By and far though are the three scenic overlooks of the falls! Most of us think of the Potomac as a lazy, wide river that goes around/through DC and separates MD and VA. For those of you who do not know, the low tide line on the VA side is the MD/VA border.
However, there is a wilder side to the Potomac and some of it can be seen at Great Falls. The "falls" are not some spectacular, Niagara like point on the river, but are rather a short, narrow gorge with several smaller drops of perhaps 20-30 feet. However, the power of the river can really be seen in this area and provides a contrast to the normally placid, slow moving river we are used to seeing.
Great Falls National Park is part of the National Park Service so it is pretty well kept. There is an entrance fee...$5 per car or $3 per person for those on bikes. Each entrance fee is good for 3 consecutive days so you can come back and not have to pay again if so desire. That may be necessary if you should want to hike all of the trails and visit some of the outlaying sites. Here's a link to the Park's website: http://www.nps.gov/grfa/.
So, first thing you need to do is wonder down to the three scenic overlooks for the falls. This is as close as you can get and the views are awesome! Overlook 1 is the closest and Overlook 3 is the farthest away. Lots of good views and picture taking opportunities at any of the three.
Once you've done the overlooks, there are several trails to walk/hike. The Old Carriage Road trail is a wide, fairly flat gravel path that is bike and stroller friendly. It is a good walk for families with young children or if you want to ride your bike on a wooded, shady path. For the more intrepid hiker, there is the River Trail and the Ridge Trail. The River Trail follows the river and so has you hiking over rocks and on narrow paths at times. It is not a hard trail, but it is not one for really small children. There are some really great views of the Mather Gorge and the Patowmack Canal. The canal was built to move river boats around the falls. It is pretty cool. Some of the stone work for the locks is still in place. I've posted some pictures below of the locks. This is the trail that Pam and I took. It was a nice workout and is around 3 miles long. You end up on either the Ridge Trail (if you want to go even further down river) or you can circle back to the Ranger Station and parking lots on the Old Carriage Trail.
If you decide to do either the River or Ridge trails, I would advise a good pair of hiking boots (with ankle support.) Some of the going is over rocks and can get a bit tricky for tennis shows or casual shoes. If you are only going to go to the overlooks and/or hike the Old Carriage Road than any comfortable walking shoe will do. There is a bit of climbing on the rocks at the overlooks, so be careful! Also, bring along a second pair of shoes and a clean shirt/top and a towel. You will appreciate being able to change socks/shoes/shirt/top when you get back from your hike/walk.
Great Falls is a fun day trip that a lot of us that have (or do) live in the metro DC area don't even know is there! So get off the couch, put on your walking shoes and get out and see the sights! You won't regret the time you spent. Pam and I will be going back sometime soon.
Until next time....
Craig and Pam
Here are a bunch of pix:
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