Two separate attacks near Hunting Creek Lake have put a popular Maryland recreation area under tighter restrictions. The official accounts clarify who was injured, what has been closed and why wildlife officials are searching for more animals.
Rabid beavers attacked two teenagers at Cunningham Falls State Park in Maryland, according to the widely circulated account of the incidents: one teenager was reported airlifted for treatment, and parts of the popular park were partially closed. The attacks on July 26, 2026, and August 5, 2026, matter because Maryland officials have since confirmed rabies in two beavers collected near Hunting Creek Lake.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources releases describe the injured visitors differently: a 13-year-old swimmer was bitten in the first incident, while a 19-year-old fisherman bitten in the second drove himself to a Hagerstown medical center. The state’s confirmed details point to a focused response around the lake, not a closure of the entire park.
Two attacks in 10 days
The first reported attack occurred July 26, when a beaver bit a 13-year-old swimmer at Cunningham Falls State Park. Maryland officials said the animal was caught, euthanized and tested positive for rabies the following day.
Then, on the morning of August 5, a fisherman reported being bitten on the leg in the park’s South Beach Day Use area. The 19-year-old appeared to have a bite to his ankle, the DNR said. He went to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, where he received rabies-exposure treatment and a tetanus shot.
Natural Resources Police captured and euthanized the second beaver after that report. The Maryland Department of Health confirmed on August 6 that it, too, tested positive for rabies.
That confirmation is the central concern for visitors. Beaver encounters with people are unusual, but officials say aggressive behavior can be associated with rabies.
What areas are now closed
The Maryland Park Service closed the Houck Day Use Area, the adjacent boat ramp and the stretch of Big Hunting Creek above Hunting Creek Lake. Swimming, fishing, boating and all other water access in the affected area are prohibited while officials assess conditions.
The limits followed an earlier closure of swimming access to Hunting Creek Lake after the July 26 attack. The restrictions are designed to separate visitors from the area where the incidents occurred while investigators determine whether other beavers could be infected.
Not every part of Cunningham Falls State Park is shut down. The DNR said other areas, including the campground, remain open. Visitors should check current park notices before making plans, because the agency said it would issue additional updates as the investigation continues.
Why officials are treating this seriously
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the brain and nervous system of mammals. Once symptoms begin, it is nearly always fatal, but prompt medical care after a possible exposure can prevent illness. That is why an animal bite or scratch from a potentially rabid animal warrants immediate guidance from health professionals.
State officials are not saying every beaver at the park is infected. They are investigating a possible outbreak in the local beaver population after two rabies-positive animals were connected to separate attacks in the same general area.
Following the first incident, DNR personnel dismantled a nearby beaver lodge and conducted daily surveillance at the lake with assistance from a Wildlife Damage Control Cooperator. They reported seeing no additional beavers before the August 5 attack.
The agency now plans nighttime monitoring as well as daytime surveillance, with the goal of removing additional beavers if they are found. The stepped-up search reflects an unanswered question: whether the two confirmed cases were isolated or part of a larger local problem.
Rare behavior, real precautions
The DNR says beavers are generally non-aggressive and tend to avoid people. Before this year, Maryland’s last recorded rabies-confirmed beaver-bite incidents were in 2021 and 2015.
That rarity is important context. A sighting of a beaver does not mean it has rabies, and wildlife agencies do not advise visitors to diagnose an animal from a distance. Still, an animal that approaches people, acts unusually bold or aggressive, or appears disoriented should be treated as a reason to create distance and notify park staff.
- Stay at least 25 yards away from beavers and other wildlife, as Maryland officials advise.
- Keep children and pets away from the water’s edge and from any animal behaving unusually.
- Do not feed, touch, corner or attempt to move wildlife.
- Report concerning encounters to park staff or Natural Resources Police.
- Seek prompt medical advice after any bite, scratch or possible saliva exposure from a wild mammal.
The practical message is not that outdoor recreation has become broadly unsafe. It is that a confirmed rabies event requires visitors to respect temporary restrictions, particularly around the water where the attacks occurred.
Key details still need clarity
The early account that described two teenagers and an airlift does not line up with the more detailed DNR releases now available. The state identifies a 13-year-old swimmer in the July incident and a 19-year-old fisherman in the August incident; it says the older victim transported himself for care.
That discrepancy underscores why official updates are especially useful in a fast-moving wildlife incident. What is firmly established by Maryland authorities is that two beavers tied to attacks at Cunningham Falls State Park tested positive for rabies, and that access around Hunting Creek Lake has been restricted.
Anyone who may have had contact with a beaver at the park recently can contact the Frederick County Health Department at 301-600-3342, according to the DNR. Park visitors should also watch for updated closure information before heading to the lake, boat ramp or day-use areas.
For now, Cunningham Falls remains partly open, but the water-access shutdown will remain in place until officials can determine the area is safe. The park’s response is cautious by design: two confirmed rabid animals in one recreation area are enough to justify keeping people out of the affected zone while surveillance continues.
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