The Deep Creek Blog

"Finding the Nature in Painting Workshop with Robert Yonke

Join local artist and instructor Robert Yonke June 17-June 19 for a nature inspired art workshop:  "Finding the Nature in Painting".  This workshop is designed for experienced artists who are looking to enhance the use of nature in their work.

Being in the outdoors can lift your spirits and stoke your creativity, yet often the scale of a natural seascape or landscape can be so overwhelming that it can be hard to find a painting in it. Rather than try to copy some impressive vista, sometimes it is better to isolate a feature within and build a painting around it. Students will address nature this way and explore some simple design techniques as aids. Building on these found designs, students will work on overall page design and the employment of limited palette colors to create drama and maintain unity.

The 3-day workshop will be held at The Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park, Monday-Wednesday from 10am-3pm. Experience working with visual media such as watercolor, acrylics, pastel or oil is required. Class size is limited. Cost is $100 per student. To register or for more info, call 301-334-6580.

"Deep Creek Lake" by Robert Yonke

Amphibians and Reptiles Featured Topic at AHC Annual Meeting

The Allegheny Highlands Conservancy (AHC) will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, May 15th at The Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park. The meeting will begin promptly at 6:00 pm with a covered-dish supper. At 7:00 pm Kevin Dodge, Garrett College Director of Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology, will present “Amphibians and Reptiles of the Allegheny Highlands”. The annual election for AHC officers and board members will take place following Dodge’s program. The public is welcome to attend both the covered-dish supper and evening program, but those coming to the covered-dish are asked to make a reservation in advance by phoning Ron Boyer at 301-895-3686.

The forests, streams, and wetlands of Garrett County and the surrounding Allegheny Highlands are home to a variety of interesting reptiles and amphibians, including an especially rich diversity of salamanders. Kevin’s presentation will cover a number of species frequently found in our area, as well as some less common species unique to the region. The conservation issues faced by these species will also be addressed.

Kevin Dodge received his B.S. in Biology from Southwest Missouri State University in 1981 and his M.S. in Biology from Michigan Technological University in 1983. Since 1987, Kevin has worked at Garrett College where he is Professor of Wildlife and Biology and Director of the Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology program. Kevin’s courses emphasize field experience and many classes include field trips to other parts of the Mid-Atlantic/Central Appalachian region. Active in natural resources issues in Garrett County and the surrounding area, Kevin is president of the Allegheny Highlands Conservancy, a board member of the Youghiogheny River Watershed Association, and a member of the Savage River State Forest Citizens’ Advisory Board and the Garrett County Commissioners’ Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Advisory Committee. He is a frequent local consultant to The Nature Conservancy. Kevin has traveled extensively, studying the natural history of many locations, including Arizona and Alaska. Kevin lives in Bittinger with his wife, Carolina, and their daughter, Rhiannon.

This northern red salamander was found crossing a local road during a thundershower late one recent April evening. Normally found in streams and seeps and under rocks and logs throughout our region, this species is enticed to the surface during rainy or very humid weather. Salamanders and other amphibians and reptiles are lured onto roads during rainy nights following warm, sunny days. These “cold-blooded” animals take advantage of the heat radiating from the sun-warmed pavement. Snakes slither and frogs and toads hop across the road, while salamanders literally appear to “swim” through the water running across the road surface. The northern red salamander is just one of the species of amphibians and reptiles that will be featured during the presentation.

For additional information about AHC or becoming a member contact info@AlleghenyHighlandsConservancy.org

Youth Fishing Rodeo to be Held at New Germany State Park

The annual Youth Fishing Rodeo at New Germany State Park will be held on Saturday, May 18, from 8 am to noon. All children ages 15 and under are welcome to participate, and the event is free. 

Registration will begin at 8:00 am, and the first 50 participants to register will receive a free “grab bag” stocked with a variety of fishing tackle. To encourage beginners, a limited supply of fishing equipment will be available for loan during the event. Fishing will take place from 8:00 am – 11:00 am, followed by the awards ceremony and prize drawings at 11:15 am. 

First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded for the longest fish caught in three age groups: 6 and under, 7-11 and 12-15. A variety of door prizes will also be available, courtesy of Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle, The Bassin’ Box, Wal-Mart (LaVale), and Friends of New Germany State Park. 

Additional activities will be available after the rodeo, including a Pro Cast Challenge at 11:30 am and a fish painting craft at 12:00. Those participating in the fish painting craft are encouraged to bring a white t-shirt or purchase one at the park. Food, refreshments, and gift items will also be available for purchase at the New Germany Snack Bar & Gift Shop, located inside the Lake House. 

