
Great Falls Park
McLean, VA
The Virginia side of Great Falls offers more dramatic overlook perspectives of the churning Potomac gorge than the Maryland side, with three overlooks at different heights.
Photography Guide
- Best Time
- golden hour
- Crowds
- Busy
- Shot Types
- waterfallwidelandscape
- Best Seasons
- springfall
Gallery
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Nearby Places

Overlooks
53
Potomac, MD
Great Falls - Billy Goat Trail
The Great Falls of the Potomac is one of the most dramatic waterfall scenes in the eastern US - churning whitewater rapids cutting through billion-year-old Mather Gorge.
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Photogenic
55
Potomac, MD
Great Falls - Olmsted Island
A series of boardwalk bridges connects the Maryland shore to Olmsted Island, putting visitors directly above the churning Great Falls gorge - the closest vantage to the falls.
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Hidden Gems
22
Potomac, MD
C&O Canal at Great Falls
The original 1830s stone locks and lock house at Great Falls form a perfectly preserved 19th-century industrial waterscape along the canal towpath.
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