Hiking at Deep Creek Lake
Loch & Laurel recommends the Canyon Trail at Swallow Falls State Park, a mostly flat loop of a little over a mile past four waterfalls in a gorge of old-growth hemlock. Other trails near Deep Creek Lake range from the Rock Maze boulder field to the climb to Hoye-Crest, the highest point in Maryland, and a full day on Monroe Run in Savage River State Forest. The state parks charge a day-use fee year-round. The state forest trails are hunted in season, so wear blaze orange from September through January.
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Start with Swallow Falls
If you only walk once, walk the Canyon Trail. It’s a loop of a little over a mile, mostly flat, through a gorge of old-growth hemlock. On the way around you pass all four waterfalls: Muddy Creek Falls, Upper and Lower Swallow Falls, and Tolliver Falls.
On a fall weekend, the parking is the hard part. Arrive early in the morning while there are still spaces. Once you’re on the loop, it never feels crowded.
When you want more than an hour
Monroe Run takes a full day, following an old Civilian Conservation Corps roadway down into Savage River State Forest. It’s the most remote walk here, and the stream crossings set the pace.
Backbone Mountain is the climb to Hoye-Crest, the highest point in Maryland, and it starts across the state line in West Virginia. It’s short and steep, with a register at the top to sign.
For a long, level walk, the Kendall Trail at Friendsville follows the old railbed by the Youghiogheny, 4 miles out and back.
Hunting on the trails
Most of this ground is hunted.
The state forests and the wildlife management areas are open to hunting in season. That includes Mount Nebo, the Potomac-Garrett land the Rock Maze sits on, and the part of Savage River that Monroe Run crosses. Parts of Deep Creek Lake State Park and Sang Run are hunted too, Monday through Saturday in season.
Maryland’s black bear season is October 26 to 31, and firearm deer season runs through November into December. Wear blaze orange from September through January, keep off the forest trails at dawn and dusk, and put an orange vest on the dog too. The state publishes each year’s dates on its hunting calendar.
What to expect at the trailhead
Restrooms are in the state parks’ developed areas. Out at the forest trailheads, plan on no toilets, no water and no signal, and download the map before you leave the car.
Where to walk
An hour or less
A loop of a little over a mile past four waterfalls, through a gorge of old-growth hemlock. The trail is mostly flat, with rock steps near the falls that get slick under wet leaves. Dogs aren't allowed in the day-use area from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The state parks charge a day-use fee year-round. In summer, Swallow Falls also requires a day-use reservation.
- For couples
- Dog friendly
- Works midweek
A field of house-sized boulders in Potomac-Garrett State Forest, with passages worn between and underneath them. It's under a mile there and back and almost flat, about half an hour on foot, longer once you start climbing around. A few squeezes are narrow, and each one has a wider way around. The ground between the rocks is easy to turn an ankle on, more so when wet or icy. Keep the dog on a leash.
- For couples
- Dog friendly
A 1,500-foot boardwalk over an ice-age bog, where cold air pooling in the hollow keeps red spruce, hemlock and tamarack growing this far south. There are five short trails, none over 2 miles. The ground is wet on both sides of the boards, and with water levels rising, some sections go underwater. The approach road is gravel. Dogs aren't allowed.
- For couples
A morning
Gated at both ends, so you park off Route 219 and walk in. About 3 miles of trail follow the grade of the old Browning Lumber Railroad, the line that hauled the timber for the Deep Creek dam. The going is easy, there's a rare red spruce bog, and you'll usually have it to yourself. It's hunted in season. The access roads aren't plowed in winter, and that can leave the gate out of reach.
- For couples
- Dog friendly
A moderate 5.5 miles from Deep Creek Lake State Park, climbing away from the beach into hardwoods almost at once. It's open to snowshoes and cross-country skis in winter. Deep Creek Lake State Park charges a day-use fee year-round.
- For couples
- Dog friendly
4 miles there and back along an 1890s railbed beside the Youghiogheny, at Friendsville, northwest of the lake. It's rocky and muddy in places. The town notes that ticks are common, so check yourself and the dog afterward. Parking is at the town trailhead on Maple Street.
