Updated July 2026
Great Falls of the Potomac
A dramatic series of cascades and rapids where the Potomac River drops about 76 feet over jagged rock in less than a mile. From the Maryland side, a short boardwalk crosses Olmsted Island to an overlook.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check NPS (Chesapeake & Ohio Canal NHP) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Great Falls of the Potomac drops about 76 feet. That makes it the 297th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 56% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Olmsted Island Bridges / Overlook Trail reaches it about 0.6 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 30 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Potomac. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with NPS (Chesapeake & Ohio Canal NHP) for closures and current conditions.
Spring. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Maryland waterfalls
- Cascade Falls
- Cunningham Falls · 78 ft
- Kilgore Falls · 17 ft
- Muddy Creek Falls · 53 ft
- Raven Rock Falls · 25 ft
- Swallow Falls · 16 ft
- Tolliver Falls
Sources
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