Swallow Falls State Park is one of the most beautiful state parks in Maryland. The park is situated on the west bank of the Youghiogheny River and is just 20 minutes from our hotel at Deep Creek Lake. While there’s plenty to do at Swallow Falls State Park any time of year, it is especially magical when fall foliage begins to appear.
There are plenty of things to do at Swallow Falls State Park, including the obvious – visiting the waterfalls. It’s a great place to enjoy some hiking, fishing, and even some cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in the winter. It’s also the perfect place to spend some time outdoors, surrounded by the beauty of the season. Just like any adventurous day in the Deep Creek Lake area, a visit to Swallow Falls State Park is best followed up by plenty of relaxing at our hotel.
Our Deep Creek Lake hotel, situated on the shores of the lake itself, offers an unparalleled opportunity to relax and find balance. You’ll love our on-site amenities, including complimentary boat rides, a beautiful breakfast each morning, and our on-site spa room. If the time spent here is the restorative getaway you’ve been looking for, then book your room at our Deep Creek Lake Hotel today!
Enjoy the Best of Swallow Falls State Park
A visit to Swallow Falls State Park is easily one of the most popular things to do in the Deep Creek Lake area. The park, nestled in the mountains around the lake, offers you the chance to enjoy some of Maryland’s most breathtaking scenery. Through the park’s boundaries flows the Youghiogheny River, as it navigates the rocky gorges and over the rapids.
The river, the waterfalls, and the surrounding forests are well worth seeing, especially when surrounded by the vibrant glow of autumnal hues. Some people come just for the opportunity to see the waterfall, but most stay for the other wonderful things this park has to offer. A few of our favorite things to do at Swallow Falls State Park include the following:
- Witness the dramatic drop of Muddy Creek Falls as it tumbles 53 feet into the river below. The falls are surrounded by tall hemlock trees, which dominate the woods here, and are simply alight with color in the fall.
- The Canyon Trail is the perfect 1.25-mile trail for hikers. As you navigate this trail, you’ll pass several waterfalls (including Swallow Falls), including Muddy Creek Falls, and will pass through a beautiful old-growth forest. There are also connector trails that lead to the Garrett State Forest and other state parks from here.
- Enjoy some fishing on the Youghiogheny River. It’s a catch-and-release Trout Fishing Area, which is supported by the trout fishery’s annual stockings of brown and rainbow trout.
- Rent a bike and navigate your way to Swallow Falls State Park from Herrington Manor State Park on the 5.5-mile-long connector trail. Currently, due to limited staff operations, bike rentals are only available at Herrington Manor State Park, though they are typically available at both locations.
- The Youghiogheny River is also popular for river kayaking and whitewater rafting, and this activity is best reserved for the truly adventurous (and experienced) among us. Watching kayakers practice in the rapids is a perk of visiting the park.
Be sure to come back and enjoy Swallow Falls State Park in the winter, too, when the landscape has taken on entirely new characteristics! And, of course, in summer the river opens up to be a veritable playground for all who visit.
Stay at our Deep Creek Lake Hotel
We truly love everything about fall, and the Deep Creek Lake area has been named the top destination in Maryland to see fall foliage in Garrett County. That’s no surprise, as this area in the fall is simply breathtaking. It’s also a time for us to celebrate, which we do each year with the incredible Autumn Glory Festival.
The Autumn Glory Festival is an annual five-day celebration held every October in Garrett County, MD, centered on the region’s spectacular fall foliage. Named by MSN as the world’s top fall festival in 2007, Oakland has earned repeated recognition from Travel & Leisure, Good Housekeeping, TripAdvisor, U.S. News, and Reader’s Digest for its stunning autumn scenery.
Although getting outside and appreciating the beauty of fall at places like Swallow Falls State Park is one of the best things to do in Deep Creek Lake, the fall season is also a time for us to relax, unwind, and engage in quiet reflection. Our Deep Creek Lake hotel provides a perfect setting for you to do exactly that. With our luxuriously appointed guest rooms and beautiful lake views to enjoy, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish with a restorative getaway at our 5-star hotel. Enjoy the very best of fall, andbook a room at our Deep Creek Lake hotel today!
