Hike Great Falls Park with kids

Just a short drive from Washington DC is Great Falls National Park in Virginia. This 800-acre Park is a great place to escape the busy city life, even for just the day.

Great Falls Park is a U.S. National Park that you can visit on both the Northern Virginia and Maryland sides, situated along the banks of the Potomac River.

 One of the highlights of the park is the River Falls, which flows over a series of steep, jagged rocks and empties into the Mather Gorge.

On the blog, I will share the best way to see Great Falls Park with kids on both the Virginia and Maryland sides, along with some of the kid-friendly hiking trails in the area.

*Because Great Falls Park is such a popular spot, be aware of the crowds. I suggest getting here early, or plan a weekday visit. It gets crowded here on weekends and can be filled to capacity.

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Great Falls National Park Virginia

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There are so many reasons why we love Great Falls Park. The history here is amazing, and we love the kid-friendly trails and the amazing Potomac River views.

The park has many opportunities to explore history and nature, all in a beautiful 800-acre park, just a short drive away from Washington D.C.

How to visit Great Falls Park

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• Great Falls Park is open from 7am-Sunset and is located at 9200 Old Dominion Dr. Mclean, VA 22102.

• You can also visit Great Falls Park in the Maryland side, which is part of the C&O Canal National Historical Park located at 11710 MacArthur Blvd. Potomac, MD 20854.

• Admission to Great Falls Park costs $20 per vehicle, $15 for motorcycles, and $10 when entering by foot on both sides. You can also purchase a Great Falls Park annual pass for $35 which is valid for a year from date of purchase.

• If you purchase the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Lands annual pass, you can enter Great Falls Park, along with 2,000 other federal recreation sites across the United States with your purchase.

• We happened to visit during National Parks Week and had free entrance, which was pretty cool! Make sure to visit the Great Falls Park website for other fee-free days.

• Great Falls Park is usually very busy on weekends, or when the weather is nice. If you want to avoid the crowds and the lines getting into the park, I suggest visiting on weekdays. If the park is at capacity, the entrance is usually closed.

• There are several parking lots in the area, but on weekends it can get quite packed. Make sure to get here early to ensure you have a spot, or visit on the weekday!

Top things to do at Great Falls Park

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Explore the Visitors Center at Great Falls Park

When visiting Great Falls Park on either the Virginia or Maryland side, the Visitors Center should be your first stop. This is the perfect place to learn more about the history of Great Falls, along with some exhibits and a short film.

You can also pick up a Junior Ranger book for the kiddos here, which they can complete to get their very own Junior Ranger badge.

Make sure to bring the kid’s National Park passport book to get it stamped. The kids will love collecting stamps for all the National Parks they visit in America.

Best way to see Great Falls

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Great Falls Park has several viewing platforms that provide visitors with the perfect vantage points for viewing the falls. There are three viewing platforms on the Virginia side and only one on the Maryland side.

• Overlook 1 was our favorite, but a bit rocky, which the kiddos will probably enjoy. It is the closest you can get to the Falls, but not accessible.

• Overlook 2 is further down the trail and has the best views of the Falls, and is accessible with a large viewing platform.

• Overlook 3 has the best views of the Falls and is accessible as well. There are two viewing platforms here and is the best place to take a photo of the Falls.

• The Olmsted Island Overlook is located on the Maryland side of Great Falls and is the only viewing platform here. There is a short walk to get to the lookout along the Great Falls Overlook trail which is just a short distance from the Visitors Center.

• The boardwalk trail to get to the overlook is one of the most scenic walks that the kids will love.

What to bring to Great Falls Park with kids

When planning a visit to Great Falls Park with kids, I suggest packing some snacks and water.

There is a seasonal snack shop that sells some food and snacks, but we like packing our picnic lunch.

Also, make sure to dress the kids appropriately for hiking. There are lots of rocky areas along the hiking trails and good hiking shoes are a must.

Make sure to pack a first aid kit as well, and a cooling towel for those hot summer days.

We love these hiking boots for kids, and these hiking pants as well.

We also love these trekking poles for kids, it makes them feel like a big kid as they make their way along the trails.

Great Falls Park with kids

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Kid-friendly trails at Great Falls Park Virginia

One of the best things to do at Great Falls Park is hiking, with fifteen miles of hiking trails encompassing the park.

One of our favorite trails was the scenic River Trail, which is about three miles round trip.

The River Trail

• Length: 3 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Not wheelchair-accessible or stroller accessible

• The River trail is the perfect hike for the kiddos, especially if they love climbing. Just be sure to keep an eye out as there are cliffs with no barriers for protection.

• The River Trail is a pretty moderate hike, with lots of rocks and steep cliffs, but is doable with kids. Our little one had a blast climbing the rocks, and you get the most amazing views of the falls and the Mather Gorge from here. 

