Garrett County's Deep Creek Lake resort village — Maryland's only ski mountain at Wisp Resort, the 3,900-acre Deep Creek Lake, the Lodge at Wisp 169-room year-round base, the Swallow Falls 53-foot waterfall, and the ASCI Olympic-spec whitewater course.
McHenry is the Garrett County resort village on the north shore of Deep Creek Lake — Maryland's only four-season ski-and-lake destination, three hours west of both Baltimore and DC and 2.5 hours southeast of Pittsburgh. Wisp Resort, the only ski mountain in the state, sits on Marsh Mountain right above the lake — 1,500 vertical feet, 132 trails on 172 skiable acres, and the connected 169-room Lodge at Wisp and McHenry Lodge resort hotel that anchors most of the local rental inventory. Deep Creek Lake (3,900 acres, 65 miles of shoreline) is Maryland's largest freshwater lake, fed by the Youghiogheny watershed; the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) on the mountain has the only Olympic-spec recirculating whitewater course in the eastern United States; and the 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls at Swallow Falls State Park is a 25-minute drive south. The Garrett State Forest, Deep Creek Lake State Park, and Herrington Manor State Park round out the Western Maryland public-land inventory.
Skiing and snow tubing at Wisp Resort, the Adventure Sports Center International whitewater course, summer boating and fishing on Deep Creek Lake, the 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls at Swallow Falls State Park, and the Lodestone Golf Course on Marsh Mountain.
Maryland's only ski mountain — 1,500 vertical feet, 132 trails on 172 skiable acres, and the only ski-in/ski-out resort in the state. Day passes around $99 in peak season; full-week ski school programs popular over Christmas and the Presidents' Day week. Summer operations include the 3,500-foot mountain coaster, scenic chairlift rides, and the Bavarian Lounge slope-side restaurant.
Maryland's largest freshwater lake — 3,900 acres, 65 miles of shoreline, and the centerpiece of Garrett County summer. Boat rentals at Bill's Marine Service and Aquatic Center ($395/half-day pontoon, $625/full-day ski boat), bass-and-walleye fishing the local guide tradition runs $400/half-day for two, and the Deep Creek Lake State Park public swim beach is the no-membership-needed lake afternoon. Maryland inland fishing license required.
A 257-acre Garrett County state park 25 minutes south of McHenry — the 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls (Maryland's tallest waterfall), the half-mile Canyon Trail loop past Tolliver and Swallow Falls, and a 350-year-old hemlock grove. The do-it-once Garrett County waterfall hike. $5 nonresident vehicle fee Memorial Day through Labor Day.
The only Olympic-spec recirculating whitewater course in the eastern United States — built on Marsh Mountain above Wisp Resort for the 2014 Whitewater World Championships. Public raft trips ($95 adult), kayak instruction, the on-mountain ropes course, and a 1,000-foot dual-zip-line. Open weekends mid-May through October. The McHenry adrenaline option that nobody expects in Maryland.
A 1,820-acre Garrett County state park on the lake's southeast shore — a 700-foot public sand-and-gravel swim beach, a 112-site campground, the Discovery Center for kids, and 14 miles of moderate hiking trail. The Beckman's Loop hike is the local Saturday-morning lake-overlook walk. $5 nonresident vehicle fee in season.
Wisp Resort's 18-hole mountain golf course on Marsh Mountain — par-72, 7,000 yards, with elevation changes that surface a Deep Creek Lake panorama from the back nine. Around $89 weekday with cart for Lodge guests. The McHenry summer-week golf default.
McHenry is the only town in Maryland where the same week can include morning runs on the only ski mountain in the state, an afternoon mountain coaster ride, an evening lake dinner at Honi-Honi, and a Saturday paddle to Swallow Falls. The whole thing is more compact than people expect — Wisp Resort, the lake, the whitewater course, and the trails are all within 15 minutes of the Lodge.
The Garrett County Historical Society Discovery Center, the Honi-Honi Bar lakefront scene, the Mountain State Brewing taproom, and the 90-minute drive north to Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater in Mill Run, PA.
A 3,500-foot rail-mounted gravity coaster running down Marsh Mountain — riders control speed with a hand brake, hitting up to 27 mph through 14 turns and 2 dips with a 350-foot vertical drop. $20 single-ride; $45 unlimited day pass for Lodge guests. The summer-and-shoulder-season Wisp default for kids 8 and up.
A 365-acre Garrett State Forest park 30 minutes south of McHenry — a 53-acre swim lake, 10 miles of moderate hiking trail, and 20 cabins built by the CCC in the 1930s. Cross-country ski center in winter; summer boat rentals and a snack bar at the lake. The state-park alternative to a Deep Creek pontoon afternoon. $5 vehicle fee in season.
