Great Falls Park, Maryland - Virginia

October 2022 - April 2023

When I say I love this park, I mean I LOVE this park. I can not tell you how many times we visited Great Falls Park in the year we lived in the DMV area. We visited the park in all seasons and every trip held unique viewpoints, trails, and adventures.

Read more about why I love this park below.

Great Falls Park, VA

"Great Falls Park is a small National Park Service site in Virginia, United States. Situated on 800 acres along the banks of the Potomac River in northern Fairfax County, the park is a disconnected but integral part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway."

From the minute we parked I fell in love with this place. We first visited in the fall and from the changing of the leaves to the breathtaking views of the river Great Falls is indeed...great. The three different views points of the falls are very accessible and less than a five-minute walk from the parking lot. After spending a considerable amount of time at each point we walked along the river trail. There are many different trails to walk/hike adapted for all ability levels. We came back in the winter, spring, and summer months and each time we found new things to do around the park.

Tip: In the summer months there is a snack shack open for visitors' convenience but in all other seasons bring some snacks with you. But always remember to make sure to leave nature the way you found it and throw away all your trash.

Tip: There is a fee to get into the park if you do not have a state park pass.

Great Falls Park, MD

If you did not already know the Potomac River runs the border of the states of Maryland and Virginia. Therefore Great Falls has parks in both Virginia land and Maryland land. While the Virginia side has different view points of the falls, Maryland offers a more scenic track to the falls. I did not get photos of the series of bridges that led to the falls, but it was beautiful. Like the other side, there are different hiking trails and paths you can take that lead down the river across the park. We got sidetracked by a dirt path that led down to a little rock beach where visitors had slowly created a wooden TP and some were dipping their toes into the water. There are more spots to rock climb on this side and more original buildings with artifacts and history about what the land was used for.

Tip: This park is elderly, kid, and dog-friendly but dogs and strollers are not allowed on the bridge connecting the park and the falls outlook.

Tip: There is a fee to get into the park if you do not have a state park pass.

All in all this park holds some of my favorite memories while living in the DMV.