fees, RV limits, trails & mountain biking

Horsepen Branch Hiker-Biker Overnight (HBO) Campsite

National Park Service campground in Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, near Poolesville, Maryland.

Freenightly fee
Not itemizedfirst-come area, sites not listed
First-comebooking
Not statedseason (agency text)
No RV datamax RV/trailer length
12named USFS/NPS trails within 5 mi (10.7 mi)
56.6 mibike trails within 5 mi (20.9 rated) · kid-friendly

How it compares

Amenities & rules

The agency hasn't published an amenity list for this campground.

Trails within 5 miles

TrailClosest pointMapped miles within 5 miSource
Towpath, Milepost 25-26 (025.00)0.1 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 26-27 (026.00)0.1 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 24-25 (024.00)1.0 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 27-28 (027.00)1.0 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 23-24 (023.00)1.9 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 28-29 (028.00)2.0 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 22-23 (022.00)2.9 mi0.9NPS
Towpath, Milepost 29-30 (029.00)3.0 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 21-22 (021.00)3.8 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 30-31 (030.00)4.0 mi1.0NPS
Towpath, Milepost 20-21 (020.00)4.6 mi0.4NPS
Towpath, Milepost 31-32 (031.00)4.8 mi0.4NPS

Mountain biking nearby

56.6 miles of bike-legal trail lie within 5 miles (2.8 mi on unnamed paths). Difficulty mix: Family/Beginner: 20.9 miUnrated: 35.7 mi✓ Kid-friendly: 20.9 mi of green-rated trail

TrailClosest pointMiles within 5 miDifficulty (as tagged)KidsSource
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail0.0 mi9.1Green✓OSM
Towpath, Milepost 25-26 (025.00)0.1 mi1.0UnratedNPS
Towpath, Milepost 26-27 (026.00)0.1 mi1.0UnratedNPS
East River Trail0.3 mi1.5UnratedOSM
West River Trail0.4 mi1.3UnratedOSM
Barred Owl Trail0.5 mi0.1UnratedOSM
White Trail0.6 mi0.6UnratedOSM
Deer Trail0.8 mi1.3UnratedOSM
Towpath, Milepost 24-25 (024.00)1.0 mi1.0UnratedNPS
Towpath, Milepost 27-28 (027.00)1.0 mi1.0UnratedNPS
Potomac Heritage Trail1.3 mi13.3UnratedOSM
Towpath, Milepost 23-24 (023.00)1.9 mi1.0UnratedNPS

+ 14 more.

Ratings come only from OpenStreetMap mtb:scale / IMBA tags. Untagged trails show as "Unrated", and we never guess. Check conditions and maps on Trailforks or MTB Project.

Activities listed

BikingBoatingCampingFishingHikingHorseback RidingPaddlingWildlife Viewing

Nearest campgrounds

CampgroundMilesStateFee/nightSitesHookupsMax RVPetsBookingTrails ≤5 mi
Chisel Branch Hiker-Biker Overnight (HBO) Campsite
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
4.6MDFree— — —— First-come12 (11.0 mi)
Turtle Run Hiker-Biker Campsite
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
7.9MDFree— — —— First-come12 (11.3 mi)
Lake Fairfax Family Campground
Fairfax County Parks Authority
8.4VA—55 E S yes— Reserve32 (23.3 mi)
Swains Lock Hiker-Biker Campsite
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
8.7MDFree— — —— First-come44 (36.1 mi)
Marble Quarry Hiker-Biker Campsite
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
9.1MDFree— — —— First-come14 (13.8 mi)
Marsden Tract Group Campsite
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
11.6MD—6 — —yes Reserve55 (46.8 mi)

Hookups: E = electric (max amps), W = water, S = sewer. "—" means the agency doesn't publish it. Trail counts are named USFS/NPS trails within 5 miles. 🟢 = kid-friendly (green-rated) bike trail nearby.

From the managing agency

Mile 26.1 - 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 November 15 to April 15 each year.