Cunningham Falls – Thurmont, MD

Maryland

Maryland is one of America’s smallest states, it sits on the Chesapeake Bay and is not far from Washington DC. The state has some big cities like, Baltimore and Frederick, as well as sandy beaches, forests, and waterfalls.

Cunningham Falls State Park

Cunningham Falls State Park is just west of Thurmont, MD, and has the state’s largest cascading waterfall. The Park is located in the Catoctin Mountains. The Catoctin Mountains along with the Bull Run Mountains, form the Easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Park is divided into 2 separate areas;

1. he William Houck area is 3 miles West of Thurmont, Maryland on Route 77 and has the Lake area, Falls, and camping area.
2. The Manor area is 3 miles South of Thurmont, Maryland off Route 15 and has “Scales and Tales Aviary” camping, and the historic Catoctin Iron Furnace.

The Park has lots to offer; camping, hiking, boating, fishing, and swimming. We took the entrance to the William Houck area, admission was $5/each(non-Maryland resident). We decided to take a short walk to see the falls. It’s a beautiful 1/2-mile walk through the woods along a gravel path. If you want something more adventurous, you can hike up through the woods on a more treacherous 1-mile trail. The Park has a lot of hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty.

The “Presidential” Catoctin Mountains

The Catoctin Mountains are maybe best known as the site of Camp David, a mountain retreat for Presidents of the United States. The first President to visit the Camp was Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s and he named it “Shangri-La”. It was renamed to Camp David in the 1950s by Dwight Eisenhower who named it after his grandson, David. Camp David is extremely well guarded by the Secret Service and up to 1/3 of the Catoctin Mountain Park can be closed to the public on short notice if the President decides to spend the weekend at Camp David.

Cunningham Falls

After a walk through the woods, we reached Cunningham Falls. This is a 78-foot cascading waterfall and the largest cascading waterfall in the state of Maryland.

This Park is a great place for all kinds of outdoor activities. We may come back and try some camping. Several people were swimming in the lake, which looked very inviting! The lake has a bathhouse, beach area, and lots of picnic areas.

What else is in or near Maryland?

• Washington DC
• National Harbor
• Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
• Antietam National Museum
• National Aquarium
• Fort McHenry
• Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum
• Historic Ships in Baltimore
• Oriole Park at Camden Yard
• Goddard Space Flight Center
• Dr. Mudd House Museum

The Famous Potomac River

The Potomac River forms part of the borders between Maryland and Washington DC on the left bank and West Virginia and Virginia on the Right bank. It flows from the Potomac Highlands into the Chesapeake Bay. The majority of the lower river is in Maryland. The river is nicknamed “The Nation’s River”, George Washington was born and lived most of his life within the Potomac basin. Many people confuse his famous river crossing during the American Revolutionary War as the Potomac, when in fact it was the Delaware River. The river has historic significance, during the Civil War, the Potomac River divided the Union from the Confederacy. Robert E. Lee crossed the river twice, once during the battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862) and again during the battle at Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863).

Maryland really is a beautiful state and we have only seen a fraction of it. Since it is only about a 6-hour drive from our home in North Carolina, I’m sure we will go back soon for more exploring! Have you been to this area of the United States? What did you like best? I would love to know. Please comment and share!

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