Chimney Rock–Cunningham Falls, 5 beaches is a 7.2-mile out-and-back in Catoctin Mountain Park near Hunting Creek Acres, MD. The route passes Hunting Creek Lake, Cunningham Falls State Park Beach and Cunningham Falls before reaching Chimney Rock at the turnaround, 3.6 miles in. It climbs 1,404 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi915 – 1,516 ft · steepest grade: 26%7.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.62915, -77.46103
Nearest town Hunting Creek Acres, MD
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Chimney Rock–Cunningham Falls, 5 beaches
7.2 mi · ▲ 1,404 ft · 3 hr 6 min
Elevation 917–1,514 ft
Out & Back · Catoctin Mountain Park
Trailhead: 39.62915, -77.46103
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:56 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Hunting Creek Lake.
- 50 ftPass Cunningham Falls State Park Beach.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear left onto Lower Trail, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Boardwalk Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Cunningham Falls.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Hog Rock Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Thurmont Vista Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 1.2 miBear left, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Chimney Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 1.2 miContinue straight onto Hog Rock Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Cunningham Falls Nature Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Boardwalk Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Lower Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
75% dirt13% gravel5% paved4% boardwalk1% grass2% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:56 AMSunset 7:12 PM
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- White Rock–Hunting Creek Lake, 4 beaches 15.4 mi · ▲ 3,041 ft
- Cat Rock & Bob's Hill Natural Area Viewpoint–South Bob's Hill Overlook, 5 viewpoints 8.9 mi · ▲ 1,284 ft
- Blue Ridge Summit Vista–Hog Rock, 6 viewpoints 4.6 mi · ▲ 781 ft
- Cunningham Falls–Boardwalk Viewpoint, 5 beaches 1.1 mi · ▲ 144 ft
- Hog Rock–Cunningham Falls, 6 sights 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,081 ft
- Blue Ridge Summit Vista–Hog Rock, 7 viewpoints 6.2 mi · ▲ 1,046 ft
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Hikes near Hunting Creek Acres, Maryland