Great Falls Park, Virginia

9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102, USA

Address:	9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102, USA
Phone:	+1 703-757-3101
Site:	nps.gov
Rating:	4.7

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 5

Alice Wang

A must-visit National Park if you live in the D.C. metropolitan area! The Virginia side has lots of picnic tables and space, hiking trails, and opportunities to kayak, rock climb, or go horseback riding. There are two large parking lots which are both within a short walking distance to the picnic areas. On nice weekends, it can be a bit backed up getting into the park so be prepared. The picnic tables and grills are first-come, first-serve. Great Falls has three overlooks that provide spectacular views of the Potomac River spilling over steep rocks and flowing through the Mather Gorge. The three overlooks are also located within walking distance to the parking lots, so for those who dont want to hike or walk too much, this is ideal. Overlooks 2 and 3 are also handicap and stroller accessible. This is a day use park only, so there is no overnight camping available. Theres also no swimming or wading allowed for safety reasons. Great Falls allows leashed pets on their trails, parking lots, falls overlooks, and picnic areas, so you can definitely bring a well-behaved Fido here. Just, please, dont forget to pick up after your pets. There are fifteen miles of hiking trails, some of which are multi-use for biking and horseback riding. The most popular are the River Trail (1.5 miles one way), Patowmack Canal Trail (1.25 miles one way), Matildaville Trail (1.1 miles one way), and Difficult Run Trail (0.7 miles one way). You can check out all the trail descriptions on their website. Old Carriage Road, Matildaville Trail, Ridge Trail, Difficult Run Trail, and Mine Run Trail allow horseback riding. Only Ridge Trail and Difficult Run Trail allow bicycling. Overall, none of the trails are very strenuous or long, perfect for families to hike together. I usually hike the River Trail or Difficult Run Trail when Im here, and its a good hike thats not all in the sun and with plenty of spots to take breaks. Admission is for 3 days. Individual permit (entering by foot, bike, or horse) is $5. Cars are $10. There are several fee free days, usually on MLK Day, National Park Week, National Park Service Birthday Weekend, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day. On the Maryland side, the Billy Goat Trail is only a short drive away from DC, making it one of the most well-known, accessible, and challenging hikes in the DC area. Its divided into three sections - A, B, and C - and the whole hike is a 4.7 mile hike one-way. Section A is 1.7 miles, B is 1.4, and C is 1.6. You return to the visitor parking area via a paved towpath along the C&O Canal. Great hike for the entire family - I saw lots of families successfully attempt this trail with no/minimal problems. Section A is the most strenuous and involves a little of rock hopping/climbing. Its rough terrain here with a lot of boulder scrambling, and theres a pretty steep climb along a cliff. Its nothing extremely difficult (definitely not like Old Rag in Shenandoah), but it definitely tests your balance. Section B and C are much less difficult. There are great views of the Potomac River as you hike. I saw a snake, fox, hawk, and lots of turtles and fishes along the trail. Just be careful where you step, its known that there are some poisonous copperheads in the Great Falls Park. I also noticed, and Im not sure if its this is just a summer thing, but there was a bike loan program when I came last Sunday. You sign up and get to rent a bike for 2 hours and ride it around for free. Pretty neat!

Tony Ferrara

Amazing park with so much to see! Views are amazing and if youre adventurous and dont mind climbing a few rocks theyre even better! They do serve food at the park, but so much better to pack your own and take advantage of the picnic area. They also have grills in the area so you could cookout and spend the day with friends and family! Park is open: 7:00 AM to thirty (30) minutes after sunset, daily, and closed December 25. The snack bar is open Wednesday to Sunday from March to November. Hours are 10 AM to 4 PM. Great Falls Park Vehicle Permit ($10) Admits one single, private, non-commercial vehicle and all its passengers. Organized groups are not eligible for the vehicle permit. Is NOT valid for entrance into the C &O Canal National Historic Park. Great Falls Park Individual Permit ($5) Admits one individual when entering by foot, bicycle, or equestrian. Individuals 15 years old and younger are admitted free of charge. Is NOT valid for entrance into the C&O Canal National Historic Park. Fee Free Days The National Park Service will usually waive entrance fees on these days: January 18– Martin Luther King, Jr. Day April 16-24– National Park Week August 25-28– National Park Service Birthday Weekend September 24– National Public Lands Day November 11 – Veterans Day Fees for other services such as tours, concessions, and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

Jennifer Kim

I waited 50 minutes to pay $10 fee. At first, I thought there was no parking space, so I waited. When I got closer to the ticket booth, I saw only one cash register was open even though there were two windows are available. The main parking lot was almost full, but second and third parking can hold 100s cars were empty. I was so frustrated and asked a park ranger at the information desk to open other cash register to reduce the waiting time. He said its typical to have a long line and normal waiting time is 2 hours. I was lucky waited ONLY 50 minutes. That was most ridiculous answer and worst thing ever heard from a officer of public facilities. They get paid from taxes we pay but they dont care about citizens valuable time!!! I saw many cars tuning back even before they reached to the booth. 2 hours later on the way out, I still saw many cars waiting and I counted. There were 133 cars. Thank you very much for the worst customer service ruining our family Thanksgiving weekend.

Melanie Diehl

Great Falls Park has been a favorite stop for my family for years. It all started when my husband, as a child, visited Great Falls with his aunt who lived nearby, wished to take our family there as well. We really enjoy the formal hiking paths, and sometimes have snuck off the trails to explore on our own. We have met college students from across the country who have come to do some repelling, and observed folks getting formal photographs taken in the park. I personally like walking along the Matildaville ruins. During the summer months, it can be incredibly hot, so bring plenty of water, especially if you bring your dog along. There are nice picnic grounds with tables and grills. The park policy is pack in/pack out, so dont forget your trash bag. Theres a gift shop as well, if buying a souvenir is in your plans.

Mike Peters

Outstanding park for hiking experiences on both sides of the river though we like the Virginia side better for shaded picnic areas. Breathtaking scenery on the River trail all the way to the southern part of the park not to mention Difficult Run trail. Awesome in every sense. Only thing being from West Virginia we are spoiled by the free admission of our state parks ( here it is $5 per car), trash cans in the picnic areas and plentiful and well stocked rest rooms. In this very busy park there is only one working toilet with running water accommodating two persons at a time and antiquated and remote at that. A second toilet will be available in 2015 we were told ( Virginia side). Most picnic tables and grills have been removed from the south parking area Virginia side. Dont know why.