rocks state park

We hiked this park in January and were surprised at how pretty it is given that so few people know of it in Maryland. The trails were very icy but we made it to both the King and Queen seat and the waterfall. The falls were partially frozen and just beautiful. Easy hiking aside from the ice!

I have been going to Rocks since I was a kid. There is something for everyone to do of all ages. Hike, see the falls,climb, forage, tubing, or just picnic in nature. Northern Harford County treasure!

If you enjoy nature and/or local places to feel like you're "getting away" for a little while, this waterfall is a place you will want to visit at some point. It's situated in north central Maryland, just west of route 24 north of the town of Street. There's a little parking lot off Falling Branch Road where you park, and it's a very easy quarter mile hike from the lot to the falls. Bring your camera...there's a ton of different ways you can get beautiful pictures of the falls from all kinds of different locations.The pool below the falls is good for wading/swimming, although the water can be quite cold. I've seen kids jumping from the upper ledge, but I won't be trying that anytime soon.For a family its a great afternoon opportunity for a picnic.If you're a photographer, the falls offer a great opportunity for long-exposures. The fall foliage offers the best scenery for wider shots.

My wife and I, and our beagle, hiked the White Trail to the King and Queens Chair rocks then finished the rest of the 2.2 mile trail. It was a good hike with many easy sections and some more moderate hills. We saw several families with young (10 yo +/-) on the trail. Good family trail and pretty views from the King/Queen chair. I can see how the rocks can be dangerous if you are not paying attention. Use common sense and you'll be fine. I'll attach a photo or two.

We had a lovely time at Rocks State. We went to Kilgore falls and also the King and Queens Seat. The detour was a hassle on 24, but you do drive through lovely scenery. The falls are free to visit, but the King and Queens Seat costs $3 per person for Maryland Residents.

Kilgore Falls, separate from the main park entrance, is vastly superior to the arguably better known and better advertised Cunningham Falls. While Kilgore may not be as high as other water falls, the setting is beautiful, and it makes for an absolutely delightful swimming hole. Come prepared to get wet and explore around, and you will find many things to enjoy. Highly recommended!

We visited the falling branch area of the park because the kids wanted to have some fun in the water. The water is shallow enough for the most part, so kids can wade along the stream bed. The area immediately under the waterfall is deeper, with the water being somewhere between waist-deep to chest-deep for a fully grown person, so kids can't wade there although they might swim if they wish. Some people were diving into the deeper part of the water from the surrounding rocks, which probably isn't the safest thing to do. There are some sharp and slippery rocks in the stream bed, so one must be careful even when wading. Some sort of footwear is required IMO. The parking lot proper for Kilgore Falls is not very big. It was full by the time we got there (12:30 on a Saturday afternoon in July), but there is overflow parking available for a $5.00 fee on a local resident's front yard. Be aware that there are no restroom facilities or picnic tables in this part of the park.

If you have not tubed Deer Creek - please do so. Your friends, family and especially the kids will have a blast. About a mile or so between parking areas can be done in an hour with lazy, clean water and an abundance of nature. Buy the big tubes from Walmart for 13 bucks and have them to use again and again. King and Queens seat is a spectacular and a bit dangerous rock outcropping at the top of one of the many campgrounds. 4 miles up Route 24 is Kilgore Falls which is a great swimming hole with 20 foot falls you can walk behind. Great photo opps for the family.Bring coolers and some picnic foods for a great day trip. Only problem is many of the parking areas (especially Kilgore) are small and fill quickly.Friendly people and rangers.

Very nice falls, water is vey cold, but we got used to it after about 15 min. The pool below the falls is not too deep so an average height adult can venture directly under the falls, regardless of swimming ability. The free parking lot does get full quick, and the only alternative is to park on someone's private land (as directed by park rangers) for $5. Kilgore falls definitely feels like a "locals hangout spot" which is increasingly being discovered by other out-of-towners. The walk from the parking lot to the falls is easy. Kilgore Falls is a definite must visit park area/falls for a day trip. There are no restrooms or designated picnic areas at Kilgore Falls but I saw a couple of families bring coolers along.

