Maryland is one of my favorite states. There is beauty around every turn and most of it isn’t very well known. For an adventurer like me, who likes to go to all the hidden places, it’s absolutely perfect. Kilgore Falls is a good example of this. It is the second tallest free-falling waterfall in the state at 17 feet and wasn’t publicly available until 1993. Kilgore is also back in the hills of Harford County and isn’t a place you would expect a waterfall of it’s size to be.
In the summer of 2020, you had to make reservations to go here due to covid and environmental concerns. With the growing popularity this section of Rocks State Park has, I would not be surprised to see them keep the reservations after covid passes. That’s why I recommend going now in the winter or even early spring. You’ll see more and be able to hike freely without running into a bunch of people. This does mean that swimming will probably be off the table for you.
Kilgore Falls has a rocky section at the base that mellows out into an adequate swimming basin. The water isn’t too deep and there are large rocks on the shore that are perfect for sunbathing. To see the Falls and everything it has properly, you will have to cross the stream by either rock-hopping or wading. In the summer that’s no big deal but in the winter, that water is ice cold. I’d suggest that you be sure everyone going with you is able to rock hop properly. It’s also easier to cross above the falls than it is below them.
Getting to Kilgore Falls is really not hard. The parking lot only has one trail and it leads you straight to the Falls. Make sure you park in the lot and not on the road. It’s only about a quarter mile hike from the parking lot. It’s not even too hilly or rocky. Pets are allowed but they must be kept on a leash.
Kilgore Falls might be one of the best natural beauties that Harford County has to offer. We really have to keep it that way. Don’t leave trash behind, don’t tread off trail, and please don’t disturb the natural flow of the water. These Falls are something I want to take my grandkids to someday with the hopes they’ll see it the same way I did.
For more info on reservations or the park itself, please visit https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/Rocks/Falling-Branch.aspx