 Deep Creek Lake State Park and Natural Resources Management Area |
|
| More parks | WMAs | Outdoor activities | Nature Tourism/Outdoor Adventures | DNR home page |
|
Deep Creek Lake State Park and Natural Resources Management Area |
|
Visiting the ParkMost of the parks visitor services are located on State Park Road along the waterfront of Deep Creek Lake. The park includes approximately 1 mile of shoreline on this, Maryland's largest man-made lake. Access is available for fishing, swimming, and boat launching. Several picnic areas offer excellent views of the lake with easy access to the beach and other facilities. For more information check out our park map.
Park Headquarters is located at the intersection of Brant and State Park Roads. Information can be obtained here during business hours Monday through Friday. If you need emergency assistance, call the Maryland Park Service communication center at 1-800-825-7275 or dial 911. General park information can be obtained at 301-387-5563. The Discovery Center can be reached at 301-387-7067 during business hours.
Interpretive programs, consisting of evening campfire programs, and talks and hikes on the natural and cultural resources of the park, are led by a park naturalist and are available at various times throughout the year and by special request. Activity schedules are posted on bulletin boards throughout the park and at the Discovery Center.
Meadow Mountain campground has 112 campsites that are available by reservation from the spring through the fall. Each site is conveniently located near heated restroom facilities complete with hot showers. Twenty-six sites offer electric hookups and a dump station for self-contained units. The Bear Den (an Adirondak-style shelter), two mini-camper cabins and a Yurt are also available for campers. The maximum length of stay is 2 weeks. Pets are permitted in certain designated loops.
Click here for camping season beginning and ending dates, and camping and shelter service charges.
The boat launch facility is open most of the year except when winter weather or ice conditions prohibit access. Fishing is generally good on the lake with stocked trout, walleye, bass, and yellow perch being the most abundant.
Hunting is permitted in the park's backcountry areas during regulated hunting seasons. The managed hunting areas are posted and applicable regulations including license requirements apply.
Meadow Mountain offers opportunities for hiking. Trail difficulties range from moderate to difficult. A trail guide is available at Park Headquarters and at the Discovery Center or you may purchase one on-line. Pets are allowed on trails and must be kept on a leash. Four season opportunities exist for mountain biking, cross country skiing & snowmobiling.
Picnicking is available in the park's waterfront area (a service charge applies). Tables, grills, shelters, playgrounds, and restrooms are available. Shelters may be reserved in advance for a fee. Swimming is available at the park's beach with lifeguards being stationed during the summer months.
Pets on a leash are permitted on hiking trails and in the campground only. Pets are not permitted at the waterfront area or in the day use area of the park. Pets cannot be left unattended.
Please note that all Maryland state parks are TRASH FREE.
Self-Guided Recreational Activities
- Canoeing Deep Creek Lake
- Hiking at Deep Creek Lake (2.5 mi.)
- Hiking at Deep Creek Lake (5-6 mi.)
- Hiking at Deep Creek Lake (one half mi.)
Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center
Nestled along the shores of Deep Creek Lake at Deep Creek Lake State Park, the Deep Creek Discovery Center is an educational/interpretive center for people of all ages to enjoy and learn. Through hands-on exhibits that showcase the natural resources of Western Maryland, families can learn about the flora and fauna, wildlife, cultural and historical heritage that have turned this former logging and coal mining region into a popular modern day vacation destination.We are in the process of developing a forest canopy walkway which will allow access to the upper parts of the forest - where most of the action is! You will be able to observe birds, butterflies, flowers and various other species of animals, plants and insects that live in the roof of the forest. The walkway will be comprised of three main sections which will include an accessible canopy bridge, a swinging bridge and a canopy tower. For more information regarding this project, click here for our brochure.
Deep Creek Lake NRMA
The lake management office is located on Brant Road just past the park headquarters. Information about buffer strip use and lake regulations can be obtained by calling 301-387-4111.Deep Creek Lake Recreation and Land Use Plan
In 2000, the State of Maryland purchased the land underlying Deep Creek Lake, buffer zone properties and certain other parcels from General Public Utility, Inc. (GPU), for $17 million. During its' 2000 session, as the sale was being finalized, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to guide future management of Deep Creek Lake and established a Deep Creek Lake Policy and Review Board (PRB).The PRB is charged with advising the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on matters relating to lake fees, budget and management. In addition, the PRB and DNR were mandated to issue a Deep Creek Lake Recreation and Land Use Plan by June 2001 that provides for the wise use, protection and management of the natural and recreational resources of Deep Creek Lake. The Executive Summary and the Plan are available by "clicking" on the links below.
- Executive Summary
- Deep Creek Lake Recreation and Land Use Plan
- Deep Creek Lake Policy and Review Board
- Deep Creek Lake Policy and Review Board Minutes
The next meeting of the Policy and Review Board is scheduled for Monday, April 27, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. in the Discovery Center.
