Deep Creek Lake is Maryland’s largest freshwater lake, covering 3,900 acres and 65 miles of shoreline. The man-made lake got its start in 1925 as the result of an effort undertaken by the Youghiogheny Hydro Electric Corporation to harness the power of Deep Creek, a tributary of the Youghiogheny River.
The lake is a result of the Youghiogheny Hydroelectric Company hydroelectric project on Deep Creek in the 1920s. Deep Creek Dam, located about 8 miles (13 km) north of Oakland, Maryland, consists of an earth and rock wall dam across a tributary of the Youghiogheny River. Construction of the dam began in 1923 and was completed in 1925. The hydroelectric plant became operational at 4:00 p.m. on May 26, 1925. The lake was purchased by the U.S. state of Maryland in 2000 from the Pennsylvania Electric Company and public access to the lake is provided by Deep Creek Lake State Park.
Activities
Lake activities include motor boating, water skiing, swimming, fishing, and canoeing. A campground has 112 campsites, 26 with electricity. Trails are used for hiking and mountain biking. The park’s 6,000-square-foot Discovery Center offers exhibits on local plants and wildlife, including the American black bears occasionally seen in the campground, the lake and its watershed, conservation issues, and local coal and logging activities in addition to the daily educational programs about nature and the environment presented by naturalists, rangers, and volunteers.
Deep Creek Lake State Park is a public recreation area occupying more than 1,100 acres on the northeast side of Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County, Maryland, in the United States. The park features water activities, camping facilities, and recreational trails and is located about 18 miles (29 km) south of Interstate 68 on U.S. Route 219.
Fishing
Fish commonly caught by anglers include:
