Catoctin Mountain Park Announces Deer Herd Health Study and Temporary Road Closures

Date: August 10, 2015
Contact: Mel Poole, Superintendent, 301-663-9330

Park Central and Manahan Roads, located in Catoctin Mountain Park, Thurmont, Maryland, will close intermittently to vehicle traffic between 8:30 p.m. and 4 am on Tuesday September 1, through Thursday September 3, 2015 for a deer herd health study.The study will occur after dusk when the park is closed.Manahan Road will be closed north of Park Central Road to the park boundary.Park Central Road will remain open between Camp Misty Mount and Rt. 77 to accommodate campers.

The purpose of the study is to assess the health and condition of the deer population.The last time a herd health assessment was conducted in the park was in 2002.At that time, the health of the herd was found to be highly deteriorated and above carrying capacity.Since deer management operations began in 2010, the park deer population has decreased from approximately 123 deer per square mile in 2009 to 35 deer per square mile in 2014.

Catoctin Mountain Park is one of over 400 units administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Correspondence should be addressed to: Superintendent, Catoctin Mountain Park, 6602 Foxville Road, Thurmont, MD 21788. Please visit the Catoctin Mountain Park website at www.nps.gov/cato for more information.General information can be obtained by calling the Visitor Center at (301-663-9388).The Park Visitor Center is open Sunday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily.Emergency calls should be directed to the National Capital Region Communications Center at 1-866-677-6677.

See map of closed roadways.