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"There's something fun about being dirty," said Stefanie Wallach, a Washington, D.C. native, as she sat next to a campfire Friday at Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont.

Wallach and her husband pulled their children, 10-year-old Ben and 8-year-old Rachel, out of school that day so the family could head to the mountains, pitch a tent and spend the weekend "unplugged," she said. The Wallachs were one of many families that spent Labor Day weekend far above sea level, away from the beach crowds and smack dab in the middle of nature.

The sounds of freshly made, crackling fires, dogs barking at woodland creatures and children exploring the trails echoed around the mountain last week, as holiday campers settled into their sites.

Amberlee Huggins, of Arlington, Va., and Brad Wasserman of Montgomery Village, expressed excitement for the relaxing days ahead as they pulled equipment from the car parked in front of their camping area.

They chose Catoctin Mountain Park because "it's got the opportunity to enjoy nature in a couple of different ways," Huggins said. The pair planned to bike, hike, visit the lake area and cook outside.

Many park visitors also liked the fact camping allows for them to bring their furry family members on vacation.

Brittany Edie of Westminster relaxed with her two dachshunds — Cooper and Connor — outside her tent after taking a short hike with them on Friday afternoon.

Annette Moretz, also of Westminster, noted her snow-white husky and Samoyed mix probably would be a few shades darker by the time they packed up on Monday, but said she appreciates the fact "Freaky" can tag along with the family as they "go back to the basics."

Managers at several campgrounds around Frederick County said they were nearly or completely full for the holiday. Catoctin Mountain Park, Cunningham Falls State Park, also in Thurmont, Gathland State Park in Burkittsville and the Brunswick Family Campground were overrun with campers.

Jennie Pumphrey, superintendent secretary at Catoctin Mountain Park, said the camp's 51 sites were all occupied on Friday and Saturday nights. She thinks it had to do with the "perfect camping weather" that was predicted for the weekend. "Cool, not hot," she said.

Wallach certainly appreciated the opportunity to beat the heat in the mountains and under the park's tree cover. "It's too hot where we live," she said.

"We have seen more people camping that [live] closer by than normal," said Vickie Howes, the camp office supervisor at Cunningham Falls. "They're not going as far ... due to the economy. That's what we're assuming," she added. "We were completely full here."

Campers from the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas expressed appreciation that the drive was fairly short and essentially traffic-free.

In addition to spending less on gas, camping tends to cost less than even the cheapest hotel at a popular holiday weekend destination. The highest price for a night at Cunningham Falls is $66 for a six-person cabin. A basic tent site is $26 per night. Other Frederick County campgrounds have comparable pricing.

Nicole Williams, the camp office supervisor at Gathland State Park, said the park was at capacity throughout the weekend.

"I think our lake with the beach is a big attraction for us," she said. "There's actually sand on the beach. It's like an actual beach it's just fresh water, without the waves," she added.

The camp also allows dogs on 60 of its 165 sites, which she thinks campers appreciate.

Despite their specific plans for the weekend, every camper echoed Huggins' sentiment about spending time in nature.

"It's the opposite of our weekday lives," she said. "It's a good way to decompress."

cpomeroy@gazette.net