Deep Creek Lake Activities - Deep Creek Lake Blog

Four Season-Deep Creek Lake

Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor

Four Season Deep Creek Lake

Imagine with me for a minute a beautiful lake nuzzled into majestic mountain ranges that boasts four spectacular seasons with literally hundreds of different activities to quench your thirst for living. Close your eyes and spin an imaginary wheel with the four seasons on it, and wherever it lands you will be rewarded with a special time to visit us here at the lake. Deep Creek Lake is truly an amazing four season area to come explore with your family and friends. It will not take long for Garrett County to feel like home as you experience year-after-year perfect mountain conditions, one season at a time.

Winter time here at the “Little Tahoe of the East” can be more fun and excitement than you can take. There is plenty of snow to provide a picturesque background to many winter activities. I suggest after getting your fill of skiing or snowboarding that you go take a hike in one of Garrett County’s 7 State Parks. Swallow Falls State Park is my personal favorite in the wintertime because of the partially frozen falls that are covered with hundreds of little icicles. Bring a camera and some snowshoes after a big snow and be prepared to enter a winter wonderland.

As spring starts to slowly melt the snow, again the waterfalls and Youghiogheny River swell dramatically and you will witness some of the most spectacular waterfalls the East Coast has to offer at Swallow Falls State Park. Listen to the sound of water flowing that rivals that of thunder and feel the freight train power of the Yough exploding all around you. Spring is also a good time to get your boat tuned up and head to the lake to begin capitalizing on some productive fishing.

As summer arrives, you are in the heart of my favorite time of the year here. Enjoy low humidity, warm air and lake temperatures, and a zillion things to do. Every day here during the summer season is sacred to me and I count my blessings every car ride to work. Summers here possess a positive, beautiful aura for being alive. Activities? Hmmm…it would take days to list all the things I enjoy doing here during the summer. For a start, go on a hike, go Kayaking, go wakeboarding, go fishing, those are the obvious. Go chase every day with the eyes of an explorer and you’ll be amazed at what you uncover.

Fall here brings people from all over the East Coast to enjoy the stunning fall foliage as the trees prepare to shed their leaving and turn into the most amazing kaleidoscope of colors. Find a spot on Wisp Mountain that has mountain views and you’ll be in awe of colorful mountainscapes. It is also a prime time to go fishing on the lake and in the rivers so don’t forget your fishing gear.

Come visit the only home I’ve ever known and see the brilliance of all four seasons.

Snow Tubing at Deep Creek Lake

No other Deep Creek Lake activity screams family fun like Snow Tubing at Wisp Resort. Take a little time away from skiing or snowboarding and head down to Wisp Outdoors Adventure Park and get the family signed up for a fun afternoon of snow tubing. This takes very little effort, other than bringing your enthusiasm with you, and a smile on your face. Just grab a tube (the firmer, the faster) and head up the magic carpet to the top of the park. Stop and look around at the top because you get an amazing view of McHenry Cove from that vantage point. Don’t be intimidated in any way shape or form. Plant your bottom in a tube and get ready to slide and spin your way up and down the dump-dee-dumps to the bottom. Try it on your belly on your next run if you want to mix up the excitement. Don’t put it off another minute on your next visit to Deep Creek Lake. Watch the kids’ smiles, on both young and adult, at the end of every run and see how they scurry with excitement to their next turn down the mountain.

Snowmobiling Deep Creek Lake At Night

Jim Morrison once sang; “Let’s swim to the moon, let’s climb through the tide, penetrate the evening that the city sleeps to hide.” Penetrate sleepy Deep Creek Lake evenings by snowmobile and be catapulted into enchanted nightscapes dominated by moonlight, feather-like snowflakes, and a carpet base of snow powder on top of an icy blue lake. Look through kinda spiritual glasses of Deep Creek Lake…from the center of the lake be captivated by surreal mountain silhouettes framing up mystical cloud formations highlighting a brilliant moon. I had the experience of shredding a drive belt on Saturday night to open my eyes to the brilliant silence that the night brings to the lake. My wife Betsy took off on a 30-minute trip to get me a replacement belt and as the roar of her sled faded into the darkness I was left in a tranquil state of peace and quiet, something I’ve never experienced in the winters on the lake. I instantly forgot that the Steelers/Ravens were starting the first quarter of a playoff brawl until cheers from rental houses across the lake echoed by me in a calm cool breeze and then in an instant subsided again to calm. The glow of the purple gray skies slowly eased to darkness giving me a gorgeous hazy wintertime sunset and the awakening low buzz of my wife’s sled chugging toward me breaking the still half-hour trance. I never get tired of discovering the many, many different facets of the lake that I discover through my searches or by fate. Come experience it for yourself on your next visit to Deep Creek Lake.

