Deep Creek Lake State Park

Most 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.

Notice:
The boat launch area at Deep Creek Lake State Park will be open 24 hours a day weather permitting. The final dock sections at the launch will be removed from the lake by December 1st 2011 and will not be redeployed until April 1, 2012. Snowmobile season will begin December 15th and will end on March 15th of each year. Snowmobilers will be able to park and access the Deep Creek Lake trail system from the boat launch parking area.

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. Black Bear sightings are common in the campground. Campers are reminded to keep their site clean at all times by properly disposing of trash and keeping all food items secured. Each site has a bear proof food storage locker with 24 cubic feet of storage space with enough room for two standard size coolers and dry goods.

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. A service charge for use of the ramp applies to all making use of the facility. A Maryland State Park passport (annual pass to all Maryland State Parks) is recommended. Purchase a State Park Passport here.

Boating Safety Education classes provide the the boaters of Maryland the necessary information to operate a vessel safely. "Click here" for Boating Safety Education classes sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources.

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. Be sure to consult your Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping for season dates and bag limits. Hunters can access the hunting area one hour before sunrise and must exit the area no later than one hour past sunset.

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. Lifeguards are on duty 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Please note that all Maryland state parks are TRASH FREE.

Pet Policy

• Pets are allowed in Browning, Bechman and Garrett Camp Loops
• Pets are allowed on trails
• Pets are allowed in boat ramp area to board vessels
• Pets are allowed in Discovery Center parking area to access trails
• Pets are allowed to swim from shoreline in all areas except swimming beach, docks or fishing piers
• Pets are allowed in day-use areas and lake (except for sandy portion of swimming beach area) after Labor Day to Memorial Day weekend

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.

Check out the Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center Schedule of Events.

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.

Trail Guide

To purchase copies of the Deep Creek Lake State Park Trail Guide with a credit card, please "click" on this link to place your order online.

To purchase copies of the Deep Creek Lake State Park Trail Guide with a check, please "click" on this link to download an order form.

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.

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.