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Visit Maryland's largest cascading waterfall in Cunningham Falls State Park

Take solace in the great outdoors and uncover history at this park.

THURMONT, Md. — The beautiful Cunningham Falls State Park is just 70 miles from the center of D.C. Visitors are instantly immersed in the great outdoors.

The park has seven primary hiking trails, welcoming hikers of all ability levels. A half-mile path leads to the stunning Cunningham Falls. At 77-feet long, it’s the largest cascading waterfall in Maryland.

“The difference between a cascading waterfall and a single-drop waterfall, like Niagara Falls, is that cascading waterfalls trickles down over rocks,” said Cunningham Falls manager Mark Spurrier.

Credit: Mark Spurrier
Lush greenery surrounds the falls in the spring and summer months. Photo taken by Mark Spurrier in summer 2020.

For those looking to soak up the sun or enjoy the water, the beach area offers the perfect backdrop. For an overnight trip, travelers can reserve a campsite in advance. Weekends tend to be crowded, especially in the summer months. Weekday trips make for a less busy experience.

Credit: WUSA9

History lovers can discover the historic Catoctin Furnace, which was built in 1774.

“You can learn a lot about our country and kind of it’s development through the industrial age,” said Spurrier. “There’s a lot of history there that you can uncover.”

While some specific attractions temporarily closed because of the pandemic, the park did remain open. Spurrier said more than 500,000 visitors came to Cunningham Falls in the last year.

It’s a place many people can go to take solace in the great outdoors.

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