- For couples
- Dog friendly
The connector between the two parks runs 5.5 miles one way through Garrett State Forest, or 11 miles there and back unless you leave a second car. It's at its best once the leaves are down and you can see through the canopy. Most people walk in from the Herrington end and turn around when they've had enough.
- For couples
- Dog friendly
A little over 2 miles with around 560 feet of climb, up to the remains of an old fire-tower lookout on the Big Savage ridge. It's steady the whole way up.
- For couples
A full day
A hard day hike, 4.5 miles one way down a 1930s CCC roadway through Savage River State Forest, ending near the reservoir at Big Run. The stream crossings have no bridges, so you wade them. Don't cross in high water or during spring melt. It's remote, so assume no signal.
- For couples
Hoye-Crest, Backbone Mountain
The highest point in Maryland at 3,360 feet, with a trailhead in West Virginia. You park on Route 219 and climb back into the state you started in. It's about 2.25 miles round trip with some 700 feet of climb, and at the top there's a summit register and a view over the North Branch Potomac valley.
- For couples
10 miles of trail, from easy to difficult, out past Grantsville in steeper country that's almost all hardwood and turns color earlier than the lake does. It's also the base for the 32-mile loop that links Meadow Mountain, Monroe Run and Poplar Lick.
- For couples
Common questions
- What is the best hike at Deep Creek Lake?
- The Canyon Trail at Swallow Falls State Park. It's a mostly flat loop of a little over a mile past four waterfalls, through old-growth hemlock, and it takes about an hour.
- Are there waterfalls at Deep Creek Lake?
- Yes, in Swallow Falls State Park. Muddy Creek Falls, Upper and Lower Swallow Falls, and Tolliver Falls are all on the Canyon Trail, one walk for all four. Muddy Creek Falls is Maryland's tallest free-falling waterfall, at 53 feet.
- Can you hike with dogs around Deep Creek Lake?
- Yes, on most trails. Dogs are welcome on the state park and state forest trails. At Swallow Falls, dogs aren't allowed in the day-use area from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Cranesville Swamp is the one place dogs aren't allowed at all.
- Do you have to pay to hike at Deep Creek Lake?
- Yes, at the state parks. They charge a day-use fee year-round, Deep Creek Lake State Park and Swallow Falls included. In summer, Swallow Falls also requires a day-use reservation. Mount Nebo, Cranesville Swamp, the Kendall Trail and the state forest trails are free.
- Is hunting allowed on the trails around Deep Creek Lake?
- Yes, on the state forests and wildlife management areas. That includes Mount Nebo, the Rock Maze in Potomac-Garrett, and Monroe Run in Savage River. Parts of some state parks are hunted too, including Deep Creek Lake State Park and Sang Run, Monday through Saturday in season. Maryland's black bear season is October 26 to 31, and firearm deer season runs in November and December. Wear blaze orange from September through January, and stay off the forest trails at dawn and dusk. The dates move from year to year. Check before you go.
- Which trails are walkable in winter?
- Meadow Mountain at Deep Creek Lake State Park is open to snowshoes and cross-country skis, and the Snaggy Mountain side of Potomac-Garrett is recommended for both. Skip Mount Nebo in winter: its access roads may go unplowed, which can keep you from reaching the gate. Expect ice on the rock steps at Swallow Falls and in the Rock Maze, where the footing is uneven even when it's dry.
- Are there toilets or water at the trailheads?
- The state parks have restrooms in their developed areas. At the trailheads out in the forests, like Mount Nebo, the Rock Maze, Cranesville and the Kendall Trail, plan on no toilets and no water. Carry water, and download the map before you lose signal.
Where to stay
A day on the trail, an evening for two.
Nightwood is a luxury cabin, thoughtfully designed for couples, on two wooded acres at the north end of the lake. After the trail, sink into the hot tub beneath the deck together and watch the light fade behind the trees. Your dog stays free.
See Nightwood