Property Owners
Final Deep Creek Lake Carrying Capacity Study
- Click here to view a copy of the final report of the results of the study conducted by Environmental Resources Management (ERM) on the recreational and commercial carrying capacity of the lake.
(Adobe Acrobat file 3MB) - To get the free Acrobat Reader go to Adobe.com.West of the Divide
Deep Creek Lake State Park lies just west of the Allegheny Front on a large plateau known as the Tablelands or Allegany Highlands. Its location at the southernmost end of Meadow Mountain places it west of the Eastern Continental Divide and within the Mississippi River watershed. It gets its name from Deep Creek Lake, a hydroelectric project constructed on Deep Creek in the 1920's by the Youghiogheny Hydroelectric Company.Man has been associated with the use of this land for thousands of years. Early nomadic hunters and gatherers, followed by Native American hunters, roamed through the mountains of Garrett County but have left little record of their presence. Beginning in the 1700's, early settlers to the region eked a subsistence existence based on the utilization of the area's abundant natural resources. The mountains remained relatively untouched until the turn of the century when massive logging operations began stripping the land of the virgin red spruce, hemlock, white pine, and yellow birch forests.
The park is the site of the historic Brant coal mine and homesite, where a restored mine entrance preserves a typical drift or adit mine. The mine was worked for several years by the Brant family and supplied bituminous coal for heating and blacksmithing in the local community,
Regeneration
Over 95% of the park consists of a forest that has regenerated from the original stands of timber into an excellent example of a maturing northern hardwood forest. Oaks and hickories are now the dominant species. Forest wildlife species such as black bear, wild turkey, bobcat, and white tailed deer have grown in numbers over the past decades as habitat has been preserved and managed. Small mammals such as squirrel, chipmunk, raccoon, skunk, and opossum are frequently seen. The park is also home to numerous plant species, some rare, found on the forest floor.
The Tableland's weather is quite unique for the region. Many winters bring over 200 inches of snow and the greening of leafing trees does not occur until mid May. Summers are characterized by warm days and cool nights. Autumn comes alive with blasts of color in early to mid October with clear, crisp days and cold evenings.
Whatever time of year you choose to visit the park, many new adventures await you. Trails take you into the forest and atop Meadow Mountain where you can experience your own regeneration and the beauty and peace of this place. Please take some time to enjoy what nature has to offer in addition to our recreational opportunities.
Trail Guide
Check out a copy of the Deep Creek Lake State Park Trail Guide. This trail guide, complete with a topographical map of the hiking and biking trails, is available for sale at park headquarters.
Deep Creek Lake offers several accessible campsites, available by reservation. The waterfront area offers some accessible restrooms. Two accessible fishing docks are available at the park's boating facility. For additional accessible amenities in Maryland State Forests and Parks, visit the Accessibility For All section of this website.
Directions to Deep Creek Lake State Park:
- From Pittsburgh: Take I-79 south to I-68 east. Exit 14A (Route 219 South Deep Creek Lake). Continue on Route 219 South for 18 miles. Turn left onto Glendale Road. Continue on Glendale Road for one mile, crossing over the Glendale Bridge. Immediately after crossing the Glendale Bridge, turn left onto State Park Road. Continue on State Park Road for one mile until you see the information sign for the state park facilities.
- From Washington, D.C.: Take 270 north to I-70 west to I-68 west. Exit 14A (Route 219 South Deep Creek Lake). Continue on Route 219 South for 18 miles. Turn left onto Glendale Road. Continue on Glendale Road for one mile, crossing over the Glendale Bridge. Immediately after crossing the Glendale Bridge, turn left onto State Park Road. Continue on State Park Road for one mile until you see the information sign for the state park facilities.
- From Baltimore: Take I-70 west to I-68 west. Exit 14A (Route 219 South Deep Creek Lake). Continue on Route 219 South for 18 miles. Turn left onto Glendale Road. Continue on Glendale Road for one mile, crossing over the Glendale Bridge. Immediately after crossing the Glendale Bridge, turn left onto State Park Road. Continue on State Park Road for one mile until you see the information sign for the state park facilities.
Deep Creek Lake State Park
898 State Park Road
Swanton, Maryland 21561
(301) 387-5563
(301) 387-4462 fax
Call 1-888-432-CAMP(2267) for reservations
Click here to make reservations on-line for Deep Creek Lake State Park.
Funding for Maryland's State and local parks and conservation areas is provided through The Department of Natural Resources' Program Open Space. Established in 1969, Program Open Space symbolizes Maryland's long term commitment to conserving natural resources while providing exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities.
Updated on January 15, 2009 Photographs by: Tom Darden
The facilities and services of the Department of Natural Resources are available to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, or physical or mental disability.
