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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Cunningham Falls

Frederick County, Maryland — about 78 ft, mid-height.

Maryland's largest cascading waterfall at 78 feet, tumbling down a rocky face on Big Hunting Creek in Cunningham Falls State Park. The easy Lower Trail (about a half mile each way) reaches the base.

Height
78 ft
Type
Cascade
Access
Short Hike
Trail
1 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
100 ft
Best season
Spring
Land manager
Maryland DNR (Cunningham Falls State Park)
Watercourse
Big Hunting Creek

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Maryland DNR (Cunningham Falls State Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cunningham Falls drops about 78 feet. That makes it the 290th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 57% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Lower Trail (Falls Trail) reaches it about 1 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 100 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Thurmont. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Maryland DNR (Cunningham Falls State Park) for closures and current conditions.

Spring. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

More Maryland waterfalls

Sources

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