This mountain park is located nine miles north of Oakland, Maryland and contains some of Maryland's most breathtaking scenery. The Youghiogheny River flows along the park's borders, passing through shaded rocky gorges and creating rippling rapids. Muddy Creek Falls is a crashing 53-foot waterfall – a spectacular sight. Tall hemlocks dominate the silent woods. The 1 1/4 mile trail through S​wallow Falls guides hikers to some of the most breath-taking scenery in Western Maryland.

The Rock Maze is a hiking trail located in Garrett State Forest (the same state forest where both Herrington Manor & Swallow Falls State Parks are located). It’s an out-and-back, mostly flat trail that altogether is only about a mile long. The trail is (mostly) marked & (fairly) easy to follow. It starts off looking like just any other hiking trail – trees, ferns, evidence of wildlife – nothing spectacular. That is, until you get to the end. All of a sudden, you’ll find a few random house-sized boulders along the path & then you come to the reason people hike out that trail: The Rock Maze. There is literally a football field of these gigantic boulders just strewn around. Like a giant was having some fun & tossed a bunch of rocks into a pile. They’ve had to have been there for hundreds (if not thousands) of years. I can say that with confidence because there are trees growing up on top of these boulders, with their intricate root systems snaking down around the sides to reach the ground below. It’s incredible. It’s called a “Rock Maze” because you can literally get lost within the rocks. There are wide pathways & super super narrow ones. If you don’t keep your bearings about you, you will get lost. You’ll (probably) be able to find your way out (I mean, the two times we were there, we didn’t come across anyone so lost that they’d been in the Maze for days or anything) but it’s very easy to get turned around & to have to take a few minutes to figure out where you came from.

ACTIVITIES:In the Summer GOLF Lodestone Golf Course Fantasy Valley Golf Course Membership Options Lessons ADVENTURE FOR ALL Escape Games Mountain Coaster Aerial Adventures Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour Spider Monkey Adventure Chipmunk Challenge Course Mountain Adventures Scenic Chairlift Rides NEW>>Mini Golf Archery Disc Golf Gem Mining Kids Whitewater Rafting + Kayaking Deep Creek Lake Adventures

Deep Creek Lake

Lots of Antique shops, a Brewery Coffee Shop, Bakeries, a Book Store, rtc. Also a Farmers Market on Saturday morning.

The park gets its name from the lake, which was a hydroelectric project, constructed on Deep Creek in the 1920s by the Youghiogheny Hydroelectric Company. With its mile long shore line, two swimming beaches, 20 miles of hiking/biking trails, 112 site campground, and 6,000 square foot Discovery Center, Deep Creek Lake State Park offers year round activities for everyone. The Deep Creek Lake State Park Complex also includes Sang Run State Park and the Youghiogheny Wild River Natural Environmental Area.

Herrington Manor was designated as a state park in 1964. The 365-acre park, located within Garrett State Forest, offers swimming, canoeing, kayaking, biking, picnicking, hiking, tennis, basketball, volleyball and 20 furnished log cabins for rental use year round. Interpretive programs are scheduled during the summer; and popular special events such as "apple butter boil" are held in the fall. At the heart of this park is the 53-acre Herrington Lake. Come try our cross country ski and snowshoe rentals as conditions permit, as well as fat tire bike rentals year round.