Winter activities have been superb over the second half of the 2016 season and we still have a way to go before spring kicks in. Leave the traffic and stress from work behind and come inhale and absorb the beautiful waterfalls at Swallow Falls State Park. Winter time can be a slight challenge if the ice has settled into the shady trails of the park but most times you will walk through snowy powder under the calming Hemlock forest. You will always hear the sound of the river and falls echoing in the distant as you make your way through the jagged rock outcroppings that frame the ridge-line above this wonderful park. If you are lucky enough to catch a trip during a heavy snow shower, the park can border on majestic. The waterfalls freeze each year adding another element of texture to this favorite Western Maryland site seeing spot.
Don’t forget to checkout Swallow Falls, Muddy Creek Falls and Tolliver Falls during those warm lazy summer vacation days. These three unique waterfalls are positioned conveniently on a short 1 ¼ mile hike in this cozy Deep Creek Lake park. Don’t have a lot of time…? Don’t forget that spectacular Muddy Creek Falls is only a few hundred yards from the parking area and has handicap access. In the summer time you can find a few places where the rivers currents are not too severe and you can actually swim, jump of rocks and get behind the waterfalls themselves. A great place to take a dip is the swimming hole at Lower Swallow Falls which is a bit downstream from Swallow Falls. It is a huge adrenaline rush to climb behind a waterfalls and hear/feel the power of the river pouring over rocks above you. You can also wade over to Muddy Creek Falls for a roomie look behind Maryland’s highest waterfall. Take your family and friends for an enchanted trip down to one of Maryland’s finest State Parks and get unique look at the three completely different waterfalls within short hike of each other.
