Kilgore Falls is a 15-foot vertical waterfall on Falling Branch in the Falling Branch area of Rocks State Park, Harford County, Maryland. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources calls it the state's second-highest vertical waterfall, and a half-mile trail leads from a small lot near Pylesville to its base.
The falls
Falling Branch, a tributary of Deer Creek, drops in a single vertical sheet over a broad rock ledge. A single drop of 15 feet is classed as a vertical block; earlier surveys give 17 feet. Other recorded names include Falling Branch Falls and Falling Creek Falls.
Getting there
The parking lot is at 1026 Falling Branch Road in Pylesville and holds 28 cars. Admission is $3 per person for Maryland residents and $5 for non-residents, plus a processing fee. The park opens at 8 am from March to October and at 10 am from November to February. Parking off site and dropping off walkers are not allowed.
In 2026 the park required reservations on weekends from June 27 through Labor Day; reservations open seven days ahead, cover the whole day, and same-day entry is possible when the lot isn't full.
From the lot a singletrack trail runs about half a mile one way to the falls. It isn't suitable for wheelchairs or strollers, and reaching the base means crossing the stream.
When to go
With only 28 parking spaces, summer weekends are the pinch point, which is when the 2026 reservation rule applied. Seasonal flow is not documented.
On site
There are no restrooms, picnic tables or grills, and fires aren't allowed. Dogs must be leashed. Swimming and wading are at the visitor's own risk with no lifeguard, and the park discourages jumping after serious injuries. In July 2025 the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company used a utility vehicle to carry an injured hiker out from the trail.
History and name
The falls were once private land. The Harford Land Trust helped the state buy a 23-acre tract containing them from the Grimmel family for $132,750 through Maryland's Program Open Space; the state had first offered $115,000, and a community campaign led by the North Harford Ecology Club raised about $44,500 in six months to close the gap.
Nearby
Wiley Falls lies about 4.9 miles away. Across the Pennsylvania line are Snap Falls, about 8.1 miles, and Muddy Falls on Muddy Creek, about 8.5 miles.
Distances are straight-line.