State Park · Maryland
Gathland State Park
- Location
- Frederick County, Maryland
- Nearest town
- 5.8 miles southwest of Middletown
- Type
- State Park
About Gathland State Park
South Mountain holds the former estate of George Alfred Townsend, a Civil War correspondent who wrote under the pen name "Gath." Among the estate's few surviving structures is the War Correspondents Memorial Arch, positioned alongside the Appalachian Trail, which stands today as a National Historic Monument kept up by the National Park Service. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources runs the surrounding grounds.
Hours, fees, camping, reservations and closures are set by the park and change often. Check the official park site before you go.
Getting there
Gathland State Park is in Frederick County, Maryland, 5.8 miles southwest of Middletown. The Directions button takes you to the park's mapped location; the entrance may be elsewhere, so check the official site for the address to use.
State parks near Gathland State Park
Within 60 miles, closest first, straight-line. All 46 in Maryland →
Washington Monument State ParkState Park · Washington County, MD6.8 miN
Greenbrier State ParkState Park · Washington County, MD9.2 miN
Gambrill State ParkState Park · Frederick County, MD9.3 miNE
South Mountain State ParkState Park · Washington County, MD11 miN
Cunningham Falls State ParkState Park · Frederick County, MD17 miNE
Seneca Creek State ParkState Park · Montgomery County, MD27 miSE
Mont Alto State ParkState Park · Franklin County, PA31 miN
Patuxent River State ParkState Park · Montgomery County, MD33 miE
Sky Meadows State ParkState Park · Fauquier County, VA34 miSW
Towns near Gathland State Park
State parks near Frederick, State parks near Hagerstown, State parks near Martinsburg, State parks near Leesburg, State parks near Germantown, State parks near Winchester
Facts from Wikidata, checked September 25, 2026. Distances are straight-line.