Photo: Jason Knauer · CC BY 3.0Muddy Creek Falls
Worth the drive
Is it plungeworthy?
A block on Muddy Creek.
The details
- Type
- Block
- Watercourse
- Muddy Creek
- Coordinates
- 39.50111, -79.4174
About Muddy Creek Falls
Muddy Creek Falls is a 53-foot block in Maryland, on Muddy Creek.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Muddy Creek Falls 7.6/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Maryland's tallest free-falling waterfall: 53 feet of Muddy Creek into a rocky amphitheater above the Youghiogheny. Edison, Ford, Firestone, and the naturalist John Burroughs camped under these hemlocks in 1918 — the view hasn't aged.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Canyon Trail, Swallow Falls State Park day-use lot, nine miles northwest of Oakland
- Parking
- Day-use lot — weekend reservations required Memorial Day–Labor Day (parkdayuse.maryland.gov)
- Road
- Paved
- Hike
- 0.5 mi round trip, 131 ft of climb (easy)
- Heads up
- The full Canyon Trail loop bags all four of the park's falls in about a mile and a quarter.
When to go
Spring melt and after rain; fall foliage weekends are the crowd peak; winter ices it into sculpture.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- $3 MD residents / $5 out-of-state per person in season; free off-season
- Dogs
- Banned from the day-use area Memorial Day–Labor Day; leashed rest of year
- Hours
- 8am–sunset
- Camping
- Swallow Falls campground on site
- Warnings
- Gorge edges and river rocks — stay on the built overlooks.
Researched from Maryland DNR — Swallow Falls State Park · Wikipedia — Swallow Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Muddy Creek 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.
Common questions
How tall is Muddy Creek Falls?
Muddy Creek Falls drops about 53 feet, in Maryland.
Where is Muddy Creek Falls?
Muddy Creek Falls is a waterfall in Maryland, at 39.50111, -79.4174.
Is Muddy Creek Falls worth visiting?
Worth the drive — Plungeworthy rates it 7.6/10.
Gear for the trip
As an Amazon Associate, Plungeworthy earns from qualifying purchases.