Wisp Resort's snow tubing park on Marsh Mountain — eight 750-foot tubing lanes lit for night sessions, a magic carpet lift, and the Bear Claw bar at the top. Two-hour sessions $35 Lodge-guest rate. The non-skier-snow-day default at Wisp; runs Friday through Sunday December through March.
Two adjacent Deep Creek Lake learning anchors — the Garrett County Historical Society in Oakland (railroad-era county history, the B&O Railroad station model) and the Discovery Center on State Park Road (Deep Creek aquarium, raptor mews, and a planetarium). $5 adult Discovery Center admission; the McHenry rainy-day default with kids.
Frank Lloyd Wright's 1937 cantilevered house over Bear Run waterfall in Mill Run, PA — 90-minute drive north of McHenry through the Laurel Highlands. The 90-minute guided house tour ($32 adult) is the Mid-Atlantic architecture pilgrimage. Reserve 4–6 weeks ahead; closed Wednesdays in season, fully closed January–February.
Deep Creek Lake's signature waterfront bar at Uno's Pizzeria & Honi-Honi on the Glendale Bridge — outdoor deck over the lake, the local-favorite Hawaiian-themed cocktail menu, and the 3 p.m. live-music scene every weekend Memorial Day through Labor Day. The McHenry summer-evening lakefront default. Cash and card; first-come, first-served.
Garrett County's annual ag fair the first week of August in McHenry — 4-H livestock shows, a tractor pull, a Friday-night demolition derby, and the Saturday-night fireworks. $10 adult per day, $25 weekly; the Garrett County week-of-August where the lake town turns into a county-fair town. Historic free fairgrounds parking.
An hour and 20 minutes northwest into the Pennsylvania Laurel Highlands — Class III–IV whitewater rafting on the Lower Youghiogheny (the 'Yough'), the 27-mile Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail through Ohiopyle, and the Cucumber Falls 30-foot waterfall short walk. $80 half-day rafting trip with the local outfitters (Wilderness Voyageurs, White Water Adventurers).
Two and a half hours northwest — the Pittsburgh Strip District wholesale-and-restaurant grid (Sunday morning Pamela's pancake stand, Primanti Bros sandwich, the Mancini's bread bakery) and Pittsburgh's Mt. Washington overlook. The big-city day trip from a Deep Creek week if PIT is your inbound airport.
The Bavarian Lounge at the Lodge for the in-building dinner, Honi-Honi for the lakefront afternoon, Mountain State Brewing for the McHenry village-anchor pub, Cornish Manor for the chef-driven night out, and the Deep Creek Bagel Cafe for the morning lift-ticket pickup.
Wisp Resort's slope-side dining room and bar in the Lodge at Wisp — the in-building après-ski standby with a 12-tap craft beer wall, the local-favorite Bavarian pretzel-and-beer-cheese plate, and an apres menu that runs through the dinner hour. Reservations not required; the McHenry Lodge-guest dinner default for the lazy night.
A craft brewery taproom on Glendale Road in McHenry — eight house beers (the Almost Heaven Amber Ale is the Garrett County crowd-pleaser), the local-favorite wood-fired flatbread pizzas, and a fireside dining room for shoulder-season nights. Reservations not taken; expect a 20-minute wait on weekends in season.
Deep Creek's signature lakefront bar at the Glendale Bridge — outdoor deck over the lake, Hawaiian-themed cocktails, and the 3 p.m. live-music scene every weekend Memorial Day through Labor Day. The McHenry summer-week lakefront default; food is bar-and-pizza, not the dinner-reservation choice.
Deep Creek Lake's signature chef-driven restaurant in a 1900 Victorian house in Oakland — the local-favorite filet-and-crab-cake duo, a 90-bottle wine list weighted toward Mid-Atlantic and Pennsylvania producers, and a fireside dining room. 20-minute drive from McHenry; reservations strongly recommended.
A roastery-and-restaurant on Garrett Highway between McHenry and Oakland — a smaller chef-driven seasonal menu, the local-favorite Trader's smashburger, and the Deep Creek-area Saturday brunch default. Reservations recommended for Sunday brunch in season.
A McHenry village bagel shop on Glendale Road — kettle-boiled bagels, the local-favorite Wisp Lift Ticket sandwich (egg, bacon, cheese, on an everything bagel), and the morning lift-ticket-pickup line. 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the Wisp ski-day breakfast default.
Deep Creek's signature lakefront ice-cream stand at Glendale Bridge — house-made ice cream, the local-favorite McHenry Mud sundae, and an after-Honi-Honi-walk-up-the-bridge ritual every summer Saturday night. Cash preferred; closes by 10 p.m. in season.
Best season for McHenry, the Pittsburgh vs DC airport choice, the Lodge at Wisp room types, what a Deep Creek week actually costs, and whether McHenry is a winter or summer destination.
Every property in our McHenry collection is hand-checked, hand-photographed, and backed by twenty-four-hour concierge support. The guide is the warm-up. The home is the trip.
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