Western Maryland Travel Guide

Western Maryland is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts in every season, with beautiful scenery, thousands of acres of parkland, lakes for swimming, fly-fishing and boating, winter skiing, and white-water rafting.

Visitors can climb the state's highest mountain, hike part of the famous Appalachian Trail, or cycle and hike along the popular Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which once served as a towpath for mule-drawn barges between Washington DC and Cumberland.

The state's largest freshwater lake, Deep Creek Lake, is the hub of outdoor recreation in Garrett County, with a variety of water sports, golf, and skiing. Apart from these fine activities and fantastic scenery, there are a number of quaint small towns.

These include Cumberland, Frostville, and Lavale, which offer restaurants, antique shops, and bookstores in addition to their charm. The haunting plaques of the Civil War battlefield at Antietam are another popular Western Maryland attraction, and a must-see for Civil War history buffs.