Deep Creek Lake, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Deep Creek Lake State Park is a popular vacation area in Garrett County
, Maryland
, USA
. It surrounds a reservoir
that was created by the construction of the Deep Creek Dam
in 1923 by the Pennsylvania Electric Company on a tributary of the Youghiogheny River
. The lake
was purchased by the state of Maryland in 2000 and is used for boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, and fishing. There is a state park that borders the lake, where black bears
are occasionally seen by visitors. Deep Creek Lake is about 15 miles (25 km) from Interstate 68
on U.S. Route 219
.
The center is operated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Garrett County, Maryland
Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. Created from Allegany County, Maryland in 1872 it was the last Maryland county to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett , railroad executive, industrialist, and financier. Garrett served as president of the Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It surrounds a reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
that was created by the construction of the Deep Creek Dam
Deep Creek Dam
The Deep Creek Dam located about 8 miles north of Oakland, Maryland, consists of an earth and rockwall dam across a tributary of the Youghiogheny River that was completed in 1925 by the Pennsylvania Electric Company. Construction of the dam created the Deep Creek Lake...
in 1923 by the Pennsylvania Electric Company on a tributary of the Youghiogheny River
Youghiogheny River
The Youghiogheny River , or the Yough for short, is a tributary of the Monongahela River in the U.S. states of West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
. The lake
Deep Creek Lake
Deep Creek Lake is the largest inland body of water in the state of Maryland. It covers approximately and has of shoreline. Like all lakes in Maryland, it is man-made. The lake is home to a wide variety of freshwater fish and aquatic birds. The Wisp ski resort is located nearby...
was purchased by the state of Maryland in 2000 and is used for boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, and fishing. There is a state park that borders the lake, where black bears
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
are occasionally seen by visitors. Deep Creek Lake is about 15 miles (25 km) from Interstate 68
Interstate 68
Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as...
on U.S. Route 219
U.S. Route 219
U.S. Route 219 is a spur of U.S. Route 19. It runs for from West Seneca, New York at an interchange with Interstate 90, to Rich Creek, Virginia, intersecting at U.S. Route 460. U.S. 219 is found in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia...
.
Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center
The Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center is the park's environmental center, and contains interpretive exhibits about the area's natural, cultural and local history. Naturalists, rangers and volunteers give daily educational programs about nature and the environment. Exhibits at the 6000 sq ft (557.4 m²) facility include local plants and wildlife, Deep Creek Lake and its watershed, conservation issues and local coal and logging industrial activities.The center is operated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.