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Thurmont, Maryland: Where Fun and Adventure Collide – The Ultimate Guide to the Best Things to Do and Places to Visit!

Thurmont sits at the foot of the Catoctins with the two parks above it. The three covered bridges are spread out along the roads north and east. Camp David is up in those same hills and you will not see it. Gettysburg sits a short drive north over the state line from town. Everything on this page fits comfortably inside a single tank of fuel.

Are you looking for somewhere in Maryland that is not the obvious choice? Take Thurmont. This town runs enough to fill a stay and country worth the drive on its own. History, the outdoors or the eating, whichever brought you, Thurmont covers it.

Getting the charm of Thurmont, Maryland out of it is straightforward once you know where to point the car. Start with one of the parks or the open country around the town. Cunningham Falls State Park is the first one to take, for the waterfall and the hiking trails. If you want the slower version, take one of the local wineries or restaurants and give an afternoon to it.

No trip to Thurmont is finished without the covered bridges. These are what the town has kept from its own history, and they photograph better than anything else here. If you want more, take a wildlife safari ride or head over to Gettysburg. With this much on, something here will land.

Key Takeaways

• Thurmont, Maryland, offers a variety of activities for visitors of all interests.
• Don’t miss the chance to explore the town’s parks, covered bridges, and culinary delights.
• Wildlife safari rides and nearby Gettysburg are other must-see attractions in Thurmont.

Unleashing the Charm of Thurmont, Maryland

Welcome to Thurmont, Maryland, a town set into the Catoctin Mountains. There is plenty here to fill the days, traveling with family, with friends or on your own.

Start at the Catoctin Mountain Park, where the hiking, the camping and the country all open up at once. And take Cunningham Falls State Park, where the swimming, the fishing and the picnics go.

If you drink wine, head to Catoctin Breeze Vineyard and Winery, where the glass comes with the Catoctin Mountains laid out in front of you. And if you want something harder on the body, take rock climbing at Sugarloaf Mountain.

If you read history, Thurmont holds plenty. Take the Loy’s Station Covered Bridge, one of the few covered bridges left in Maryland, or the Roddy Road Covered Bridge, which is the smallest in the state.

And there is the food. Thurmont runs some of the better restaurants in Maryland, the Cozy Restaurant for American cooking and the Shamrock Restaurant for the Irish end of it.

Thurmont covers most kinds of visitor. So pack the bags, take the camera and give this town the time it repays.

History and Heritage

You might take Thurmont for a small town in the Catoctin Mountains and nothing more. The history behind it says otherwise. From the war years to the iron mines, this town has kept the lot.

The one to take first in Thurmont is the Catoctin Furnace. Built in the 1770s, it was among the first iron furnaces in America. It supplied the Continental Army through the Revolutionary War when supplies were the whole problem. You can walk the furnace now and see what is left of the old buildings. It is Instagram-worthy without trying, and it teaches you something about how American industry actually started.

Thurmont also holds Camp David, the presidential retreat. You cannot go in, and you can drive past and wave at the Secret Service. Camp David takes its name from President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s grandson, David.

If mining history is your subject, Thurmont has an old iron mine you can walk into. The mine sits inside Cunningham Falls State Park and is open to the public. Take a flashlight and wear shoes that grip.

Thurmont also holds several sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Those include the Cozy Restaurant, the Thurmont Bank Building and the Creagerstown Schoolhouse. If you read history, work through them.

So whether it is the war years, the mining or simply good old buildings, Thurmont has it. Do not drive past this one in Maryland.

Parks and Outdoor Adventures

Thurmont, Maryland runs on its parks and the country around them. Whether you follow nature or you just want a day outdoors, both are covered. Here are the best parks and outdoor options in Thurmont:

Catoctin Mountain Park

If you want a hard walk, Catoctin Mountain Park is where it is. With over 25 miles of hiking trails, there is a route pitched at whatever you can do. The park also runs interpretive signage, so you pick up the history and the ecology as you go. Take the Cunningham Falls overlook for the country opening out below you.

Cunningham Falls State Park

If you want the slower version, Cunningham Falls State Park is the one. The park runs a man-made lake for swimming, fishing or a paddleboat. There are several hiking loops running from easy to moderate, so you set your own pace. And take the park’s namesake, Cunningham Falls, a 78-foot waterfall that is the photograph everybody comes back with.

