As the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics ready for the opening ceremony, we invite you to train like an Olympian in Allegany County, the Mountain Side of Maryland. Check out these summer olympic sports available here in the mountainside.
Canoe Sprint
Athletes will equip specially designed canoes and kayaks in flatwater sprints of various distances. Paddle along on the flat waters of Rocky Gap State Park and see if you can beat an Olympic record time. If you want some added competition after some training, consider organizing a team for the YMCA's Annual Dragon Boat Race.
Sport Climbing
In Paris, climbers will face off to test their physical and mental abilities as they face off in bouldering, speed and lead climbing without having seen the climbing routes ahead of time. You can challenge your own abilities on the crags of Rocky Gap State Park on nearly two dozen established lines with top-rope and sport climbing routes that suit beginner to advanced.
Mountain Biking
As cyclists test their technique, endurance and stamina on the rough terrains of the Olympic’s Elancourt Hill Mountain Biking course, test your own on Dans Mountain State Park’s new Lonacona Loop Trail - a 4.5 mile, natural surface, singletrack trail constructed to appeal to mountain bikers. The trail is moderately challenging and takes trail riders over rocky terrain and an elevation gain of 650 feet.
Road Cycling
During the Olympic games, cyclists will compete in two separate challenges - a road race, where cyclists set off at the same time as they test their endurance and conserve their energy for the last sprint of the race to push them over the finish line first; and a timed trial, which is a solo effort based on speed, aerodynamic positioning and power. Pedal along as Mountain Maryland has some of the best road cycling taking you through the hills and valleys of the mid-Atlantic and Appalachian mountains. Try a route selected from our RidewithGPS app, including some rider-favorites such as the Mount Savage Lollipop, Redbud Ride, and the Lake Loop.
Marathon Swimming
Marathon Swimming takes place in open-water environments such as seas, rivers, and lakes in which athletes will test their endurance, physical strength, and brain power on a 10km course. Swim along in some of the open waters of Mountain Maryland such as Lake Habeeb, a 243-acre lake at Rocky Gap State Park, or in the waters of the Potomac River, which makes up the entire southern border of Allegany County. And while it’s not open waters, Dans Mountain State Park has an Olympic-sized, heated swimming pool open to the public during peak summer season.
Golf
Golf is making its second consecutive Olympics appearance after a hiatus. Both the men’s and women’s golf competitions will be 72 holes of stroke play. Here in Allegany County, we have a variety of golf courses to play this summer. Rocky Gap Casino Resort offers Maryland’s only Jack Nicklaus Design Golf Course. This 18-hole course offers the beauty of the Mountain Maryland as your backdrop, the blue waters of the adjacent Lake Habeeb, and rolling meadows as you make your way through the course.
Equestrian
Going as far back as the Olympics games chariot races in Ancient Greece, equestrian events showcase the art of riding. And while it’s a bit more low-key, you can enjoy the art of riding in some of Maryland’s most stunning mountain views with Spring Gap Farm - AK Equine guided tours.
BMX
Cyclists will get extreme with stunts, tricks and jumps scored based on the difficulty, creativity, and style of their routines during the BMX Freestyle competition. Have some stunts of your own? Show them off at Riverside BMX Park in Cumberland, MD.