Great Falls can be accessed on both the Maryland side and the Virginia side. We visited the falls on the Maryland side (officially called the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal) and had a great time. This was a family-friendly outing, and we were fortunate to have good weather.
It costs $5 for a private vehicle, regardless of the number of people in the car, and parking is plentiful. There is a small snack bar that offers cold drinks and some ice cream treats and some water fountains to refill water bottles (there are also restroom facilities on-site). The visitor’s center features a museum about the history of the canal, and all of the rangers of the park are incredibly knowledgeable and ready to help.
The best part about this park is probably how stroller friendly it is as we were able to keep our toddler in his stroller while we walked on the paths. The park is mostly centered on the canal and offers miles of trails up and down the canal. There is also a path (about 1 mile) that leads to a falls overlook (also stroller-friendly). There are plenty of other hikes in the area for those looking for a bit more of a challenge.
The visitor center also sells tickets for the canal boat which costs $8.00 for adults (ages 15-61), $6.00 for seniors (ages 62 and over), and $5.00 for children (ages 4-14). Children aged three and under ride free. The boat rides were closed for the season so we were unable to take advantage of this opportunity.
This park was full of kayakers, runners, families, rock climbers, and others and made for a wonderful Sunday outing.
This park was full of kayakers, runners, families, rock climbers, and others and made for a wonderful Sunday outing.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm
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