Activities
Outdoor Activities
FISH FEEDING: There is a 25¢ fish food dispenser near the boat house for feeding the fish from the shore of the lake. There is also a small, floating plank that extends out into the water next to the boat launch, offering both a fun place to feed the fish and a scenic view of the lake. This is no change machine on the resort, so you must either bring your own quarters or purchase some from the front desk of the lodge.
PLAYGROUND: A small playground for kids sits to the south side of the boat house, in the direction closest to the dam. There are sliding boards and a swing set among the activities for children to enjoy, plus a small climbing wall that is new to the park. The lakeside location of the playground also makes it a pleasant spot for adults to enjoy the view from the surrounding benches while monitoring their nearby children.
SCENIC OVERLOOK: The area atop the old ski slope near the lodge offers a breath-taking view of Alpine Lake, the resort, and the surrounding mountain range. A trip to this spot is worth it any time of the day, but there is nothing quite like the scene of watching the sunset in the evening hours of the summer. The area is accessible by hiking up the open area of the old ski slope. More practically, there is a small access road and parking area for vehicles, reached by following East Alpine Drive to Anemone Lane. There is a small gazebo and a few benches at the overlook, allowing you to rest and gaze as far as the eye can see. You have not truly seen all of the splendor that Alpine Lake has to offer until you have seen it from here!
PICNIC AREAS: There are covered picnic pavilions with several picnic benches in three separate areas on the resort: at the boat house, across the street from the lodge (by the bocce court), and next to the beach area. The boat house offers the largest of these pavilions and rests very close to the shoreline of the lake. Several trash cans are located in each area, so you do not need to bring your own trash bags for picnics.
DOG PARK: Located adjacent to the tennis courts, the new dog park offers separate areas for large and small dogs (under 30 pounds) to run and play. Each area is fully enclosed and has a single entry gate to allow owners to monitor their dogs from a single spot. There is no fee for use of the dog park, but no food, water, nor bowls are provided.
Sports & Games
GOLF COURSE: The Alpine Lake Golf Course is one of the highlights of the property, attracting golfers from across the region to the resort. Please visit the section of this book dedicated to the golf course for more information.
MINIATURE GOLF: The 18-hole, mini-golf course is located across the street from the lodge and was recently refurbished. It is perfectly suitable for all ages — even young children — so it is a great family activity. Published rates are very reasonable at $4 per adult and $2.50 per child (under 12), though you may not even be charged as a guest of a property owner. Visit the front desk of the lodge to register and obtain your putter and golf ball.
BOCCE COURTS: A new bocce courts has been added next to the mini-golf course recently. Visit the front desk of the lodge to register to play and obtain the bocce balls. No rate has been published for use of the bocce courts, and the guests of property owners may not be charged, either way.
TENNIS COURTS: There are four tennis courts on the hill across the street from the boat house, located at the top of the parking lot. Use of a court is available in 2-hour blocks (unless otherwise empty) and can be reserved for use at the front desk of the lodge. Some new & old tennis rackets are kept in the house’s shed, along with a couple of tennis balls.
PICKLEBALL: Rising in popularity nationwide, pickleball has become more-common than tennis on the courts at Alpine Lake. It was actually invented as a backyard activity for children, but it offers a fun physical activity (without much running) for nearly everyone in the family. A beginner’s set of four paddles and a few pickleballs is kept in the house’s storage shed.
BASKETBALL: One of the tennis courts has regulation-height basketball hoops positioned at each end. Use of a court can be reserved in the same manner as the tennis courts and a basketball can be found in the storage shed at the house.
YARD GAMES: The storage shed at the house contains several yard games for use by guests in the backyard or in the common areas on the resort. Please see Yard Activities in “The House” section to read more.
Seasonal Adventures
WALKING TRAILS: Seven scenic walking trails run throughout the resort property, spanning over 17 total miles. Most notably, the Lake Side Loop circles the entire lake and is a comfortable 2.85 miles per lap. The Seven Bridges Trail is a spur off of the Lake Side Loop that runs closer to shoreline on the east side of the lake. That route alone is 1 mile in distance and is the most scenic of the walking trail sections, with a few unofficial trails branching off of it to the water’s edge. The cart paths on the Alpine Lake Golf Course are also generally available for walking, as long as walkers yield to the golfers on the course. A full map of the walking trails can be found on the coffee table in the great room of the house.
BICYCLES: Two adult-sized bikes are kept in the storage shed next to the house. There are also two adult bike helmets and one youth bike helmet in that shed. Biking is permitted on the roads and walking trails throughout the resort, though some of the hillside trails can get rather treacherous on a bike for less-experienced riders. The roads on the outer portions of the resort can also present some steep climbs, so those looking for a simple cruise on a bike are best staying close to the lake and on the roadways.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Available in the winter months when there is always plenty of fresh snow, the groomed skiing trails match the seven walking trails that are used in the summer. Those trails offer various levels of skill and challenge. A fee is charged for use of the cross-country trails in order to keep them groomed. Daily weekday rates are $5 for adults and $1 per child. Daily rates on the weekends and holidays are $10 per adult and $3 for children. The fee can be paid at the front desk of the lodge. For those wishing to simply try it out, cross-country skis can be rented from many of the sporting goods outlets in the Deep Creek area.
SLEDDING: There are several spots on the resort where people of all ages can enjoy sledding and snow tubing in the winters. The hillside just beyond the tree line between the Deklewa house and the lake offers a long but shallow slope for basic sledding. The embankment across the street from the boat house and boatyard provides a steeper spot to enjoy a typical run. And the steep hills around the lodge — including the old ski slope — are ideal for sledding at some higher speeds and distances. A few plastic sleds are kept in the storage shed at the house for use in the winter.