Cunningham Falls State Park

Cunningham Falls is the largest cascading waterfall in Maryland — Hunting Creek drops 78 feet down a bare rock face, catching on several ledges before pooling at the base. The William Houck Area, sitting just off MD-77 roughly three miles west of Thurmont, is where riders will park: there's a paved day-use lot at the trailhead, picnic facilities, and access to Hunting Creek Lake, which allows swimming from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Cell coverage is limited inside the park, so plan your route before you drop into the hollow.

The walk to the falls is short and straightforward — the Lower Trail runs half a mile one-way from the lake-side parking area with interpretive signs along the path. A more demanding option, the Cliff Trail, covers roughly three-quarters of a mile and climbs through rock outcrops before dropping to a platform at the base of the falls. Both trails share the same parking area. One practical note: the park is one of Maryland's most visited, and on summer and fall weekends it can reach capacity by mid-morning, with vehicles turned away at the entrance. Arriving early or timing the stop for a weekday avoids that friction.