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The 5 Best Maryland Lakes For Swimming

a-z Animals

What’s better than swimming to get great exercise while having fun and staying cool with your family and friends during the summer? Swimming is not only a fun activity, but it is a great way to exercise the entire body and improve your fitness. Swimming is also an activity all ages can find ways to enjoy, especially if you visit the best Maryland lakes for swimming!

There are over 100 lakes within the state of Maryland today. Each one of those lakes is, however, a man-made reservoir (either for recreation, utility, or both). Deep Creek Lake, for example — with its nearly 4,000 acres of lake water — powers a hydroelectric dam that has operated since 1925, but also offers recreational activities for residents and vacationers.

So, let’s take a look at five of Maryland’s lakes that are the best lakes for swimming!

Greenbrier Lake
Deep Creek Lake
Lake Habeeb
Cunningham Falls
Kilgore Falls

Deep Creek Lake (Deep Creek Lake State Park)

Most Maryland lakes are much smaller than Deep Creek Lake, with many covering less than 50 acres. Deep Creek Lake, on the other hand, is known for being the largest lake in Maryland. It covers nearly 4,000 acres! The park gets its name from the lake. The Youghiogheny Hydroelectric Company created a 1,300-foot-long dam in the 1920s for a hydroelectric project.

So why go swimming at Deep Creek Lake? Is it more than just a hydroelectric dam project? Yes!

With its mile-long shoreline and two swimming beaches, along with 20 miles of trails for hiking and biking, campgrounds, and an enormous Discovery Center, Deep Creek Lake State Park offers year-round activities for everyone.


The natural beauty of Deep Creek Lake is only matched by its diverse wildlife and stunning scenery. With deer, bald eagles, ospreys, black bears, and more, visitors can expect to see a wide range of nature’s creatures while they swim and explore.


It’s a Maryland State Park, so the lake’s water is well-kept, and convenience factors are much more amenable. There are public restrooms, places to stay overnight that are close by, and convenience stores.

7 Most Beautiful Lakes In Maryland

World Atlas

As is the case all over the world, the lakes of Maryland are a popular destination for locals and tourists looking to relax. They are a focal point for outdoor recreation, fishing, and enjoyment of the natural world. Unlike many places, though, not a single one of the lakes in Maryland was formed naturally. Most natural lakes are formed by glaciers, but during the last Ice Age, glaciers didn’t reach the area that is now Maryland. Other lakes are caused by faulting, volcanic activity, or landslides, which again didn’t happen in that area.

There are now over 100 artificial lakes in Maryland, and though they were the result of human development, especially due to the need for hydroelectric energy, nature has made good use of them. Some of the most beautiful of these lakes have become an important part of the area’s ecosystem and are now part of larger parks. The land, plants, and animals have adapted to the lake’s presence, so these parks have become important habitats for fish, birds, and animals large and small.

Deep Creek Lake

As the largest lake in the state, Deep Creek Lake is also perhaps the most well-known of Maryland’s lakes. It can be found near Oakland, in Deep Creek Lake State Park, which sits high on a plateau in the Allegheny Highlands. Created as the result of a hydroelectric dam, it has been an important source of energy for the area since 1925.

The lake itself covers approximately 3,900 acres and is surrounded by 69 miles of shoreline, some of which is sandy beach. The lake is a popular spot for fishing and boating of all types. Nearby, the state park offers cabins, camping spots, and over 100 miles of trails from which to try to spot elk or mule deer. But the park is also home to bobcats and black bears, so caution to all hikers is recommended. Also in the park is a 6,000 s6,000-square-foot Discovery Center with an aviary that features rescued eagles and ospreys.

Deep Creek Lake Named 1 of the 11 Great Places to Rent a Summer Lake House

TripAdvisor released a list of the 11 greatest places to rent a summer lake house and guess what???

Deep Creek Lake was the first one listed!

Check out the article here.

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To rent your summer lake house, click here.

Fact: Maryland has no natural lakes

By Michael S. Rosenwald

….I stumbled on the lake thread this morning — the link was titled “TIL Maryland has no natural lakes.” (Ahem: TIL is an acronym for Today I Learned.)

I thought, “Really?”

The post linked to a question-and-answer briefing on Maryland lakes from the Maryland Geological Survey.

“Yes, there are no natural lakes in Maryland,” the survey says. “All of Maryland’s lakes are man-made by damming rivers. Some have been named lakes (e.g., Lake Habeeb in Allegany County and Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County), but most have been named reservoirs (e.g., Loch Raven Reservoir in Baltimore County).”

More here.

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