finish at the same parking lot.
Don't miss
Look closely at the exposed stone around the ridge. Catoctin's Weverton Formation includes metaconglomerate—ancient rounded fragments locked into rock that was later altered by heat and pressure.
Good to know
- Access
- No permit or reservation required for ordinary day hiking.
- Best time to go
- Park is open year-round, but winter weather/ice can affect roads and rocky trail surfaces.
- Parking
- Free; weekends can fill.
- Park hours
- Dawn to dusk.
- Visitor center hours
- Currently 9:00 a. m. –4:30 p. m. ; holiday closures apply.
- Geology
- Metaconglomerate occurs in the Weverton Formation around Chimney Rock/Wolf Rock.
- Hazards
- Steep narrow trail, slippery rock, gaps in formations, rattlesnakes in rocky habitat
- Dogs
- Leashed dogs are allowed on applicable trails, but current NPS guidance identifies Chimney Rock and Wolf Rock formations as pet-free areas; plan accordingly.
- 3.9-MILE LOOP
- The official orange-blazed Chimney Rock/Wolf Rock loop is 3.9 miles and climbs roughly 600 feet from the valley toward the ridge.
- TWO FORMATIONS
- Chimney Rock reaches roughly 1,419 feet; Wolf Rock sits around 1,401 feet.
- NOT A STROLL
- The park calls this its most strenuous loop: steep, narrow sections and slippery rock are part of the package.
- FREE START
- The Visitor Center start has free parking, maps and restrooms when the building is open.
- Surface
- Rocky natural trail and exposed rock formations
- Managed by
- National Park Service — Catoctin Mountain Park.
Please respect the place
- Follow the orange-blazed loop and current park map
- Rock surfaces can be slippery
- Do not jump gaps between rock formations
- Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock formations themselves are pet-free areas under current park guidance
Photos
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