Cunningham Falls State Park
RV Guide

Don't forget to bring your bike with you. During the off-season, some campsites and services are closed, but the trails are still open and are perfect for bicycling. The trails are especially good for bicycling during the off-season because they're less busy and you don't have to worry about other people as much. With several miles of trails to explore, there's no faster way to get through the park without missing anything than taking a bike. It is especially beautiful during the fall months when the leaves on the trees are changing colors.

Visitors of all ages will love the popular wildlife educational programs, Scales and Tales. These programs allow you to get up-close and personal with wildlife in a way that you would never otherwise get to do. During these programs, you will be able to see and learn more about birds, reptiles, as well as learn about the special adaptations that animals make to survive in the wild. Knowledgeable workers put on a fun show that is also educational and teaches visitors about important environmental issues.

If you love boating and own your own boat, you're in luck. A boat ramp is available to the public to put your boat in the water on Hunting Creek Lake, although you will pay a small fee. But it's completely worth it, considering you can go out on the lake and relax at any time of year, especially during the cooler months when the lake isn't as busy. Keep in mind no gasoline motors are allowed, only electric motors or boats without motors can cruise Hunting Creek Lake.

By the junction of Hog Rock and Falls Nature Trails, one of the best bouldering spots in the park is just north of MD-77 (Foxville Road). From the visitor center, it is a 1.4-mile hike to get there, and it is worth the walk. There is a plethora of outcroppings, slab faces, overhung flake, and sharp fins to explore. You can also find some excellent bouldering sites along the Cliff Trail by the Houck area and the Lower Trail.

Cunningham Falls State Park has about 3,500 acres of land for the public to hunt on. You will need a valid hunting license from the state of Maryland and a vehicle permit. You’ll find woodcocks, foxes, raccoons, crows, and rabbits as well as grouse, squirrels, turkeys, and whitetail deer. Most of the hunting areas are posted with red and white triangular signs that say, Managed Hunting Area. For more information or to learn where you can hunt, visit the Cunningham Falls State Park website.

Fishing is allowed in various parts of Cunningham Falls State Park, but everyone over 15 needs a fishing license to drop a line in the water. You should also brush up on all the fishing regulations to make sure you don't break a state fishing rule. For example, most of the areas where fishing is allowed are available for catch and release, and only certain types of lures are permitted. Fishing is allowed at Hunting Creek Lake, Little Hunting Creek, and in the many tributaries of Big Hunting Creek that flows through Cunningham Falls State Park.

Swimming is not allowed in the Falls, but you will still have plenty of room to swim in the three designated areas of Hunting Creek Lake during the summer months. The lake provides hours of fun for thousands of people a year and is a great destination for families of all sizes. Just be sure to get there before the water reaches the maximum capacity set by park staff. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on the sandy parts of the beach, but they can still explore the trails with you. Make sure to pack your swimsuit in your camper; you won't want to miss out on swimming.

The 78-foot cascading waterfall seems to be a magnet for people from all over the state and beyond. Even if you don't get to see everything in the park, the waterfall is worth taking a special trip. The picturesque landscape will have you reaching for your phone to take pictures as soon as you arrive. How much water is actually in the waterfall will depend on what time of year you go, but the natural rock formations are pretty impressive in and of themselves.

The trails for ATV riding are not numerous, but you can find them if you look hard enough. Try the 11.3-mile Frederick Watershed Trail in Frederick, which is a loop trail starting and ending on Mountaindale Road by Fishing Creek Reservoir. However, since you are camping at Cunningham Falls, you can jump on the trail by Fishing Creek near Gambrill Park Road. The entire trip is in the 7,000-acre Frederick Municipal Forest, and you can find 12 ponds in the area, two of which are stocked full of trout, so bring along your fishing pole on your ride.

There are quite a few equestrian trails in and around Cunningham Falls State Park. One such trail is the 4.7-mile Cunningham Falls Manor to White Rock on the Catoctin Trail. This path is a moderate-rated trail that has an elevation gain of 1,072 feet and is mostly uphill. You can see lots of wildlife in the woods here, including black bears, so stay bear aware. You can continue along the Catoctin Trail for another 10.7 miles if you like, but the trail gets increasingly more difficult with a total elevation gain of just over 2,500 feet.