Rustic Cabin Re​novation

​​The Maryland Park Service recognizes the popularity of the Rustic Cabin Loop and is committed to a renovation to meet customer needs.

The size, condition, location, and historic significance make the repair and renovation of individual cabins quite challenging. The existing (9) Rustic Cabins do not meet current building codes and cannot be adapted to meet ADA requirements. The cabins are undersized for their intended use, and their age makes it difficult to keep them clean and in good repair.

This area of the park and the rustic cabins themselves are historically significant due to their construction and use by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Maryland Historical Trust has collaborated closely with the Maryland Park Service to develop a project that includes new cabins that reflect the architectural vernacular of the CCC-era and includes the reconstruction and permanent preservation of a “Museum Cabin,” that will be used for historical interpretation. This represents a reasonable compromise between practical needs for safe, efficient, and sustainable camp operations and historic preservation. This is also the most cost-effective alternative to provide suitable lodging and water access for park visitors.

The project includes the following program elements:

• ​Removal and replacement of eight of the existing rustic cabins on the same footprints as the current cabins.
• New cabins to be designed to be similar in massing, style, and materials to the existing CCC-era cabins with two bedrooms, a kitchen/gathering area with a fireplace, and a covered screened porch.
• One of the new cabins shall be fully accessible and ADA compliant.
• Each cabin will have a kitchen with a refrigerator, stove, and sink.
• Each cabin will have an HVAC system and will be insulated for year-round use.
• The existing bathhouse will be upgraded for year-round use.
• One of the existing cabins will be renovated/reconstructed for use as a “Museum Cabin” with appropriate waysides for interpreting the CCC-era construction and use of the “Rustic Cabin Loop.” This cabin shall be restored to its CCC-era cabin configuration, appearance, and finishes for interpretation of the CCC workers’ life and the workers’ role in the design and development of Maryland State Parks. The museum cabin will be for interpretation only and will not be a rentable cabin.
• The site will be improved to stabilize eroding areas, provide stormwater management, and restore natural vegetation in the Critical Area Buffer to improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat.

Construction Schedule:

Construction is proposed for late season of 2024 with a projected completion in the Spring of 2026.​