Weekends are made for RELAXATION(and a number of Michelob like beverages)

We hooked Anna up and headed to our favorite Maryland State Park this weekend. We have been here a few times in the past and the beauty of this park always astounds us. It was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corp but has been a place many have visited over the years.

There is no mention of the numerous Native People that surely camped here, but Henry Ford was an avid camper and this was a place he loved to visit. 

The upper two photos above are from one of these trips to what is now the Park. Make a note of the size of the trees next to the falls. Most of Western Maryland had been timbered by the time Henry Ford camped here. The Park contains 35 acres of virgin hemlock forest. This is the only remaining virgin forest in the entire State.

We watched a couple of fisherman catch 7 keeper brown trout in about 20 minutes time from below Muddy Creek Falls. I kept wondering if Henry Ford had the same luck. 

This is the name sake falls. The last time we were here was during a fairly wet summer and the water level was a good two feet higher than it is now. None the less, it is a beautiful water fall.

My favorite falls is the smallest one in the Park. It is called Tolliver Falls. I love the way it steps down the bed rock. It is not seen in the photo, but it steps down the bedrock for about 100 yards before dumping into the main pool. You have to hike through the part of the Park where the virgin hemlocks are to get to this falls.

Another thing I like about the park; it has a phone booth with a pay phone. The phone booth even has a current yellow pages in it.  The fact that the sites are generous, the park is clean as a whistle, and not overly crowed as most State Parks are closer to the cities, makes Swallow Falls a big hit with my family.