The best historic waterfalls in Maryland are Wiley Falls, Cunningham Falls, Gilpins Falls and 2 more. Falls with a written record: a USGS naming history, a gazetteer description or older recorded names.
See every waterfall on the Maryland waterfalls page or the Maryland waterfall map, or browse by town: Jarrettsville, Thurmont, North East, Oakland.
How we picked: We took the 5 publicly accessible Maryland waterfalls that have a written record in the USGS Geographic Names Information System (a naming history, a gazetteer description, or older variant names) and ranked them by how much of that record exists, then by Google review volume.
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1. Wiley Falls
Wiley Falls is a named waterfall about 5.8 miles north of Jarrettsville. USGS notes: 100 ft high, approximately 860 ft. long; located along Falling Rocks Branch, 1.1 mi NE of Ivory Mill
Harford County, MD (GPS 39.6830, -76.5189)
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The USGS gazetteer describes it as: 100 ft high, approximately 860 ft. long; located along Falling Rocks Branch, 1.1 mi NE of Ivory Mill. Name history: Named for Matthew Wiley (1751-1840), the first of five generations of the Wiley family to own and operate the grain mills in the area. The nearest town is Jarrettsville, about 5.8 miles to the south. The nearest other named waterfall is Kilgores Rocks, about 4.9 miles to the east.
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2. Cunningham Falls
Cunningham Falls, near Thurmont, is next up, rated 4.3 out of 5 from 61 reviews.
Frederick County, MD 21783 (GPS 39.6315, -77.4714)
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Older records also call it McAfee Falls. Visitors rate it 4.3 stars across 61 Google reviews. The nearest town is Thurmont, about 3.3 miles to the east. The nearest other named waterfall is The Cascade, about 8.4 miles to the south.
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3. Gilpins Falls
Gilpins Falls, near North East, is next up, rated 4.1 out of 5 from 38 reviews.
Cecil County, MD 21921 (GPS 39.6476, -75.9522)
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Older records also call it Gilpin's Falls. Visitors rate it 4.1 stars across 38 Google reviews. The nearest town is North East, about 3.3 miles to the south. The nearest other named waterfall is Amos Falls, about 11.4 miles to the west.
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4. Upper Swallow Falls
Upper Swallow Falls near Oakland is another strong option, rated 3.9 out of 5 from 8 reviews.
Garrett County, MD 21550 (GPS 39.4956, -79.4173)
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Older records also call it Swallow Falls. Visitors rate it 3.9 stars across 8 Google reviews. The nearest town is Oakland, about 6.1 miles to the south. The nearest other named waterfall is Tolliver Falls, about 0.1 miles to the southwest.
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5. Kilgores Rocks
Kilgores Rocks is a named waterfall about 6.6 miles northeast of Jarrettsville. It appears on the USGS Fawn Grove topographic map.
Harford County, MD (GPS 39.6912, -76.4267)
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Older records also call it Kilgore's Falls. The nearest town is Jarrettsville, about 6.6 miles to the southwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Wiley Falls, about 4.9 miles to the west.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best historic waterfall in Maryland?
Wiley Falls tops our 2026 list. The USGS gazetteer describes it as: 100 ft high, approximately 860 ft. long; located along Falling Rocks Branch, 1.1 mi NE of Ivory Mill. It is near Jarrettsville in Harford County.
How many historic waterfalls are in Maryland?
5 of the 15 waterfalls we track in Maryland qualify. This page ranks the top 5; every waterfall in the state is on the Maryland waterfalls page.
How was this list made?
We took the 5 publicly accessible Maryland waterfalls that have a written record in the USGS Geographic Names Information System (a naming history, a gazetteer description, or older variant names) and ranked them by how much of that record exists, then by Google review volume.
Which counties are they in?
The 5 on this list are in Harford County, Frederick County, Cecil County, and Garrett County.
More Maryland Waterfalls by Type
Or browse every type on the historic waterfalls by state page and the waterfall types hub.