The lake is most easily
accessed via Deep Creek
Lake State Park (%301-
387-5563; 898 State Park
Road, Swanton; h8am-sunset
Mar-Oct, from 10am Nov-Feb;
pc#), which sits on
a large plateau known
as the Tablelands. The
area is carpeted in oak
and hickory forest, and
black-bear sightings,
while uncommon, are
not unheard of. Nearby
is Swallow Falls State
Park (%301-387-6938;
Swallow Falls Rd; h8am-
sunset Mar-Oct, from 10am
Nov-Feb; pc#), one
of the most rugged,
spectacular parks in
the state. Hickory and
hemlock trees hug the
Youghiogheny River,which cuts a white line
through wet-slate gorges.
On site is the 53ft Muddy
Creek Falls, the largest
in the state.The Drive » Take US 219
southbound out of Garrett
County and into West Virginia.
You’ll be climbing though some
dramatic mountain scenery on
the way. Once you cross the
George Washington Hwy, you’re
almost in West Virginia. It’s
about 30 miles from Deep Creek
Lake to Thomas.5 Thomas
Thomas isn’t more than
a blip on the...where’d it
go? Oh, there it is. The
big business of note for
travelers here is The
Purple Fiddle (%304-463-4040; http://www.purplefiddle.com;
21 East Ave), one of those
great mountain stores
where bluegrass culture
and artsy day-trippers
from the urban South
and Northeast mash up
into a stomping good
time. There’s live music
every night and it’s a
popular place so you may
want to purchase tickets
for weekend shows in
advance. The artsy Fiddle
is an unexpected surprise
out here, and a fun one
at that.
About 5 miles south
of Thomas is Blackwater
Falls State Park
(%304-259-5216; http://www.
blackwaterfalls.com; 1584
Blackwater Lodge Road).
The falls tumble into anStart: 7 Fayetteville
If you’re looking to have the time of your life, head two hours south of Fayetteville
into the far southwestern corner of Virginia. The Mountain Lake Hotel (%540-626-
7172; http://www.mountainlakehotel.com; 115 Hotel Circle, Pembroke; r $190-500) is an old stalwart
of Appalachian tourism plunked on the shores of (imagine that) Mountain Lake. It
also doubled as the Catskills resort ‘Kellerman’s’ in a little old movie called Dirty
Dancing. If you’re tired of hiking, you might be interested in taking part in one of
the theme weekends, where you can take dance lessons and finally learn to nail
that impossible lift. Sadly, Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze and Jerry Orbach are not
included. There are a variety of accommodations at the resort: some will prefer
the massive, historic flagstone main building with traditional hotel rooms; others
seeking the full Dirty Dancing experience might enjoy the rustic lakeside cabins
(comfortably modern inside) where Baby and her family stayed. Appalachian Trail
purists who just can’t wait to hit the trail again will find it just north of this 2600-acre
resort. The Mountain Lake Hotel offers all sorts of other entertainments as well. Got
a talent for the talent show? Nobody puts Baby in a corner!
If you’ve succeeded in meeting your new partner through a series of impromptu,
yet still intricately choreographed dirty dances, you can return home. But if for some
reason you didn’t connect, set off on the trail again and maybe find that mountain
man or woman of your dreams.MOUNTAIN LAKE HOTEL
DETOUR:
VIRGINIA.TRIPS22
(^) ACROSS THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL