Cunningham Falls

One for the list

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A tiered on Big Hunting Creek.

Scale12/60

Documentation10/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Tiered
Watercourse: Big Hunting Creek
Coordinates: 39.63169, -77.47115

Get directions →

About Cunningham Falls

Cunningham Falls is a tiered in Maryland, on Big Hunting Creek.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Cunningham Falls 3.6/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

78 feet of Catoctin greenstone cascade — Maryland's tallest by total drop (Muddy Creek keeps the free-fall crown) — with a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk running to an observation deck at the base. Best in the state for taking everyone.

Getting there

Trailhead: William Houck Area, Cunningham Falls State Park, 3 miles west of Thurmont on MD-77
Parking: Houck Area lots — full by late morning on summer weekends
Road: Paved
Hike: 0.2 mi round trip, 6 ft of climb (easy boardwalk; the Cliff Trail variant is the workout)
Heads up: The Lower Trail (1 mile round trip) adds interpretive signs; Catoctin Mountain Park sits across the road.

When to go

After rain — the cascade runs on weather; fall doubles as a foliage trip with the lake beach in summer.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: $3–$7 per person depending on residency and day, Houck Area in season
Dogs: Allowed on trails; banned from the swim beach in season
Hours: 8am–sunset (10am Nov–Mar)
Camping: Houck and Manor campgrounds; Houck April–October
Warnings: Swimming and climbing at the falls are prohibited; copperheads and black bears live here — mind the food and the footing.

Researched from Maryland DNR — Cunningham Falls State Park · Wikipedia — Cunningham Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Cunningham Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.