Cunningham Falls State Park · MD
Lower Trail
The shortest and easiest route to Cunningham Falls, a 78-foot cascading waterfall that is the largest in Maryland; a red-blazed, interpretive trail leading a half mile down to the base of the falls.
Live · updated
Today
Skip the trail running plan today.
Today's best: trail running
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Skip the hiking plan today.
Trail running
Skip the trail running plan today.
Dog walking
Thunderstorms in today's forecast — dogs panic and trails become dangerous.
Score breakdown
- · 76°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 0.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 24 ft
- Surface
- gravel
- Difficulty
- easy
Trailhead
Coordinates
39.6302, -77.4667 — MD.
Park
Part of Cunningham Falls State Park (official site →).
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is Lower Trail?
Lower Trail is a 0.5-mile route with 24 feet of elevation gain — easy — gentle grades, generally suitable for families and beginners with normal fitness. 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 Lower Trail?
Lower Trail is crushed gravel or compacted aggregate — drains quickly, stays passable in wet weather. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Lower Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Lower 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.