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
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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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.
Trails nearby
All 257 trails in Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
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.