During the Rodeo, fishing will be restricted to children 15 and under, with limited adult assistance. Boating will not be permitted. 

For more information, please call the Ranger Station at 301-895-5453 or email lmongrain@dnr.state.md.us.

Herrington Manor Cabin Renovations to Start Mid-July

Herrington Manor State Park will be renovating 10 of its 20 historic cabins starting mid July. The maintenance was originally scheduled to start in March but has been postponed. All of the cabins will be open for reservations now through July 8, 2013.

The renovations, to be complete in December 2013, will completely makeover the cabins’ interiors.

Those interested in making a reservation at Herrington Manor State Park should contact the park directly at 301-334-9180 or the reservation service at 1-888-432-2267. Some of the cabins may be reopened earlier as the work is completed. 
 

New Germany State Park Hosts Ultimate Egg Hunt

The Ultimate Egg Hunt is back at New Germany State Park on Saturday March 23rd from 11 am to 1pm, with more than 1,500 prize-filled eggs hidden in the park! Participants will be divided into three age groups ─ 1 to 3 years, 4 to 7 years, and 8 and older. Participants ages 8 and up will be challenged to complete the Ultimate Hunt Hike to find eggs hidden along the “Bunny Trail.”

Where: New Germany State Park Lake House, 349 Headquarters Lane, Grantsville

Cost: Free

Contact: 301-895-5453

 

Maple Syrup Demonstration in State Parks this Weekend

Visit Swallow Falls or Herrington Manor this weekend for Maple Syrup demonstration.

Swallow Falls State Park
March 16, 2013 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.

A local Maple Syrup producer will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate use of an evaporator in syrup making process. Pure maple products will be offered for sale during the demonstration.

Cost: $4/car instate $5/car out of state

For More Information

Contact the Sue Steyer at 301-334-9180 or email ssteyer@dnr.state.md.us.

 
Herrington Manor State Park
Pancake Breakfast & Maple Syrup Demonstration
Sunday, March 17, 2013
8:30 am - 2:00 pm

A demonstration of the Maple syrup making process along with a Pancake breakfast will be held from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. A demonstration using an evaporator to make maple syrup will be done along with the pancake breadfast. Pure maple products will be offered for sale during the demonstration and breakfast.

Cost: $8/Adults, $5/children under 12

For More Information

Contact the Sue Steyer at 301-334-9180 or email ssteyer@dnr.state.md.us.

New Germany State Park Cabin Renovations Postponed

New Germany State Park's historic cabins are scheduled to undergo extensive renovations this year.  Although previously scheduled to begin in March, the renovation work is now set to begin in mid-July and end in December.  This means that all cabins are now available for reservations until July 8th, 2013. 

Beginning July 8th, all cabins, except for cabin 11, will be closed during the scheduled work, which will include full kitchen and bathroom renovations, new floors and ceilings, new windows and doors, new light fixtures, new subfloor insulation, and other energy-saving upgrades. 

These much-needed renovations will help preserve the beauty and integrity of these historic cabins, while also making them more energy-efficient and comfortable for visitors to enjoy.

Those interested in reserving a cabin during the scheduled closure are encouraged to check with the park or reservation service frequently (http://reservations.dnr.state.md.us/), as some of the cabins could be re-opened without notice.

For more information, please call New Germany State Park at 301-895-5453.

Natural Egg Dyeing at the Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center

Enjoy natural egg dyeing at the Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park on Saturday March 30th.  Visit anytime between the hours of 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. 

Children will enjoy an egg dyeing session using all natural dyes of beets, onions, chlorophyll and more!   Bring no more than six (6), hardboiled eggs.  Wipe eggs off with a mild vinegar solution
so the eggs will take the dye. 

The Easter Bunny will be there too.

 

For additional information or to learn of other programs offered at the Discover Center call 301-387-7067.

** Sponsored by the Western Garrett County State Park Volunteers Inc.

(WGCSPVI)  www.discoverycenterdcl.com and on FACEBOOK Discovery Center|Deep Creek Lake             

Camp Hosts Wanted at New Germany State Park

New Germany State Park is currently seeking applicants for a volunteer Camp Host position for the 2013 camping season.  Camp Hosts are a valuable part of the volunteer team at the park.  Hosts provide assistance with a variety of tasks throughout the camping season, including welcoming new campers, keeping campsites and fire rings clean, promoting park programs and events, and providing campers with general information about the park and surrounding area.  Camp Hosts are required to contribute at least 20 hours of volunteer work each week, for a minimum of four weeks.  In return for their efforts, Camp Hosts receive a free campsite with electric hook-ups.  The Camp Host site is located in the White Oak Loop of the campground, where pets are prohibited.  Interested persons are encouraged to apply at the New Germany Ranger Station.  A background check is required.

