Cunningham Falls State Park occupies part of Catoctin Mountain west of Thurmont and is known for Maryland’s largest cascading waterfall, a 78-foot drop, as well as a man-made lake, forest, and iron industry remains. Long before the park, Native Americans hunted, fished, and quarried rhyolite there for projectile points. In the 19th century, settlers heavily cut the mountain’s forests for charcoal to supply the Catoctin Iron Furnace, leaving charcoal flats and mule trails still visible today. After severe environmental damage, the federal government acquired the area in the 1930s and restored it for public use; the southern 5,000 acres became Cunningham Falls State Park.