National Park Service · Maryland
Big Woods Hiker-Biker Overnight (HBO) Campsite
National Park Service · Maryland, United States · in Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
- Sites
- 1
- Season
- Year-round
- Cost
- Walk-in, tent-only site: free. First come, first served
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Dump station
- No
- Laundry
- No
- Elevation
- 400 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
- Nearest town
- Mercersville
- Address
- Mercersville, MD, 21782
- Phone
- (301) 739-4200
About
Mile 82.7 - Hiker-biker campgrounds are located along the towpath approximately every 5-7 miles. No fee or reservation required. Overnight stays are limited to one night. All sites include a chemical toilet, picnic table, grill, and drinking water.
Please Note: Potable water may not be available at each campsite. Water is treated with iodine. Please plan to have water purification tablets with you. Water is turned off from mid-November to mid-April each year.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 26° | 3° | 57° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 44° | 29° | 8° | 70° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 55° | 36° | 16° | 75° | 8 of 11 |
| April | 67° | 46° | 28° | 90° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 73° | 56° | 40° | 95° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 81° | 62° | 54° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 89° | 70° | 61° | 102° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 85° | 70° | 60° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 80° | 63° | 51° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 65° | 48° | 38° | 83° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 52° | 37° | 26° | 69° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 43° | 30° | 16° | 63° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Horseshoe Bend Hiker-Biker Campsite · National Park Service · 1 mi · 1 sites
- Killiansburg Cave Hiker-Biker Campsite · National Park Service · 2 mi · 1 sites
- Rohrbach Group Campground · National Park Service · 3 mi · 10 sites
- Opequon Junction Hiker-Biker Overnight (HBO) Campsite · National Park Service · 4 mi · 1 sites
- Antietam Creek Campsite · National Park Service · 6 mi · 20 sites
All public campgrounds in Maryland · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.