 For more information, please call 301-895-5453.

 

Trout Stocking Set to Begin

This month, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will begin releasing  rainbow and brown trout in streams and lakes across the State. The stocking dates and locations will be dependent on stream, ground and weather conditions. By the start of summer, DNR will have released more than 330,000 trout at more than 130 areas throughout Maryland.

The daily limit is two trout with no minimum size and no closed season, except in special trout management and put-and-take areas. Put-and-take areas have a five-trout limit and specific closures depending on location. Anglers should consult the 2013 Maryland Fishing Guide for closure dates and special management area restrictions.

The stocking schedule is available online and at DNR Regional Service Centers and license vendors. DNR also offers online maps of stocked streams and daily stocking updates to help anglers find their way to the hot spots. Weekly updates are available by calling 800-688-3467 and pressing option #2.

Anglers should clean and dry their gear between streams and outings to prevent the spread of harmful invaders such as didymo and whirling disease. This can be done using dish soap or a five percent salt solution, or at a wader wash stations available at many locations where anglers wade.

Remember to take a child along. Anglers under the age of 16 do not need a license or trout stamp.

Anglers that catch and register a trout which meets or exceeds the Angler Award sizes ─ 20 inches for a rainbow and 21 inches for a brown ─ will earn a certificate, free passes to the Maryland Seafood Festival and the chance to win great prizes at the 2013 Maryland Fishing Challenge Finale in September.

DNR’s trout stocking program is funded entirely by the sale of non-tidal fishing licenses, trout stamps and Federal Sportfish Restoration Program funds which are generated by a dedicated excise tax on fishing and boating equipment.

New Germany's Chili Cook-Off

Put your chili to the test at New Germany State Park's 2nd-annual Chili Cook-off.

The 2nd-annual Chili Cook-off will be held at the New Germany Lake House on Saturday, February 16th, from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.  Participants must pre-register for the cook-off no later than February 15th.  Registration is free and electricity will be provided.  Prizes will be awarded in three categories:  Home-style, Fiery Cauldron, and Ladle of Glory (Best Overall).

Cross-country skis and snowshoes will be available for rent at the New Germany Lake House (weather permitting).  A service charge of $3/ person for Maryland residents, and $5/ person for out-of-state residents will be collected at the park entrance.

For more information or to register for the Chili Cook-off, please call 301-895-5453.

February at the Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center

Sunday, February 3rd 

11:00 a.m. “February Reading Series” Story and Craft.  Join in and listen to a seasonal or nature story and then complete a craft! $2 per child. 40 minutes.

2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Aviary Encounter Get up close and personal with our birds of prey. Learn some interesting facts and hear stories!  Check in at the Discovery as location is subject to change due to weather.

Saturday, February 9th  

11:00 a.m. Animal and a Craft Get up close and personal with one of the animals that lives in the Discovery Center and then do a craft related to the animal.

2:00 p.m.  Bird Feeder Watch and Pine Cones Join the Naturalist as we watch the bird feeder to spot our flying friends eating a snack! You will also make your our own bird feeder to take home. .40min.

Sunday, February 10th 

11:00 a.m. “February Reading Series” Story and Craft .  Join in and listen to a seasonal or nature story and then complete a craft! $2 per child. 40 minutes.

2:00 p.m. Creating an Owl Join the Naturalist as we talk about the adaptations of owls. Meet one of ours and then create your own owl.

Saturday, February 16th  

11:00 a.m. Gone Batty Join the Naturalist to learn about the history of these flying mammals as well as the problems they are facing today.

2:00 a.m. “February Reading Series” Story and Craft .  Join in and listen to a seasonal or nature story and then complete a craft! $2 per child. 40 minutes.

Sunday, February 17th  

2:00 p.m. Aviary Encounter Get up close and personal with our birds of prey. Learn some interesting facts and hear stories!  Check in at the Discovery as location is subject to change due to weather.

Saturday, February 23rd  

11:00 a.m. Critter Encounter Join us at the beginning of every hour as we feed and learn about one of the critters that live in the center. You’ll even be given a chance to touch these animals!

2:00 p.m.  Bird Feeder Watch and Pine Cones Join the Naturalist as we watch the bird feeder to spot our flying friends eating a snack! You will also make your our own bird feeder to take home. 40min.

Sunday, February 24th  

11:00 a.m. “February Reading Series” Story and Craft .  Join in and listen to a seasonal or nature story and then complete a craft! $2 per child. 40 minutes.

2:00 p.m. Creating an Owl Join the Naturalist as we talk about the adaptations of owls. Meet one of ours and then create your own owl.

