You absolutely must visit Great Falls Park on your next trip to Washington D.C.
Okay, Great Falls is not actually in the District of Columbia. (It’s about 20 minutes away.) However, if you’re already here, it’s totally worth the short drive to discover the natural beauty tucked away near the nation’s capital!
The Great Falls
The Great Falls are part of the Potomac River. Its waters cascade over jagged rock cliffs, falling over 75 feet over less than one mile.
The resulting beauty — and the roar — draws visitors from both sides.
Finding the Park
Before you type “Great Falls” in your GPS and hit “Go,” keep in mind that the falls can be viewed from either side.
Virginia and Maryland both have beautiful views of the falls as well as places that bear the name Great Falls. We visited the Virginia side, Great Falls Park, which is near the town of Great Falls. As a result, all of our photos, videos, and opinions reflect the southwestern park and view.
Both sides are beautiful. If you decide to visit the Maryland side, it is part of the C & O Canal National Historical Park. You will find Great Falls overlooks and the Great Falls Tavern there. The entrances between the parks are about 25 minutes apart if traffic is light.
About The Park
It should be no surprise that Great Falls Park is relatively small, about 800 acres. After all, part of its appeal is that it’s an oasis in an urban sprawl. The land here is is constantly being developed and the population ever-growing.
The park hugs the shore of the Potomac River, much longer than it is wide. park land doesn’t actually include the water, so all 800 acres can be explored. (The shoreline is actually where Virginia ends. In other words, if you fall into the river, you also fall into Maryland!)
You can hike, horseback ride, fish, boat, rock climb, explore colonial American history, or simply sit and enjoy the view at Great Falls Park. (Maybe knit a little bit?)
The Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is home to several artifacts, interactive displays, and a children’s area. You can also watch a film detailing the park history in brief.
The Junior Ranger badge is available at Great Falls Park. The booklet was a good fit for my 10-year-old; she was engaged and eager to finish it.
The Canal
This area actually saw its first development in the 1750s, when the Potowmack Canal was built.
As my daughter pointed out, “Potowmack” looks funny. Both Potomac and Potowmack are phoenetic spellings of the Algonquian term for the river, but “Potowmack” fell out of favor. The original Algonquian word meant something akin to “the place where people trade.”
The Potowmack Canal, partially funded by George Washington, is a mile-long bypass of the rockiest parts of the falls. Its remains are still visible in the park, if you know what you’re looking for.
The construction of the canal was historically significant. The earth in this area is rocky and engineers needed a way to get through the rock. The figured out how to use blasting powder to carve the way. This marked the first use of blasting powder in engineering in the world!
Another significant aspect of this canal’s construction is the use of locks to raise and lower boats. This canal was first in what is now the United States to do so.
The Trolley Park
Though the canal and the town it supported, Matildaville, were not an economic success, the area continued to draw visitors. It changed hands from company to company until one found a way to capitalize on the area’s beauty.
By the early 1900s, a trolley from Georgetown had been installed. Visitors could have an evening picnic, ride a carousel, and watch a lightshow on the falls after dark. There was even a dance hall!
Unfortunately the area is prone to flooding and eventually all of this was destroyed. The carousel survived through the 1970s, but eventually was also lost to a flood. It was not replaced by the National Parks Service, who had taken over care of the site in 1966.
Why We Loved It
All in all, we spent about 4 hours here. We explored the trails and historic sites, climbed on rocks, viewed the falls, played in the Visitor Center, and had a picnic. The instant gratification of seeing the falls is great, but there’s so much more to explore. I even found some time to sit and knit a bit.
The next day, my kids were still raving about our Great Falls adventure and asking when we would be able to go back.
Soon, I promise!
Plan Your Visit
Great Falls Park
9200 Old Dominion Drive
McLean, Virginia 22102
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