Indoors · Swanton

Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park

Nature center · Maryland Department of Natural Resources

A 6,000 square foot nature center inside Deep Creek Lake State Park. Aquariums of fish out of the lake, an aviary of nine raptors that can't be released, a walk-through replica coal mine, and reptiles. It costs nothing to walk in, though you pay to get into the park.

The main hall of a timber-framed nature center, with exposed beams, a pale wood floor, teal exhibit panels on hemlocks and forests, mounted fish and a turkey on the stone piers, and windows onto the trees. — The main hall. Bigger inside than it looks from the parking lot, and quiet on a Thursday morning.
5 Aug 2026

The center is free but the park gate is not. Budget the day-use fee on top.
Closed Monday and Tuesday in summer.

What's inside

An aviary of nine non-releasable raptors: golden eagle, bald eagle, turkey vulture, peregrine falcon, red-tailed hawk and three species of owl
Aquariums of native fish and aquatic life out of the lake
Reptiles and amphibians, including eastern box turtles in an outdoor enclosure
A replica coal mine you walk through indoors
Exhibits on the hemlocks, the monarchs and how the forest filters the lake
A separate room given over to hands-on science
6,000 square feet in total, plus the Nature Shop

The details

Admission: Free. The park's own FAQ board says plainly: "The Discovery Center has no admission fee." You still pay to get into the park — $3 per person in-state and $5 out-of-state from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and $3 and $5 per vehicle the rest of the year.
Restrooms: Yes
Gift shop: Yes
Getting around: DNR describes the restrooms as ADA accessible. Nothing published about the entrance or the exhibit floor.
Parking: Its own parking lot at the building. The park's FAQ board gives directions to headquarters and to the beach as turns out of the Discovery Center parking lot, so it is also the landmark everything else here is described from.
Getting there: Open in Google Maps to Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park (opens Google Maps)
Website: Maryland DNR: Deep Creek Lake State Park

Where it is

Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park, Deep Creek Lake State Park, 898 State Park Road, Swanton, MD 21561, MDDirections →

More photographs

An eastern box turtle with a yellow-patterned shell and orange head, on wood chips beside a shallow purple water dish. — One of the box turtles, out by its water dish. The reptiles are the easiest thing here to actually see.
5 Aug 2026

From people who were there

Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm on the summer sign. No admission fee, per the park's FAQ board. There's a parking lot at the building. Photographed the door sign and the board.
Site maintainer, first-hand · reported 5 Aug 2026 · visited 5 Aug 2026

Verified 5 Aug 2026 · Visited. Hours read off the door, admission and the rest off the park's own FAQ board

Maryland DNR: Deep Creek Lake State Park — The operator. Describes the Discovery Center, its size, the aviary of nine raptors, the aquariums, the replica coal mine, the ADA restrooms and the Nature Shop, and states that admission is free with donations encouraged. Gives 301-387-7067 for hours rather than publishing them.
Deep Creek Lake State Park: the Discovery Center door sign and visitor FAQ board — Photographed on site on 5 August 2026. The door sign gives Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm under the heading Welcome Summer. The FAQ board inside states that the Discovery Center has no admission fee, gives the park's peak and off-season entry rates, and lists the camp office, Discovery Center and duty ranger numbers.

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