• This trail was also a perfect spot to watch the Rock climbers who frequent these cliffs. It was so much fun watching them scale the steep and jagged cliffs, it made for suspenseful entertainment!

The Patowmack Canal Trail

• Length: 2.5 miles roundtrip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Wheelchair and stroller accessible

• Another kid-friendly trail at Great Falls Park is the Patowmack Canal trail. This trail is less than three miles round trip and is an easy one for the whole family.
  
• Make sure to pick up a brochure for the self-guided tour of the Canal at the visitor center. It helps you understand the history as you stroll through this historic canal.

• The Patowmack Canal offers a glimpse into the early history of this country. George Washington partially funded the idea that made it possible for small barges to bypass the falls and distribute goods and materials downstream.

• With the completion of the nearby Chesapeake and Ohio canals, as well as the popularity of railroads, the project has since been abandoned but is considered a Virginia Historic Landmark.

Matildaville Trail

• Length: 2.2 miles roundtrip
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Not wheelchair or stroller accessible

• Another fun trail at Great Falls Park is the Matildaville Trail. This wooded hike is a fun kid-friendly trail, that passes through the ruins of the old town of Matildaville.

• This trail can be narrow in some spots, but it’s a nice and quiet trail perfect for bird-watching. Matildaville was once the headquarters of the Patowmack company and home to some of the workers who helped build the canal. It is now in ruins and you can still see some of the structures along your hike on this trail.

• There are many other hiking trails at Great Falls Park, visit the website for more information on some other kid-friendly trails.

READ NEXT: More kid friendly parks and trails in the Washington DC area

Hiking trails on the Maryland side

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The Great Falls Overlook Trail

• Length: Quarter Mile
• Difficulty: Easy
• Wheelchair accessible

• The Great Falls Overlook Trail is a short and easy quarter-mile trail that goes through bridges and boardwalks and is one of the most scenic walks. The Path crosses through floodplains with an up-close view of the Great Falls.

The Billy Goat Trail

The Billy Goat Trail at Great Falls MD is one of the more popular trails in the park. There are three different sections that total eight miles, and most of the trails are one-way.

• Section A part of the trail is 1.75 miles long and is one of the most strenuous hikes on the trail. There are lots of rocks and boulders to scramble through most of the way and a part where climbing is involved.

• This trail is more appropriate for older kids, and I don’t recommend bringing small kids on this trail.

• The Section A part of the Billy Goat Trail starts at the upstream entrance near Great Falls and ends downstream near Anglers. There is an exit trail at the halfway point for those choosing to hike either the top half or bottom half of the trail.

• Section B of the Billy Goat Trail is temporarily closed due to trail damage and erosion but is a more moderate trail.
  
• Section C of the trail is a much easier trail which goes for about 1.6 miles.

The C&O Canal Towpath

• Length: 184.5 Miles
• Difficulty: Easy
• Wheelchair accessible

• The C&O Canal Towpath is an 184.5-mile long multi-use trail that goes from Georgetown DC to Cumberland Maryland. It crosses into the Great Falls Park on the Maryland side and follows the canal with the most scenic views.

• There are other trails located at Great Falls Park on the Maryland side, visit the website here for more information.

Amenities at Great Falls Park

One thing we loved about Great Falls Park was access to clean public restrooms and snack vending machines.

You will also find picnic tables at both sites of Great Falls Park and are on a first-come-first-served basis. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a meal out in nature.

If you require a wheelchair, stop by the Visitors Center. You can loan one wheelchair for FREE, no reservations are needed as they are also on a first come-first served basis.

Admire the changing seasons at Great Falls Park

Great Falls Park is beautiful in any season, but I highly recommend a visit during the spring and fall.

Spring at Great Falls Park is just so beautiful, especially when the forest floor is covered in bluebells!

Great Falls Park is just as beautiful in the fall as well. The fall foliage against the waterfall is just so beautiful!

Plus you can go on a leaf peeping hike along the trails, which makes it even more magical.

READ NEXT: Read about some fun fall festivals in the Washington DC area

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Tips on visiting Great Falls Park

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• Make sure to come early if you want to avoid the crowds and traffic coming in, especially on weekends.

• The park is wheelchair and stroller accessible on some trails, except for the river trail, which is very rocky. The second and third lookouts are also accessible with ramps leading into the lookout.

• When hiking with the kiddos make sure to dress them appropriately, good hiking shoes and clothing are important. Some of the trails have jagged rocks and loose gravel.

• I suggest leaving the stroller and taking a baby carrier instead, some of the paths have loose gravel which makes it hard to maneuver.

• The River trail is a moderate hike with rocky trails and steep cliffs, make sure to keep an eye out on the kiddos when hiking Great Falls since there are no barriers to protect them from falling in. With that being said, it’s one of the most fun hikes for the kiddos!

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