Garrett Chamber Announces 2012 Autumn Glory Fall Foliage Tours

The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 2012 Autumn Glory Fall Foliage Tours.


Travel along some of Garrett County’s most scenic routes. Enjoy spectacular fall foliage, panoramic vistas, historical landmarks, museums and stunning natural features. This year, the Chamber is offering two Fall Foliage tours. The Long Tour Fall Foliage Highlights include: Casselman River Bridge State Park, Spruce Forest Artisan Village, Savage River State Forest, New Germany State Park, Scenic Overlooks, Deep Creek Lake State Forest and Discovery Center and the Historic National Road. The Short Tour Fall Foliage Highlights include: Youghiogheny River, Ginseng Run, Deep Creek Lake Scenic Overlook, Garrett State Forest, Swallow Falls State Park, Muddy Creek Falls and Deep Creek Lake Dam.

“Our new driving tour is the perfect way to take in the colors of the fall season and experience Garrett County in all its splendor,” said Nicole Christian, President & CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. “Be sure to bring your camera – you’ll have plenty of scenic photo opportunities during the tour.”

For more information on the detailed tour routes, accommodations and more, please stop in or call the Garrett County Visitors Center at 888.387.5237 or follow the link at visitdeepcreek.com.


Garrett County’s annual Autumn Glory Festival landed in the international spotlight five years ago, when the popular travel website, MSN.com listed it tops among fall festivals in the world. To the delight of locals and visitors alike, Autumn Glory in Oakland, Maryland, beat out Paris’ Festival d’Automne (#5) and Munich’s Oktoberfest (#7) – in addition to a bevy of domestic celebrations, including San Francisco’s Dias De los Muertos. “Music, parades and awesome colors are at the center of this festival,” noted the site, plugging in particular the Grand Feature Parade, the Maryland State Banjo & Fiddle Championships and the Tournament of Bands. Travelchannel.com has also listed the Autumn Glory Festival & Garrett County as one of America’s 3 Best Autumn Road Trips in 2008, 2009 & 2010 and in 2008, the baltimoresun.com listed Garrett County as one of the top 5 locales for Fall Foliage.

MPS Launches Operation: CAMPOUT! Program for Military Families and Wounded Warriors

The Maryland Park Service (MPS) has launched OPERATION: CAMPOUT!, a new program that provides basic camping gear, free of charge, to service members and their families in and around the State. The initiative is funded in partnership with The North Face: Explore Your Parks, a program that encourages families to get outdoors and enjoy state parks across the country.

OPERATION: CAMPOUT! is currently offered at five State parks in Maryland: Swallow Falls, New Germany, Rocky Gap, Patapsco Valley, and Pocomoke River. The program is for service members, many of whom are stationed at nearby military installations or recovering at facilities across the State or in close proximity to Maryland. Each park is equipped with gear lockers stocked with essential equipment to camp - a six-person North Face tent, camp pads, chairs, a cook stove, a lantern and roasting sticks for marshmallows or hot dogs.

MPS has been in partnership with The North Face: Explore Your Parks since the program’s launch in 2010. Explore Your Parks was created to encourage Americans to get outside and enjoy the close-to-home recreation that State Parks offer. Through options such as Activity Guides, Park Passes, and Camping programs, Explore Your Parks helps people to discover the unique sights, activities, and wildlife within their own State Parks. More information and resources are available at www.exploreyourparks.com.

Service members who would like to participate in the program can reserve their campsite (prices vary by park) and camping gear (at no charge) by contacting the park directly.  Listed below are Garrett County parks that are participating:

Swallow Falls State Park 301-387-6938
New Germany State Park 301-895-5453

 
More information on the program is available at dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/armed_forces.asp.

New Germany State Park Hosts Blacksmithing Workshop

Local metal sculptor and blacksmith, Kenny Braitman, will be showcasing his talents with hands-on demonstrations and instruction on the unique art of sculpting metal, during a series of three workshops at New Germany State Park. The events are free of charge, and will take place outside the park’s Lake House from 7 to 9 p.m. on July 14, 21 and 28.

Braitman specializes in combining traditional blacksmithing techniques with contemporary design, often merging metals with glass, stone and found objects.

“Together they sometimes make a stronger statement than any of the elements individually,” he said. “Incorporating materials found in nature lends a soothing, comforting feel for me.”

Braitman’s metalwork has been featured in many shows throughout the region and has won Best in Show on multiple occasions. Braitman is the owner of Carey Run Forge in Frostburg.

More information is available by calling the Ranger Station at 301-895-5453 or emailing park-new-germany@dnr.state.md.us.