Great Falls Park · Virginia

Old Carriage Road

2.3 mi of trail, end to end · about 150 ft of climbing · 200 ft of descent · 142 ft–279 ft · native surface · trail class Developed · bike, hiking, horse

ExhibitsVisitor centers

155 ft 148 ft · 0.3 mi high 159 ft

Along the way High Watermarks Exhibit Great Falls Park Visitor Center

Soak Up Spectacular Views at the Great Falls Overlooks the Park Service's write-up

1-2 Hours · dogs allowed · entrance fee applies

Start Great Falls Park

Potomac River at Great Falls Park.

Just 15 miles from the Nation's Capital, Great Falls Park provides an abundance of outdoor activies. Explore the park through binoculars or a camera lens and walk a section of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail!

Head to the overlooks behind the visitor center to view Great Falls.

Great Falls Park has many opportunities to explore history and nature, all in a beautiful 800-acre park.

Accessibility Accessible parking is available in the main parking lot. The unloading zone by the main picnic area has an accessible ramp. Overlooks Two and Three are fully accessible, as is the Patowmack Canal Trail to the Holding Basin and the guard gate. The exhibits, programs, and slide presentations on the upper floor of the Visitor Center are reached via a ramp on either end of the building. There is one wheelchair available in the visitor center for loan, free of charge, on a first come, first serve basis. If you have any questions, please contact the park at 703-285-2965.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 26 trails in Great Falls ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.