Deep Creek Lake State Park

Deep Creek Lake State Park encompasses 1,820 acres along the western shoreline of Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County, Maryland's westernmost and highest county in the Appalachian highlands, approximately 200 miles west of Baltimore. The park's centerpiece is the lake itself — at 3,900 acres the largest freshwater body in Maryland — and the surrounding mountains provide a full four-season recreational range. A designated swimming beach operates from Memorial Day through Labor Day with a lifeguard on duty. The boat launch ramp provides access to the lake's 65 miles of shoreline for kayaks, canoes, motorboats, and pontoon craft; rental outfitters operate from the town of McHenry several miles up the lakeshore road. Hiking trails within the park include the 1.5-mile Meadow Mountain Trail along a ridge above the lake, with elevated views across the water and the surrounding ridge lines, and longer routes connecting to the broader Garrett County trail network covering more than 200 miles of backcountry terrain. The park's nature center displays exhibits on lake ecology and native wildlife, including black bear and white-tailed deer populations common to the Garrett highlands. In winter, the lake freezes most years sufficiently for ice fishing, and the adjacent Wisp Resort on Marsh Hill Road operates one of Maryland's only alpine ski areas, with seventeen runs above the lake. Fall color typically peaks in mid-October on the surrounding ridges, and the lake reflects the canopy in conditions of exceptional brightness on calm mornings. Campsites within the park fill months in advance for summer weekends and require advance reservation through Maryland's online reservation system. McHenry town center offers grocery stores, gear rentals, and restaurants within a short drive of the park entrance.