Hiking & history · Maryland

Great Falls and the C&O Canal day trip

Great Falls and the C&O Canal

A day on the Maryland bank of the Potomac, an hour from Baltimore: the boardwalk to the Great Falls Overlook, the old canal tavern beside Lock 20, a rock scramble above Mather Gorge on the Billy Goat Trail, a late lunch across from the towpath and a stroll through Glen Echo's old amusement park.

Time: 9–10 hour day
Driving: About 2½–3 hours of driving in total, most of it on I-95 and the Beltway
Best time: March–November; best April–May and late September–early November
Updated: October 15, 2026 at 6:13 PM Pacific

$4 USD

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White water pouring through channels between dark, jagged rocks at the Great Falls of the Potomac, with a wooded ridge and blue sky beyond — Bohemian Baltimore · CC BY-SA 4.0. August 2017 photograph; resized and displayed with crop.

Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

7:30 amLeave Baltimore
8:45 amGreat Falls Overlook on Olmsted Island
9:45 amGreat Falls Tavern and Lock 20
10:30 amBilly Goat Trail Section A
2:00 pmOld Angler's Inn
3:30 pmGlen Echo Park
5:00 pmReturn to Baltimore

Highlights

Worth the trip

The Great Falls of the Potomac from the end of the Olmsted Island boardwalk
Billy Goat Trail Section A: boulders, a rock-wall climb and views down Mather Gorge
Glen Echo Park's 1921 Dentzel Carousel building and Spanish Ballroom

What’s in the guide

Detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links and weather alternatives. Read it online any time, or keep it offline in the Greg’s Guides app for iPhone and iPad. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

In April and May and from late September to early November, the Potomac valley usually brings mild to warm days and cool mornings, with spring showers and the occasional soaking fall storm. Leaves turn in late October and early November. The bare rock of Section A holds heat, and July and August are hot and humid with afternoon thunderstorms. Winter brings cold, ice and occasional snow. After a big rain upstream the river can run high for days. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

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