Things To Do Within An Hour’s Drive of FSU

So…

You have been in Frostburg for two or more weeks, and you’re already bored out of your mind. With most classes being online and most of the indoor entertainment temporarily suspended, you might be desperate to do something with your spare time. I myself have been a Grade-A hermit during these past few weeks; in fact, I consider a productive day to be one where I get out of my pajamas before noon (or at all, some days).

Anyway, enough about me. This is about YOU- a tired, stressed, quarantined college student with a little-to-no reprieve from your online assignments. Well, no longer! Our region is beautiful when you find the right places, so let us start with some of my favorite scenic views and outdoor spots nearby.

First up, we have Garrett County’s New Germany State Park which is only about a short 20-minute drive from Frostburg. They have hiking trails for beginners and those for taking pets for walks, as well as more strenuous trails leading up to the top of densely wooded mountains.

Second, also located in Garrett County is Swallow Falls State Park; As I’m sure you’ve guessed by the name, the Falls are the location’s prime view. Here, you can hike or swim in the water- just steer clear of the strong current. I am a fan of jumping from one of the small rocky cliffs into the deep sections of the slower-moving waters. Of course, please make sure the water is deep enough prior to your dive, as sometimes the water levels can be lower than that of a plastic kiddy pool.

Next, we have Cooper’s Rock in West Virginia and it is a little less than an hour’s drive away. There, you can find hiking trails leading up to gorgeous, panoramic views of the rolling hills that surround you.

Lastly, we have Ohiopyle at about an hour’s drive away, and it is definitely worth it! My favorite part of this park is the natural waterslide towards the upper section. Through some magical erosion science that I’m sure you can ask a Geography major to explain, the rock has been carved into a “slide”, allowing water to flow through like waterpark slides. Just be careful- the fast-moving water shows no mercy.

While hiking may be fun for some, maybe that is not quite your cup of tea. If you enjoy kayaking, swimming, or other water-based activities, Allegany County has Rocky Gap State Park about 30 minutes from campus and the Youghiogheny River (pronounce YAWK-uh-gain-E or YUCK-uh-gain-E, depending on your feelings towards rivers), which is about 40 minutes away. Rocky Gap also offers camping, golfing, and paddleboarding.

If you are just feeling a nice, relaxing day out, I highly recommend Deep Creek Lake and all of its amenities. Again, it is located in Garrett County, but here you can find an abundance of restaurants, the Wisp (great for snow sports), the lake and its beaches, and an amazing ice cream shop, the Lakeside Creamery- a staple during my trips to Deep Creek during my youth.

Speaking of delicious treats, I cannot possibly end this article without mentioning my favorite part of a meal- dessert! Especially after a long and tiring day of social-distancing, hiking, reading an article in The Bottom Line, and/or just existing, I think you deserve the best desserts this area has to offer. Within Allegany and Garrett County, a few of my favorites include The Froyo Factory in LaVale, Buster’s Treats in Lonaconing, Queen City Creamery in Cumberland, and Livvy’s in Cresaptown.

I’ve certainly missed a ton of restaurants, amazing businesses, and events held within these areas; so, I encourage you to get out, stretch, and spend some time enjoying our mountainous region, even when the green grass turns to freshly-fallen snow. For local places to visit, click here!

And if none of these options appeal to you, we will (hopefully) offer study abroad opportunities through CIE next semester!