Great Falls Park is an exciting tourist attraction in the city of Washington. This is located along the Potomac River and features 800 acres of land. This is a natural park in the metropolitan area of the said city and is just nearby the downtown area.

Not only is this stunning, this is also a part of the Washington history. The Native American petroglyphs were discovered here. Aside from that, the Patowmack Canal in which George Washington provided funds for is located here. The said canal operated starting from as early as 1785.

Around 1906 to 1932, the park worked as an amusement park along with the Old Dominion Railroad and the Washington and Old Dominion Railway. There are picnic grounds, a carousel and dance pavilion back then. Today, you can still have a family picnic here and there is also a visitor's center.

The park is open to the public but it is prohibited to wade and swim in the waters here including Difficult Run and Potomac River. This is because the currents are extremely dangerous. The park is a part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which connects several other attractions in the city. Among those that are really popular include the Arlington House, Belle Haven Park and the Columbia Island Marina.

The park is open from 7 AM till dark but it is closed on Christmas Day. The center for visitors is open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM but they usually have extended hours on summer and spring seasons.

Great Falls Park is found near Potomac River and has some of the most breathtaking landmarks in Washington DC. It is close to Washington DC's downtown area and this is one of the reasons why it has become very popular among locals and tourists. Some of the activities you can engage in at the park include picnicking and hiking.

There are various viewing platforms in the park and they provide vantage points for visitors to view the falls. The park also has about 15 miles of trails which are suitable for hiking. One of the trails in the park follows a stream called Difficult Run. Visitors can also hike along a scenic trail that is found near the river. The park also allows people to bring their pets with them when they are hiking but they have to be on a leash.

Great Falls Park on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Falls_Park

Difficult Run Hike

http://www.hikingupward.com/OVH/DifficultRun/

Hiking Trails

http://www.nps.gov/archive/gwmp/grfa/trails/index.htm

Great Falls Park is also a suitable place to have a picnic and there are about 50 tables that you can use. If you have a large gathering for a picnic, the park regulations allow you to push some tables together. This place is very busy especially over the weekend and it is a good idea to arrive early if you do not want to miss a table.

There are some grills at the park but you can also carry your own. The grills used at the park have to be fueled using natural gas or charcoal. The large trees found in the park provide adequate cover therefore visitors do not need covered shelters.

Picnicking

http://www.nps.gov/archive/gwmp/grfa/faqs/activities.htm#hiking