Picnic Spots

Thurmont also runs picnic spots worth planning around. Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park both keep pavilions and picnic areas for eating with people. If you want somewhere quieter, Owen’s Creek is the answer. That one sits closed in by trees and nobody else finds it.

Whatever you want from a day outdoors, Thurmont has it. So pack the picnic, put the boots on and get out into the country around this Maryland town.

Bridges of Thurmont

Thurmont holds several covered bridges worth the drive. They are what the town has kept from its own past, and they sit in country that does half the work for the camera.

Roddy Road Covered Bridge

The Roddy Road Covered Bridge is a wooden bridge crossing Owens Creek. It was built in 1856, which makes it the oldest of the three covered bridges in Thurmont. It is also called the “Medicine Man Bridge,” after a local medicine man who crossed the creek here on his way to patients.

Loy’s Station Covered Bridge

The Loy’s Station Covered Bridge is a king-post wooden covered bridge built in 1848. It takes its name from the nearby historic Western Maryland Railroad Station, which once stopped near the city of Loys. Photographers keep coming back to this one, and in fall it earns every visit.

Utica Mills Covered Bridge

The Utica Mills Covered Bridge is the newest of the three covered bridges in Thurmont. It was built in 1870 and crosses Fishing Creek. It is also known as the “Lower Utica Bridge,” because it sits downstream from the Utica Covered Bridge. People fish from it, and the country around it is the other reason to stop.

If covered bridges are your subject, Thurmont is where you go. Walk across them and take the country from the middle of each one. Bring the camera, because these are the best photographs in Thurmont.

Wine, Dine, and Spirits

You’re in Thurmont, Maryland, and you want an evening. The local wineries, breweries and distilleries are where it goes. Whether wine, beer or spirits is your thing, all three are covered.

Catoctin Breeze Vineyard

The first to take is Catoctin Breeze Vineyard. This family-owned winery runs a long range, from the light and fruity through to the bold and complicated. Their Cabernet Franc is the one to order, with black cherry and spice running through it. And they build charcuterie boards to go with the glass.

Springfield Manor

Next is Springfield Manor. This estate runs a distillery, a brewery and a lavender farm on one site. Take their cocktail flights, built around their award-winning gin and vodka, or work through the craft beers. And walk the lavender fields while you are there.

Local Breweries and Distilleries

And take the other local breweries and distilleries too. From the Flying Dog Brewery to the McClintock Distilling Company, there is plenty to work through. Try the craft beer and the spirits, and take a tour if you want to know how any of it is made.

So there it is. Whether it is wine, beer or spirits, Thurmont covers it. Get out and work through the vineyards, the breweries and the distilleries. Cheers.

Most people treat Thurmont as the last stop before they reach Gettysburg. That gets it wrong, because this town holds far more than the road through it. An iron furnace from the 1770s still stands at the edge of the town. A 78-foot waterfall sits inside the state park just above the houses. Give it a long weekend rather than the quick stop that most people manage.

Wildlife and Safari Rides

If animals are the reason you travel, Thurmont has the wildlife and the safari rides for it. Here are a couple to choose between:

Catoctin Wildlife Preserve

At Catoctin Wildlife Preserve you get close to over 450 exotic animals, panthers, pythons and zebras among them. But the part people remember is the Global Wildlife Safari ride, which puts animals from across the world in front of you without leaving Maryland. And you can feed and pet some of them if you want to.

Horseback Riding

If you want the traditional version of an animal encounter, take horseback riding. There are several stables in the area running guided trail rides through the Maryland countryside. You get the local wildlife, the air and the exercise in one go.

Whichever you take, Thurmont will not disappoint. So get in the saddle or on board and take the safari version of a day out.

Local Delights and Culinary Adventures

Thurmont, Maryland runs a food scene wider than its size suggests. Whether you want fresh produce, homemade pies or something off a truck, Thurmont has it. Here are two of the places to eat properly.

Catoctin Mountain Orchard

If you want fresh fruit and vegetables, take Catoctin Mountain Orchard. This family-owned farm has been running for over 50 years and grows a long list, apples, peaches and strawberries among them. You can pick your own, or take what is already picked from the market.

But that is not the whole of it, because Catoctin Mountain Orchard also makes preserves, jams, jellies, sauces, relishes and honey. Those are how you take some of this place home with you. And if you want something sweet, take one of their homemade pies or apple turnovers. They travel better than they should.

