On July 25th at the Friendsville Town Park, Garrett County will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Youghiogheny River as Maryland’s ONLY wild and scenic river. The “Wild Yough” is unique in the state’s 9-river Scenic and Wild Rivers system as it is the only river with the wild designation: a “free-flowing river whose shoreline and related land are undeveloped, inaccessible except by trail, or predominantly primitive in a natural state for at least 4 miles of the river length.” More than a definition in statute, today the Wild Yough is an oasis of green forest buffering one of the most iconic whitewater runs in the country. Twenty-one miles in all with two world-class whitewater sections, the Top Yough at Swallow Falls and the Upper Yough from Sang Run to Friendsville. Timbering, mining, hydroelectric projects, and development threatened the river’s beauty and free-flowing wildness early in the century, but with the wild designation and a hard-fought partnership between landowners, local and state government, it has evolved into a special place for outdoor recreation, nature study, and wildlife.
Join the community in commemorating this wild river with music, food, beer, and tribute to the river from 5-10 pm at the Town Park. Local volunteers, Madi Mori, Steve Storck and Jesse Whittimore have led the planning effort for this community celebration. The event will coincide with the 46th Upper Yough Race, which brings up to 100 top-level athletes to town to challenge the rapids with precision and speed. The race awards will be presented at the celebration from 7-8 pm. From 5-7 pm, we welcome Aurora Celtic to the stage for music and have food vendors on-site for an evening picnic. After the awards, the music will continue with 2-time race winner Jesse Shimrock, our singing lawyer Dirk Schwenk who led the recent effort to protect the trees at Swallow Falls SP, Nick Savage will sing his river tribute song “The Secret,t” and a local band (TBA) will round out the evening festivities until 10 pm. Any event proceeds will be donated to the Mountain Watershed Association, which employs the Yough Riverkeeper, publishes the Yough River Conservation
Plan and provides support for protecting this special place. Hope to see you on July 25th for this free community event.
Written by Steve Storck from Town of Friendsville’s July Newsletter
