Deep Creek Lake State Park lies along the lake shoreline, encompasses over 1,800 acres, and adjoins the Deep Creek Lake Natural Resources Management Area. Established in 1959, it sits just west of the Allegheny Front on the large plateau known as the Tablelands or Allegany Highlands. At the southernmost end of Meadow Mountain, it is west of the Eastern Continental Divide and within the Mississippi River watershed. With a mile-long shoreline, two swimming beaches, 20 miles of hiking and biking trails, 112 camp sites, a 24-hour boat launch, multiple playgrounds, plentiful picnic tables, covered pavilions, and a 6,000 square foot Discovery Center, it offers a wide range of outdoor recreation and gatherings. More than 5,000 visitors camp, swim, hike, bike, and fish there each year, and special events include a spring ramp cook-off, an Art in the Park event in July, and trail-related races. The Discovery Center provides educational displays, exhibits, and classrooms focused on local plant and animal wildlife, and its aviary houses 10 non-releasable birds of prey, including a bald eagle and a golden eagle. Each spring and fall, students on school field trips learn about the area's natural resources and stewardship of the water and land, and since its beginnings the park has been a favorite attraction for local residents and visitors alike.