Muddy Creek Falls — 53ft Cascade in Maryland

Muddy Creek Falls is a 53-foot cascade waterfall in Garrett County, Maryland, reached by an easy walk over 0.6 miles.

Muddy Creek Falls is the 53-foot cascade in Swallow Falls State Park in Maryland's Garrett County — the tallest waterfall in Maryland, located in the western Maryland panhandle near Deep Creek Lake. The Youghiogheny River and Muddy Creek both run through the park, with several waterfalls and the impressive Swallow Falls (a smaller drop on the Youghiogheny) within a 1-mile loop trail. Old-growth hemlock forest (300+ years old, one of the largest stands in the eastern U.S.) shades the trail. Winter ice formations on the falls are dramatic.

What to expect

Drive into Swallow Falls State Park (about 15 minutes from Deep Creek Lake). Pay the modest state park entry fee. Park at the trailhead. The 1.25-mile loop trail visits Muddy Creek Falls, Swallow Falls, and the Youghiogheny River. The Muddy Creek Falls overlook is the marquee stop. Easy walking on graveled paths. Pair with Deep Creek Lake activities, the Wisp Resort ski area in winter, or the Cranesville Sub-Arctic Swamp nearby.