Do you think Deep Creek Lake is a veritable paradise?

[Quick Enough]

Originally Posted by Digger 68

I would rather go there then the Beach any day.

Depends on what I want to do.

Swimming, in the ocean.

Water skiing, the lake or a protected river, etc.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Its nice but Summersville Lake in West Virginia is nicer, with prettier water and a warmer climate where you can swim in the water for more of the year.

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

Its nice but Summersville Lake in West Virginia is nicer, with prettier water and a warmer climate where you can swim in the water for more of the year.

Never been there, looks nice. I like the cliffs

FWIW, people don't go to Deep Creek to swim, well I guess you could, but it's more of a boating destination with lots of hiking stuff around the lake. It's much cooler up there in summer, which is a pleasure in and of itself.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

You a staffer with the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce?

*snort*! you owe me!

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer

I took my family there for a few days and it felt like a different world. So pristine and so tranquil. People enjoying activities from swimming to fishing to jet skiing and speed boating, of course. The surrounding mountains were as lush and green as can be.

It was nice to be in a place that felt like a haven from the problems of the world.

This is old, but I saw it cuz of a recent post, so going back to the beginning....


in 2021 DW took me there in AUGUST, as she grew up there. Her family was from balltimore and they had a 2 bedroom cabin up there.


It was rainy, miserable, the car said it was 58 degrees up in the hills in AUGUST and you could STILL walk across the lake on boats without getting your feet wet <----only a slight exaggeration.


To me, who has boated about every unlimited HP river and lake in the northeast US, this place is in the death throes of 'avoid at all costs'.


overcrowded, expensive, rude, trashy, polluted, noisy - everything you DONT want, and this mind you was on that rainy saturday.


The rain is meh, it happens, the temps are garrett country related, on the way home we stopped for dinner in oniontown on the same rainy day and the car said it was mid 70's. Garrett county off I68 IS a different climate...


Sadly, the marylanders are coming to the same conclusion and those with wheels and $$ are drifting up to MY lake in central PA and bringing the 'maryland-ness' with them, which the locals DO NOT want and are petitioning the ACoE (it will fail) to give priority to locals - after all their parents gave up the family homestead to flood and make the place.


also sadly, it has become a sport for people to engage in my fav past time and rather than just enjoy the water, instead make it a game to see how miserable you can be to other people.


suffice to say, I was beyond appalled at what I saw and now I understand why you have to look out for the state reg sticker on boats on my lake.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

Its nice but Summersville Lake in West Virginia is nicer, with prettier water and a warmer climate where you can swim in the water for more of the year.

passed over that last summer and working up the courage to yank 'Chris' down there for a long weekend.

[westsideboy]

The "tourons" ruined it for you, huh? It's not a rare conclusion, Deep Creek is a busier lake for sure, lots of bad boaters out there. I'm not a boat person, I always enjoyed the weather and parks around the lake though.

The change at Deep Creek came around 1990 when I-68 was completed. Until then Deep Creek was a Pittsburgh playground with lots of locally owned land still around. After downstate Maryland was only an easy 3 hour drive away, the growth accelerated, property values went up, more people came. I won't call it good or bad, lots of locals made big money on "family cabins" that were sold and turned into big vacation houses.

[BigCityDreamer]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Never been there, looks nice. I like the cliffs

FWIW, people don't go to Deep Creek to swim, well I guess you could, but it's more of a boating destination with lots of hiking stuff around the lake. It's much cooler up there in summer, which is a pleasure in and of itself.

There is a beach area for swimming as well.

I like to remind people I posted this thread during COVID.

I had to cancel a lot of trips and this was one of the few places I could go.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

The "tourons" ruined it for you, huh? It's not a rare conclusion, Deep Creek is a busier lake for sure, lots of bad boaters out there. I'm not a boat person, I always enjoyed the weather and parks around the lake though.

The change at Deep Creek came around 1990 when I-68 was completed. Until then Deep Creek was a Pittsburgh playground with lots of locally owned land still around. After downstate Maryland was only an easy 3 hour drive away, the growth accelerated, property values went up, more people came. I won't call it good or bad, lots of locals made big money on "family cabins" that were sold and turned into big vacation houses.

lol 'tourons', up my place north (border cook forest pa) we get in the summer 'tour-erists', same deal I guess.


It only works if you are one of the ones with a bizness, otherwise its an episode of the 'ugly american'.


I think you and I talked before about 'cumberbun', I am transiting I68 a lot and I usually stop for food in laVale but DW and I have thought about staying there over a weekend to drift into the city to see the sights etc..whatever downtown is walkable...does it still have an open downtown or is it mckeesport pa? (closed boarded up drug den city)

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by RetireinPA

lol 'tourons', up my place north (border cook forest pa) we get in the summer 'tour-erists', same deal I guess.


It only works if you are one of the ones with a bizness, otherwise its an episode of the 'ugly american'.


I think you and I talked before about 'cumberbun', I am transiting I68 a lot and I usually stop for food in laVale but DW and I have thought about staying there over a weekend to drift into the city to see the sights etc..whatever downtown is walkable...does it still have an open downtown or is it mckeesport pa? (closed boarded up drug den city)

Downtown is all torn up now, literally reopening the street to vehicular traffic for the first time since the 1970s. Hopefully, it's done by summer, but you know how that goes.

Cumberland has some issues, but it is still safe to walk around and the tourist spots are well, touristy. The Scenic RR and historic Washington St. are the highlights in the city limits. Both the C&O Canal and Allegheny Highlands trail are nice places to take a hike or bike.