The Poker Run Deep Creek Lake

Saturday was a big day for the NFL playoffs and for the Garrett County Snowdrifters Club who sponsored the Poker Run this year on Deep Creek Lake. This is a snowmobile event where local and out-of-state riders map out a route covering the whole lake stopping at designated stops to pick up a “card”. After a good 6 hours of riding, everyone meets at a final destination to see who has the best poker hand. The fun started at the Honi Honi for registration and the event began! Riders screamed across the county going from JG’S to Pawn Run to Black Bear to the Honi Honi, to Boardwalk, and all the way back to Pawn Run to find out who the lucky winner was. It was an exciting ride and a heck of a lot of fun seeing new faces and meeting good people. It didn’t matter what brand sled you were on or how old it was, it was all about enjoying the beautiful scenery of Garrett County and enjoying a wonderfully planned event.

Ice Fishing Deep Creek Lake

Ice Fishing Deep Creek Lake

Now that we have come into the meat of winter and the ice has frozen to 8+ inches, the diehard ice fishing junkies are out in full swing reeling in the spoils of their efforts. It takes a special person to get up early in the morning (with sometimes negative temperatures) and go drill ten or so holes in the ice to prepare for some excellent fishing. Being from Virginia, I do not have a lot of experience on the ice…until today, when I went to check out some locals who had just set up their tip-ups over their fishing holes. As I gingerly stepped on the ice it felt firm under my feet, which gave me the courage to walk out to the fishermen. While talking to one of the gentleman, I heard a thunderous crack under my feet that shot like a laser beam toward the shoreline and sent a chill up my spine. I was sure I was going through the ice! The fisherman kinda chuckled a bit and reassured me that it was absolutely safe on the ice considering its current thickness. It’s so quiet on the lake you can hear the ice shifting, snapping and popping almost like it has a life of its own. In no time, the flags on the tip-ups are popping in the air signaling that there’s a fish-on. Yellow perch are the catch of the day, although walleye and some trout can be caught as well. On your next visit to Deep Creek Lake take some time to walk out on the ice and check in with some of the locals who are on their frozen paradise. Maybe you’ll be inspired to become a ice fishing junkie yourself!

Deep Creek Lake The Autumn Glory Festival

The Autumn Glory Festival

Beautiful autumn is here at Deep Creek Lake. We are enjoying cooler, sweatshirt weather at the moment as the leaves are slowly starting to show a bit of color as of late. Did you know that the Annual Autumn Glory Festival in next door Oakland, Maryland was voted #1 by travel.msn.com? What a great time to make an excuse to take a long weekend off from work and head out on a road trip to be with us here at Deep Creek Lake. You may miss the annual kick off reception dance/dinner on Wednesday night, but get here for the fireman’s parade on Thursday night. You will be elbow to elbow with folks of all ages lining the streets of Oakland watching this very popular local event.

Did I mention the Oom-Pah band?? The Oakland fire hall becomes the center of Octoberfest with German style foods and the old school sounds of the Oom-Pah band. Do not miss this event!! Be sure to bring the kids so you can get out on the dance floor and get into a delightful time-warp to the old world.

Friday you can watch the Maryland State Banjo and Fiddle Championship. If I’m not mistaken they will also have a Mandolin pick off as well. You will be amazingly entertained by the talent of the pickers who show up to get their bluegrass groove on.

Saturday the locals line up on beautiful 2^ndand 3^rd Street to watch the festival’s Grand Feature Parade. Front yards will be packed with locals in kind of a tailgating atmosphere getting ready for the parade to begin. Then the doors are opened to marching bands, clowns, mini motor cycles and go-carts, floats…you name it, it all comes together to make one heck of a fun afternoon.

The Autumn Glory Car, Truck & Tractor show finishes the weekend up on Sunday with polished classic beauties.

Take a few vacation days from work, call in with the sniffles, or just play hooky and bee-line yourself to see us this weekend at Deep Creek Lake and have a fun filled weekend before winter gets it’s claws in you.

Deep Creek Lake Art and Wine Festival

I feel fall in the air here at Deep Creek Lake. Summertime lake activities are grinding down, there is a hint of color on a few trees, and I am gearing my mind toward all the wonderful things that fall has to offer. First on the list is the Deep Creek Lake Art and Wine Festival,which kicks of the start of the fall season.

This year’s annual event will be held September 10-12 and I am proud to work for a company who helps support and sponsors this popular festival. Year after year, Long & Foster supports and volunteers in many events here at the lake to help needy causes, to stimulate great events/activities and to lead the way in community participation. The Art and Wine Festival is a benefit for the American Red Cross and they have a delicious lineup of all your favorite types of wines.

The events include handcrafted art works by local and regional artisans. Aside from the wine tasting, this is my favorite part of the festival. I have great respect for artists, painters, woodworkers, quilt makers, photographers, jewelry makers, and many other interesting things for sale. Last year I purchased some amazing framed flower portraits for my home and some hand lathed salt and pepper shakers made with a dozen or so local/exotic woods. Check out their website and a thorough calendar of events and activities.

Cornish Manor at Deep Creek Lake

I normally don’t have to stray too far from Deep Creek Lake to have a magnificent dining experience, but I do have a soft spot for Cornish Manor in Oakland, Maryland. Travel a mere 15 minutes from the center of the lake and you’ll be treated to a superb upscale dining experience in this historic restaurant.

The building was constructed back in 1868 by Judge Wilson J. Lambert who hailed from Washington D.C. This area was a very popular place for the wealthy folks from the east to come relax and get away from the humid heat that blankets the coast during the summertime. The property changed hands through the years until it was bought by a gentleman who went by the name of Lou Cornish who made it into a restaurant /cocktail lounge in the late 50’s after renovating it.

In 2004 Jacques Hourtal chef/owner took over Cornish Manor after it just went through another major renovation. Jacques has transformed this place into one of the most respected fine dining establishments in and around the Deep Creek Lake area. There menu is consistently outstanding and there service is impeccable. Come chill out in a very relaxing atmosphere and have a nice bottle of fine wine to accompany succulent seafood, pasta, meat, or poultry dishes. Jacques and his well trained kitchen/serving staff will be there to make sure you have a fantastic dining experience.

Kayaking on Deep Creek Lake

I’m not afraid to be the broken record here at Deep Creek Lake by yet again bragging about perfect temperatures here at the lake. Seriously! You can’t make this stuff up! Late summer mornings on the lake are ideal for your recreation of choice or just kick off your shoes and take a load off.

Here’s a thought…Go rent yourself a Kayak, find yourself a nice glassy shoreline and round up your sweetheart to go for a lazy adventure. Come on people, this is a sport that you don’t have to be a triathlon champ or a muscle head to enjoy. Gently dip your paddle in peaceful DCL and get yourself a nice chill glide going. Take notice of the amazing views that you may have passed before too quickly on a boat. Kayaking is a great way to absorb new things around the lake that you have overlooked before. More importantly it’s a great way to calm your mind while having a delightful experience. Don’t put if off any longer. Come enjoy this special time of the year when the crowds have thinned down and the lake is perfect for this fantastic sport.

Deep Creek Lake Moon-Rise Waning Gibbous

Deep Creek Lake Moon-Rise Waning Gibbous

For the last couple of nights here at Deep Creek Lake there has been a tremendous glow from the moon over our waters that have led to some spectacular moments to be witnessed by those who are aware. There are a total of eight phases of the Moon and last night it was in the Waning Gibbous stage. In this phase, the Moon is less than fully illuminated, but more than half. Funny though, the intensity of the Moon’s glow reveled that of the Sun. I have been woke up the last two nights at 3 am as the Moon crept over the 219 bridge casting a laser beam of light across the water, and slowly rounded over the treetops directly into my window like a blinding lamplight. I may have been half asleep but I was not dreaming as the room was illuminated in some fluorescent bluish glow stick fog that was very surreal and pleasant.

This beautiful spectacle is rarely witnessed to this magnitude in areas that have the glow on the streetlights and buildings. Here in Deep Creek Lake, it almost transforms a simple Moon-rise into what West Coaster’s hail as there Northern Lights show. Maybe not as brilliant but we do have mystical warm late summer evenings that take us back in time of lying on your back and staring at the billions of stars that serve as the background to the masterpiece Moon.

Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities