Cunningham Falls State Park · MD

Cat Rock Trail

A steep, strenuous yellow-blazed climb to Cat Rock, a quartzite outcrop at 1,560 feet with scenic views over the Catoctin Mountains; a rugged alternative to the park's gentle falls trails.

Live · updated

Skip the trail running plan today.

Today's best: trail running

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Trail: prime
Air temp
78°F
Widespread Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind
6 to 14 mph
SW
Rain
87%
Last 48h: 0.02″
Trail
prime
dirt surface
Sunset
8:27 PM
83 min daylight left
Moon
Full Moon
97% illuminated

Hiking

Ideal 48–75°F

Skip the hiking plan today.

Trail running

Ideal 42–65°F

Skip the trail running plan today.

Dog walking

Ideal 40–72°F

Thunderstorms in today's forecast — dogs panic and trails become dangerous.

  • · 78°F airWithin comfort range, outside ideal
  • ThunderstormsGet off exposed ridges before they arrive
  • Trail: primeNo meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
Distance
1.5 mi
Elevation gain
0 ft
Surface
dirt
Difficulty
hard

Coordinates

39.6223, -77.4425 — MD.

Tick awareness

Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.

How long is Cat Rock Trail?

Cat Rock Trail is a 1.5-mile route with 0 feet of elevation gain — hard — significant elevation gain, technical terrain, or both; come prepared. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.

What's the trail surface like at Cat Rock Trail?

Cat Rock Trail is natural dirt singletrack — soft underfoot, holds water, slow to dry after rain. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.

Who manages Cat Rock Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?

Cat Rock Trail is in Cunningham Falls State Park, which is managed by the managing agency. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the agency. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.

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