Great Falls, Potomac, MD

The Potomac is quite famous for lots of reasons involving Washington D.C. and U.S. history, especially during the Civil War. But did you know that less than 20 miles upstream from D.C., there's both a national park (on the Virginia side of the river) and a national historic park (on the Maryland side)? I didn't until earlier this summer. The falls are impressive and beautiful, and the Maryland side is also home to the Chesapeake and Ohio canal (which never made it to Ohio, but more on that next time, along with all the lovely flora and fauna we encountered along the canal).

As we approached the falls from the Maryland side, we walked first along and then across sections of the Potomac. There were many great blue herons (Ardea herodias) flying about and using the rapids as fishing grounds.

A boardwalk path has been constructed across some of the smaller channels, which are no less beautiful. Interestingly, the roar of the falls is almost deafening in certain sections and then promptly dissipates as you walk past the confines of the echoing gorge.

The name Potomac is an anglicization of Patawomeck, an Algonquian name. The name did not originally refer to the river, however, but to an Algonquian village on the southern bank. The name Patawomeck now also refers to one of Virginia's recognized Native American tribes.

Downstream, the view was less dramatic, but still absolutely gorgeous, particularly with all the early summer greenery.

Interestingly, despite the placement of the National Park, the falls themselves—and most of the lower Potomac river, in fact—are officially considered part of Maryland; most of the border with Virginia is actually designated as the low tide mark of the river.

Here is one of the larger sections of the main falls. There are many small rapids and several 20-foot falls; altogether the river drops 76 feet through this stretch, which is less than a mile long.

Just upstream of the falls, the Potomac is over 1000 feet wide, but it narrows through the falls and beyond, to as little as 60-100 feet through Mather Gorge, just downstream, before widening again as it flows through DC and into the Chesapeake. So the falls channel a lot of water, and a lot of energy.

As I stood watching the mesmerizing falls, this great blue heron put on a little show for me, first gliding in...

To land by one of the falls...

And then hopping over to a better vantage point.

This mallard was also clearly also taking advantage of the falls to feed.

Here's looking downstream again, just as the rain was starting.

(After waiting out the thunderstorm...) From downstream, looking back at the falls, you can glimpse the rising mist produced by all that churning.

It was a really lovely daytrip, one I'd highly recommend to anyone in the area.

More on the nearby canal—and all the wildflowers and wildlife we saw along it—soon!