Maryland · Park trail

Deerfield Nature Trail Stop 9: Sugar Maple

in Maryland · centroid 54 mi from Baltimore

Sugar maples are one of the more colorful trees in eastern deciduous hardwood forests during the fall. Their leaves range on a spectrum from yellow to red. Sugar Maples have also been historically used by American Indians and European settlers for their sap, which when boiled down can be turned into maple syrup.

It takes around 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup,

States: Maryland
Trail type: Park trail
Centroid nearest city: Baltimore, MD · 54 mi · ~1.5 hr drive
Centroid coords: 39.6608°, -77.4943°

About Catoctin Mountain Park

Park

This trail is inside Catoctin Mountain Park, a park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/deerfield-nature-trail-stop-9-sugar-maple.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/cato/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Deerfield Nature Trail Stop 9: Sugar Maple and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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Driving in? The nearest documented metro is Baltimore, MD — 54 miles away (~1.5 hr drive). See accommodation in Baltimore on Booking.com → RoamFound earns a small commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we handle affiliate links.