Food Trucks

Thurmont runs food trucks covering everything from BBQ to tacos to ice cream. They turn up at events and locations across the town, so keep your eyes open. They are the quickest way to eat something new and put money into a local business at the same time.

The truck people name in Thurmont is the BBQ Bus. This family-owned and operated truck does some of the better BBQ around here, with slow-cooked meat and their own sauces. And if you want something sweet, take the Kona Ice truck for flavored shaved ice on a hot day.

In conclusion, Thurmont, Maryland covers the eating from every angle. From fresh produce to homemade sweet things to the trucks, something here will land. So come hungry and work through it.

Activities and Things to Do

Thurmont is not the busiest destination in Maryland, and that is not the same as being short of things to do. There is plenty here to fill a visit.

First, if you live outdoors, you are in the right place. Thurmont runs several parks and natural areas for hiking, biking and getting properly into the country. Cunningham Falls State Park is the one to take, for the waterfall and the trails. You can also take the Catoctin Mountain Park for more walking again. And if you camp, there are pet-friendly campsites in this area for the tent.

If you want something slower, Thurmont has that as well. Walk the town’s historic district and work through the shops and restaurants. Or, for the guided version, book a tour of the area. There are plenty running, from ghost tours to wine tastings.

And no visit to Thurmont is finished without the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo. This one works for the whole family, with over 300 animals including lions, tigers and bears. You can also feed some of them, the giraffes and the parrots among them.

So whether you follow nature, read history or came for the animals, Thurmont has it. Get out there and use it.

Exploring Nearby Gettysburg

You’re in Thurmont, Maryland, and you want somewhere to go next. Take Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It is a short drive away, and it is where the Civil War turned. Here are the things worth taking in Gettysburg:

Gettysburg National Military Park

This is the main reason people come to Gettysburg, and rightly. The park holds the Gettysburg Battlefield, where the Civil War battle was fought. You can take a guided tour of the ground, take the museum, or watch a reenactment of what happened here.

Gettysburg Museum of History

If you read history, this museum will hold you. It runs an unusual collection of artifacts across several periods, the Civil War, World War II and pop culture among them.

Gettysburg National Cemetery

This cemetery is what the number of dead in the Civil War actually looks like. The graves are arranged by state, which puts the scale of who fought and died in front of you all at once.

David Wills House

This historic house is where Abraham Lincoln finished the Gettysburg Address. You can tour the house and get the history of the speech from the room it was written in.

Shriver House Museum

This museum covers what the Battle of Gettysburg did to the people who lived here. You get the Shriver family’s own story and what the battle cost them.

Seminary Ridge Museum

This museum stands on the ground where the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg was fought. You get what happened that day and how it set up everything that followed.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Gettysburg and work through it properly. Take the walking shoes and the willingness to stand still for a while.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any parks in Thurmont, MD where I can nap without being bothered?

We cannot promise a squirrel or a chipmunk will leave you alone, but Thurmont, MD runs parks built for exactly that kind of afternoon. Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park both work for it. Take a blanket and some bug spray.

Is it true that the historic downtown area of Thurmont, MD is haunted?

We can neither confirm nor deny the ghosts in Thurmont’s historic downtown. What we can tell you is that it holds several historic buildings and landmarks, the Cozy Restaurant and the Thurmont Trolley Trail among them. Whatever you believe, the walk through downtown Thurmont stays with you. And you may well meet something on it.

Frequently asked questions about Thurmont, Maryland

Is Cunningham Falls State Park worth a full day out?

Yes, comfortably so. The 78-foot falls are the draw, and the man-made lake beside them takes the swimming, the fishing and the paddleboats when the walking is finally done for the day. The hiking loops in there run from the easy through to the moderate. The old iron mine sits inside that same park boundary as well. Go in the fall, because the leaves are what people drive out here for.

Is the Roddy Road Covered Bridge the one to see?

It is, yes. It was built in 1856, which makes it the oldest of the three covered bridges here, and it crosses Owens Creek in a spot built for a photograph. Loy’s Station from 1848 is the other one that is worth the detour. Utica Mills from 1870 completes the set of all three. Drive all three of them in one afternoon, because they sit close together.

Is the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve worth the ticket with children?

Yes, easily worth it. It holds over 450 exotic animals, panthers, pythons and zebras among them, and the Global Wildlife Safari ride is what the children will talk about afterwards. You can feed and pet some of the animals while you are in there. It takes the better part of a whole day to work through. Go early in the day, because the animals stop moving once the heat arrives.

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