Page 26 - Garrett County 2022-2023 Activities Guide

Outdoor Experiences
Fall
Nearly 80,000 visitors descend on Garrett County each October for
the five-day Autumn Glory Festival (visitdeepcreek.com). Annual highlights include the Grand Feature Parade as well as special sales, markets and tours that take visitors all over the county. Another treasured fall tradition is the Cove Run Farms Corn Maze (coverunfarmscornmaze.com).
The reason why autumn is so glorious in Garrett County is its landscape of dazzling colors. Fall foliage driving tours starting at the Garrett County Visitors Center reveal breathtaking scenery that is readily visible along the roadways. It’s no wonder that the Travel Channel lists the Deep Creek Lake region among the nation’s “Best Fall Foliage Road Trips.”
Copies of the fall foliage driving
tours can be picked up at the
Visitors Center located at 15 Visitors Center Drive, McHenry, MD 21541, downloaded with the Garrett Heritage app (available at the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store) or viewed online at garrettheritage. com/fall-foliage-driving-tours.
If you’d prefer to explore our fall foliage at a slower pace, head for
a hiking trail! Some of the county’s most beautiful scenic overlooks are found along the Meadow Mountain Trail (garretttrails.org/meadow- mountain-trail.html) and the
PHOTO BY TIMOTHY JACOBSEN
Monroe Run Trail (garretttrails.org/ monroe-run-trail.html).
Kendall Trail (friendsville.org/ kendall-trail) spans 3 miles
and has amazing views of the Youghiogheny Wild River Natural Environmental Area (dnr.maryland. gov/publiclands/pages/western/ youghiogheny.aspx), a popular spot for paddlers. The Herrington Manor to Swallow Falls Trail (garretttrails. org/herrington-manor-to-swallow- falls-trail.html) is a good novice
trail with a mostly flat surface that winds 5 miles through Garrett State Forest. This scenic trail includes
old logging roads and a historic railroad bed. Ambitious hikers will love the Maryland High Point Trail (garretttrails.org/maryland-high- point-trail.html), a steep climb up to the state’s highest point on Backbone Mountain.
CELEBRATE WITH US:
150 Years of Garrett County
On December 4, 1872, Garrett
County split from neighboring
Allegany County, making it the last
of Maryland’s counties to be formed.
To mark the occasion, the county
government is gearing up for a year of celebration in 2022.
The festivities will culminate with a large, free event on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at the Garrett County Fairgrounds. Planned activities include a walking history tour, a car or tractor show, performances by local bands, and lots of other performances and activities for the entire family. Local food and drink will be available.
Anyone interested in following the anniversary celebrations can engage with the hashtag #garrett150 on social media. For more information, go to garrett150.com.
24 Garrett County & Deep Creek Lake Activities Guide