The 300+ acre Thurmont Watershed is located just outside of the Town of Thurmont MD. It is surrounded almost entirely by Cunningham Falls State Park. The land is owned and managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. It is designated as County Parkland on Frederick County Land Use maps. It is also a Wildlife Management area. That means it is open for hunting as is the portion of Cunningham Fall SP that surrounds the Thurmont Watershed.

Access to the watershed is via a fire road that starts on Pryor Rd and continues into the far back of the watershed. Other than the fire road there are no major hiking trails. There are signs of old logging roads but vegetation can be heavy during the summer months.

Three known climbing areas can be reached from the fire road. Parking is on Pryor Rd. The fire road follows a stream west into the watershed. 

 The largest and most important is TWS Rocks, with over 50 routes on good clean rock. The approach is approximately ¾ mile or an easy 20 minute uphill walk.

Down Range Rocks is located South of the police shooting range, high on the top of the hill. It may be down range of the firing line but it is safely out of the line of fire and is quite a ways distant as to not be a danger. The range doesn’t appear to be used very often with months between uses or maintenance. Down Range Rocks has a few rock walls and numerous large boulders. It is shaded and North Facing.

Bear Rocks is the most remote rock outcrop in the watershed. It is approximately 1.9 miles from Pryor Rd in the far SW corner of the watershed. Bear Rocks also has a North facing aspect.

Trailhead and Parking for TWS Rocks, Down Range Rocks, and Bear Rocks

The trail and parking are found on Pryor Rd near Thurmont MD approximately 1100 feet North of the intersection of RT-15 and Pryor Rd. The Thurmont Watershed is sometimes labeled on maps as Middletown Watershed (Google Maps). A gated fire road heads into the Thurmont Watershed and Cunningham Falls state park from here. There's room for 2-3 cars 100 feet from Pryor on the fire road just outside of a gate. Make sure not to block the fire road. There are frequent signs that vehicles go in to a water facility and a Thurmont Police Department shooting range. There is plenty of safe, wide, legal, paved shoulder parking on Pryor road so, don’t block the fire road or gate. It is common to find hunters and hikers here.

Parking location 39.60681,-77.42581

After initially coming across the rock on Oct 24, 2020 I began meeting with 3 other friends at least once a week to systematically climb everything we could. Initially we focused on the pretty lines on the main wall. Then we filled in the gaps and moved to other outcrops. Several times other friends joined in with family. Some of the easier routes were initially climbed by our children and grandchildren. By Nov 29, 2020 we collectively climbed 51 routes with more being added every week.  Every route has been successfully climbed by multiple people with the exception of the 5.10s. Only John K. was able to pull all of them off cleanly. Climb descriptions, photo beta, and grades were peer reviewed by our core group.  Since TWS Rocks came on line new routes have been documented for Down Range Rocks.  

 Special thanks to Mark Indy for taking the time to drop a tape to measure all of the routes and passing that info along. 

Our Group:      Ed B., John K., Divya B., Taiya G., Casey H., Kesey F., Hannah F., Kyra F., Brian F., Ian F., Roni F., Marcia P., Mark Indy