Things to Do in Oakland, Maryland
The best things to do in Oakland, Maryland, are hiking to Muddy Creek Falls at Swallow Falls State Park, touring the restored 1884 B&O train station and spending a day at Deep Creek Lake. Oakland is a town of 1,851 people and the seat of Garrett County, in the mountains of Western Maryland.
Oakland sits at about 2,450 feet, and it’s the snowiest place in Maryland, averaging more than 100 inches a year. The state’s record low, 40 below zero, was set here on January 13, 1912. When Garrett County was formed in 1872, voters picked Oakland as county seat, beating Grantsville by only 63 votes.
Swallow Falls State Park
This is the big draw, nine miles north of town along the Youghiogheny River. Muddy Creek Falls drops 53 feet, the tallest free-falling waterfall in Maryland. A 1 1/4-mile trail passes it, along with Swallow Falls and Tolliver Falls, under old hemlocks. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone camped here in July 1921.
★ Good to know From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day you need a day-use reservation on weekends and holidays. Pets aren’t allowed in the day-use area or on the Canyon Trail in that window.
Oakland B&O Museum and Train Station
The Queen Anne-style depot at 117 E. Liberty St. dates to 1884 and has been restored to its original look. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and now tells the story of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which built the town. A 1920 Baldwin steam locomotive sits outside, and trains still run on the tracks behind the station.
★ Good to know The museum keeps seasonal hours, and guided tours are by appointment, so call ahead.
Garrett County History Museum and Transportation Museum
The Garrett County Historical Society runs two museums a block apart downtown. The History Museum at 107 S. Second St. covers the county’s founding and is open year-round. The Transportation Museum at 112 E. Liberty St. has carriages, sleighs, fire trucks, boats and the county’s first snowmobile, from the 1960s.
★ Good to know The Transportation Museum is seasonal, roughly May through mid-October, and open Wednesday through Saturday.
Herrington Manor State Park
This 365-acre park inside Garrett State Forest is built around 53-acre Herrington Lake. You can swim, canoe, kayak, bike and hike, and 20 furnished log cabins rent year-round. A 5.5-mile trail links it to Swallow Falls.
★ Good to know In winter it rents cross-country skis and snowshoes when there’s enough snow, and fat-tire bikes year-round.
Deep Creek Lake and Wisp Resort
This 3,900-acre reservoir runs north from Oakland, with 69 miles of shoreline. It was made by damming Deep Creek between 1923 and 1925, and Deep Creek Lake State Park gives the public a way in. Wisp Resort in McHenry, on the lake’s edge, calls itself Maryland’s only four-season ski resort.
★ Good to know Wisp runs skiing and snow tubing in winter and golf, lake rentals and mountain adventures in summer.
Downtown Oakland and the Gallery Shop
Much of downtown is a National Register historic district of Victorian storefronts, with a neoclassical courthouse in the middle. The Garrett County Arts Council’s Gallery Shop at 108 S. Second St. sells work by local artists. St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church is known as the Church of Presidents because Grant, Garfield, Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison attended services there.
★ Good to know There’s free all-day parking at the town lot, 201 Town Park Lane, and two-hour free parking on the street.
Broadford Recreational Park
The town owns this lake park, which has a beach, picnic areas, a boat launch, volleyball and basketball. It also hosts Oakland’s July 3rd fireworks.
★ Good to know It’s open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and charges a small entry fee.
Also in town
The Mountain Fresh Farmers Market runs Wednesdays and Saturdays downtown from Memorial Day to mid-October. Around town you’ll also find Simon Pearce’s glass workshop on Glass Drive, 18 holes at Oakland Golf Club, bowling at The Alley, Garrett 8 Cinemas, Alpaca Acres, horseback rides and winter sleigh rides at Circle R Ranch, and the unmarked trails of the Mt. Nebo Wildlife Management Area.
How far is Swallow Falls State Park from Oakland, Maryland?
About nine miles north of town. The park’s GPS address is 2470 Maple Glade Road, Oakland.
Is Oakland, Maryland, near Deep Creek Lake?
Yes. The lake starts just north of town, and the Deep Creek Dam is about eight miles north of Oakland. Wisp Resort is on the lake in McHenry.
When is the Autumn Glory Festival in Oakland?
It’s a five-day festival each October, timed to the fall color. The Grand Feature Parade is on Saturday.
What is Oakland, Maryland, known for?
Its 1884 B&O station, fall foliage, heavy snow and its spot as the county seat closest to Deep Creek Lake. For more ideas, see our small towns in Maryland, or head east to Cumberland.
Where to find them
- Swallow Falls State Park 2470 Maple Glade Road, Oakland, MD 21550 Website Directions
- Oakland B&O Museum and Train Station 117 E. Liberty St., Oakland, MD 21550 Website Directions
- Garrett County History Museum and Transportation Museum 107 S. Second St., Oakland, MD 21550 Website Directions
- Herrington Manor State Park 222 Herrington Lane, Oakland, MD 21550 Website Directions
- Deep Creek Lake and Wisp Resort 296 Marsh Hill Road, McHenry, MD 21541 Website Directions
- Downtown Oakland and the Gallery Shop 108 S. Second St., Oakland, MD 21550 Website Directions
- Broadford Recreational Park Oakland, MD 21550 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Oakland, see Garrett County Chamber of Commerce →
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