Lower Swallow Falls

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

6feet tall

A block on Youghiogheny River.

Scale20/60

Documentation20/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Block
Watercourse: Youghiogheny River
Coordinates: 39.50031, -79.4161

Get directions →

About Lower Swallow Falls

Lower Swallow Falls is a 6-foot block in Maryland, on Youghiogheny River.

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

Plungeworthy rates Lower Swallow Falls 5.4/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

The quiet quarter of the Canyon Trail's four falls: a short, wide drop on the Youghiogheny between Muddy Creek and the main Swallow Falls — the one you'll have to yourself while the crowds photograph its neighbors.

Getting there

Trailhead: Canyon Trail, Swallow Falls State Park day-use lot
Parking: Same lot as the rest of the loop
Road: Paved
Hike: 0.5 mi round trip (easy)
Heads up: About the half-mile mark of the loop, just before the staircase to Swallow Falls.

When to go

Spring and after rain, like the whole river.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: $3/$5 per person in season
Dogs: Banned in season; leashed off-season
Hours: 8am–sunset
Camping: On site

Researched from Maryland DNR — Swallow Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Lower Swallow 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.