Great Falls Park: Potomac River Gorge Rapids & Frozen Falls Family Nature Trails
Visit on your scheduleDec 1 – Feb 28 · 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Park grounds open daily 7:00 AM to sunset; Visitor Center open daily 10:00 AM–4:00 PM; Closed Christmas Day Dec 25
Great Falls Park (National Park Service)9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102 · 13.3 mi approx. from Washington, DCDirections
All ages; Overlooks 2 & 3 and Patowmack Canal trails are stroller-friendly; stay strictly on marked boardwalks and fenced overlooks with children
From $20$20 per vehicle (valid for 7 consecutive days and covers entry to both Great Falls Park VA and C&O Canal NHP MD); Free with America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass
About this adventure
Located only 15 miles west of downtown DC along the border of McLean, Virginia and Potomac, Maryland, Great Falls Park offers one of the most breathtaking winter natural spectacles on the East Coast. During cold snaps, the Potomac River's mighty Class V-VI whitewater rapids surge through the narrow Mather Gorge, forming dramatic hanging ice sheets, frozen cascades, and frosted river cliffs. Families with strollers will find the Virginia side exceptionally accessible: Overlooks 2 and 3 feature wide, level wooden boardwalks leading directly to panoramic viewing platforms above the thundering falls. The historic Patowmack Canal Trail provides an easy 1.5-mile, flat family walk among canal locks designed by George Washington. Heated restrooms and educational displays are located inside the park visitor center.
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