Swallow Falls State Park: Swallow Falls Canyon Trail (Blog Hike #778)

Trails: Swallow Falls Canyon Trail

Hike Location: Swallow Falls State Park

Geographic Location: north of Oakland, MD (39.49893, -79.41852)

Length: 1.1 miles

Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Date Hiked: October 2019

Overview: A short loop passing 4 major waterfalls.

Park Information: https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/western/swallowfalls.aspx

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=943240

Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Oakland, take US 219 north 7 miles to Mayhew Inn Road.  Alternatively, reach Mayhew Inn Rd. by taking SR 42 and/or US 219 south 19 miles from I-68, exits 4 and 11 respectively.  Turn west on Mayhew Inn Rd.  Drive Mayhew Inn Rd. west 4.5 miles to its end at Oakland Sang Road.  Turn left on Oakland Sang Rd. and drive Oakland Sang Rd. 0.3 miles to Swallow Falls Road.  Turn right on Swallow Falls Rd.  Drive Swallow Falls Rd. west 1.2 miles to the state park entrance on the right, which is reached just after crossing a rickety one lane bridge over the Youghiogheny River.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and park in the blacktop trailhead parking lot on the right 0.4 miles from the park entrance.

The hike: If you want national park-level scenery without national park prices or (maybe) national park crowds, then perhaps a visit to rural western Maryland’s Swallow Falls State Park is in order.  The narrow, winding roads that lead to the park testify to the park’s remote location, which reduces but not eliminates the crowds.  The park’s location on the Youghiogheny River, one of the region’s most scenic waterways, provides the national park level scenery.  On point, the 257 acre park contains virgin forest and four noteworthy waterfalls, all of which are seen on this hike.

            The land’s history as parkland dates to 1906, when John and Robert Garrett donated 1917 acres to the State of Maryland.  The park gained notoriety in 1918 when Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, John Burroughs and company camped near Muddy Creek Falls, the tallest of the park’s four waterfalls.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked here in the 1930’s, and they built trails and buildings that are still in use.  The park today features a 65-site developed campground, a picnic pavilion, and a small Visitor Center for amenities.

            For hikers, Swallow Falls State Park is the northern trailhead for a 5.5 mile trail that connects this park with nearby Herrington Manor State Park.  The only trail contained within the boundaries of Swallow Falls State Park is the 1.1 mile Swallow Falls Canyon Trail, but it is a good one that passes all four waterfalls and takes you through the virgin forest.  Such is the trail described here.

Portal at start of Swallow Falls Canyon Trail

            From the Visitor Center, walk across the parking lot and through the iron portal with wooden lintel that is the signed start of the Swallow Falls Canyon Trail.  Almost immediately you enter the virgin forest, and an interpretive sign tells you that this area is called the Youghiogheny Grove.  This stand of white pines and hemlocks contains trees that are more than 300 years old, and it is the last forest of its kind in Maryland.

Entering the Youghiogheny Grove

            After only a couple hundred feet, the trail forks to form its loop.  To save the best waterfall for last, I decided to turn right here and use the left trail as my return route, thus hiking the loop counterclockwise.  The wide gravel trail heads south over flat to descending terrain, and the park entrance road comes within sight through the trees to the right.

            Ignore a set of wooden steps that exits downhill to the left and continue heading south.  Soon the descent steepens, and a somewhat rocky and rooty course brings you to the base of Tolliver Falls, the first and probably least impressive of the four waterfalls on this hike.  At less than 10 feet in height, Tolliver Falls is a typical ledge-type waterfall, but it features an attractive plunge pool and rhododendron-filled surroundings.

Tolliver Falls

            The trail heads downstream from Tolliver Falls and soon reaches the west bank of the Youghiogheny River, a whitewater river known locally as “the Yahk.”  You may be able to see (or hear) the rickety one-lane bridge you drove over to get to the park; it crosses the river just upstream from here.  Now following the Yahk downstream, at 0.4 miles you reach Upper Swallow Falls.  Upper Swallow Falls is a 20-foot cascade-type waterfall, and the Yahk provides plenty of water to fall.  The first viewpoint provides a side view of the waterfall and views downstream, but a second viewpoint gives a postcard view from below the waterfall.

Upper Swallow Falls

            Where you reach the bottom of the wooden steps you passed the top of earlier, turn right to continue heading downstream beside the Yahk.  Near 0.6 miles, you reach Lower Swallow Falls.  Another river waterfall, Lower Swallow Falls is a 10-foot ledge-type waterfall, and an overlook area provides a close-up side view of the waterfall.

Lower Swallow Falls

            The trail continues downstream and passes below some rock cliffs and rock shelters on the left.  Next the trail curves left to leave the Yahk and head up the side ravine that contains Muddy Creek.  At 0.9 miles, you reach 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls, the tallest single-drop waterfall in Maryland.  A rocky ledge just below the waterfall provides the best view, but some landing areas built into the wooden staircase that lifts you to the top of the falls also provide nice views.  The view from the top of the waterfall looking down toward the Yahk is not bad either, and some benches near the top encourage you to rest after climbing the stairs and take in the scenery.

Muddy Creek Falls

            The top of Muddy Creek Falls is the other end of the wide gravel trail you started on, so a mostly flat course on wide trail through virgin forest is what remains.  A small parking lot provides handicapped access to the top of Muddy Creek Falls.  After closing the loop, turn right on the entrance trail to return to the parking lot and complete the hike.