 ABOUT
As the largest county in the state of Maryland, Garrett County has a long history as a favorite recreational destination for families looking for a mountain getaway. With over 90,000 acres of parks, lakes, and public forestland, including the state's largest natural waterfall, Garrett County is a popular four-season vacation area. At the heart of Garrett County lies
Deep Creek Lake . With 65 miles of shoreline, it is the center of most summer activities, from boating to sailing, water-skiing, and swimming. Fall brings radiant colors to the mountains, which peak with the celebration of the county's annual Autumn Glory festival. With an annual average of 90 inches of snow, the county's winter season revolves around downhill skiing and snowboarding at the Wisp Ski Resort, along with snowmobiling and cross country skiing at one of the county's state parks. The warming of spring brings anglers to the area for world-class fly fishing and whitewater rafting in the Yough (pronounced "Yock") River. Other activities throughout the year include hunting, golf, tennis, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, and other adventure sports activities. As you can tell, when it comes to outdoor activities and scenery, Garrett County is second to none.
As the last county to be formed in 1872, Garrett County offers an outstanding quality of life with a fine network of health care, education, and support services. And with only 11 traffic lights in the entire county, none of your valuable time will be wasted sitting in your car!
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| DETAILS & FACTS |
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| Elevation -
Ranges from 900 to 3,360 feet above sea level. |
| Land Area - 657 square miles, making it the largest county in the state, based on total size.
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| Location -
Highway Distances to Garrett County from - Baltimore - 177 mi., Cleveland - 255 mi., Columbus - 252 mi., New York City - 355 mi., Philadelphia - 272 mi., Pittsburgh - 96 mi., and Washington, D.C. - 161 mi. |
| Transportation
- US Route 219 runs north-south through the county and Interstate 68 runs east-west, with easy access to I-79 and I-81. The Garrett County Airport, with a 3,000 foot asphalt landing strip, is just two miles from Deep Creek Lake and Wisp Ski Resort. There is also regional air service from Morgantown, West Virginia (42 miles) and Cumberland, Maryland (45 miles). |
| Lakes - Deep Creek Lake, Youghiogheny River Lake, Jennings Randolph Lake, Herrington Manor Lake, New Germany Lake, Savage River Reservoir, Broadford Lake.
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| State Parks
- Deep Creek Lake State Park, Big Run State Park, Casselman River Bridge State Park, Garrett State Forest, Herrington Manor State Park, New Germany State Park, Potomac State Forest, Savage River State Forest, Swallow Falls State Park.
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| Recreation/Activities - Alpine (Downhill) Skiing, ATV (Four Wheeler) Riding, Backpacking, Biking, Bird Watching, Boating, Camping, Canoeing, Cross County Skiing, Dogsledding, Fishing/Ice Fishing, Fly Fishing, Kayaking, Golf, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Ice Climbing, Mountain Biking, Orienteering, Rappelling, Rock Climbing, Rollerblading, Sailing, Scuba Diving, Sledding & Tubing, Snowboarding, Snowmobiling, Snowshoeing, Skateboarding, Swimming, Tennis, Wakeboarding, Water-skiing, Whitewater Rafting, and Windsurfing. |
| Arts and Culture - Garrett Lakes Art Festival, Highland Festival, Autumn Glory Festival, Little Yough Summer Music Festival, and the County Fair.
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| Restaurants/Entertainment - Over 50 restaurants and night clubs, an eight-screen state-of-the-art movie theatre, and two family arcades.
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| Climate -
With its higher elevation (up to 3,360 feet above sea level), Garrett County enjoys a cooler climate than nearby urban areas, with less humidity and more annual snowfall - 90 inches on average. Average temperatures run between 5-10 degrees cooler than the surrounding metropolitan areas. |
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| Population - For the U.S. Census in the year 2000, the total population in Garrett County was 29,846. In the year 2005 the projected population for Garrett County is 30,800.
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| Towns - Oakland (county seat), Mountain Lake Park, Loch Lynn, Accident, Friendsville, Kitzmiller, Deer Park, and Grantsville.
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| Government - Three commissioners elected by voters to four-year terms.
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| Education - 18
schools are currently located within Garrett County. |
| Churches - Various denominations, with over 120 churches in the nearby area.
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| LOCAL TRADITIONS |
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| . Celebrating at the annual Firemen's
Oktoberfest on the Thursday night of Autumn Glory Week |
| . Enjoying cooked ramps (an onion-like
vegetable) at the annual Piney Mountain Rod & Gun Club on the first
Saturday in May |
| . Fly-fishing at remote spots on the Yough
River |
| . Mountain Biking with the High Mountain
Sports crew in Accident on Mondays throughout the spring and summer |
| . Snowmobiling before stopping at Pawn
Run Saloon or JG's Pub to warm up and enjoy refreshments throughout the winter |
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