Took the Falling Branch Trail to Kilgore Falls which was an easy 0.5mi hike. The falls are beautiful with an easy side trail leading up to the top above it. There are also other side trails to the river banks, it was nice to explore. We visited around 11:00am and it was almost to capacity with a lot of folks hanging out on the rocks and in the water. The water itself was refreshing once we got over the chilliness!! No entrance fee to get it in which was nice, I would go again maybe earlier or later in the day to avoid the small crowd. Think we stayed for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours tops.This is a great option for a day trip with a relaxing drive, bring some food and drinks and your suit! Just make sure to look up directions to the parking lot of off Falling Branch Rd.

On week days the park is pretty quiet place to laze away an afternoon or to do some hiking. But Be Careful. Now and then someone gets too close to an edge during a rock climb falls off! People have had some serious injuries.

Rocks State Park is only only an hour and twenty minutes from our house in North Wilmington, DE (we're 20 minutes from Philly and always looking for day trips close to home). The park makes for a great day trip! We thought the trail moderate and were a little surprised to catch ourselves out of breath as we hiked toward Kings and Queen Seat, but there were benches strategically placed along the way. We took two 9 year old girls on our hike and they loved the little rock cave they found on the way to Kings and Queen Seat and the great hollowed out tree at the entry (the kids thought the hallowed tree a fairy house... lol00, The height of Kings and Queen caught us off guard. Other hikers, some with little dogs, some with ropes had already gotten to the rock before us. We didn't expect to see people with ropes and gear climbing the side of the rock. Just didn't think it would be that steep from other reviews. The view from the rocks is great and we'd recommend planning to keep a eye on the kids once to Kings and Queen Rock. It's a great place to take a rest and take a break. Be prepared on the way to hike a steeper than you think trail, for a way up there high rock formation, and a great view. This is a park that requires good shoes. We saw hikers with flip flops, but wouldn't recommend it ever. The overall trail is rocky and a little steeper than expected. From the Seats you can loop the park and once we got back to the park office we drove to the second part of our day which was the water fall which was a 15 minute drive from the park office (The park office has directions and maps). The waterfall was the highlight of the day. The kids were happy we saw King and Queen, but said they wouldn't go back. They were all about the water fall. Even thought the water cold this past weekend the kids didn't care. They went bare foot across the creek to get to the waterfall. Be sure to pack water shoes so the kids can can safely cross the creek. We found the other visitors at the park to be friendly and the day a fun one! Enjoy! The paths at both sections of the park rocky, full of crazy roots, and rocks, and a worthwhile adventure!

Took us about an 1.40h to get here from NJ. This state park is nicely set upwith multiple parking/picnic areas. We did a little hiking and visited the king and queen seat . There were alot of visitors this fall day including a few rock climbers. The views were spectacular and peaceful. We enjoyed the day here and also visited kilgore falls nearby.

We've enjoyed being 15 minutes from Rocks park for years. It features two key experiences. The "King and Queen Seats" offer breathtaking views of Harford County's foothills and the Deer Creek valley. There is some danger involved in getting to the top of the twin towers, best summited by skilled rock climbers. Down in the valley, the Deer Creek is a haven for fisherfolks and tubers alike. Much of the trailbed of the historic "MA and PA Railroad" can be viewed and walked within the park boundaries. Fans of the movie "Tuck Everlasting" will discover that several scenes were filmed here.

Even on the fourth of July it was packed but not like the beaches. There was virtually no traffic leaving the city to get here. Forty minute drive. Beautiful unspoiled, well kept, many many picnic tables under total shade with clean bathrooms at all picnic areas. The tubing is what we were after and we weren't let down. There has been steady rain all summer so the water levels and current were perfect. My young sons had never experienced tubing so they had a great time. I took my own grill as many did but they have have grills out there that are suprisingly well kept. The grills were actually cleaner than mine!!! The King and Queens Seat was AMAZING OMG!! The story behind it all is incredible. Almost like the scene from The Lion King looking over that amazing valley. The Native Americans really had taste!! There are nice steps that lead down to the stream. Very tranquil and peaceful. We'd heard that over 70% of Baltimore County was rural filled with water trails and this was indeed our introduction!! We plan to visit a state park each weekend for the rest of the summer, that's just how much fun we had. You have to bring your own tube to this park though.:-) Take your family and relax! I think it was $3 each excluding children in car seats.