Great Falls, VA

It was gorgeous and sunny earlier today, so to make the best of it, Aaron and I decided to take in the beauty of nature that surrounds us. We live about thirty minutes away from Great Falls, VA, and have never visited it before, even though it has been on my list of places to see for a while. So, when Aaron suggested a spontaneous trip to Great Falls, I jumped at the chance! We were not disappointed!

The thunderous sound of the waterfalls was enough to get me excited but nothing prepared me for what I saw above. It was beautiful! Only 15 minutes from DC and situated in an 800-acre park, Great Falls provides many opportunities to commune with nature. In the olden days, people used to visit the falls via trolley and stay for dinner, dancing and night-time viewing of the falls was a favorite activity.

The park has three overlook points with stunning views! Take a look! Disclaimer: This is a post LOADED with photos. What a surprise, right?

The water temperatures in the Potomac River can drop to freezing sometimes but because of the rapid and constant movement of the water, it never freezes over.  Yes, I am staying well away from the waters! However, at summertime, the water levels are often quite low. These gorgeous falls attract tourists all year round. It has several hiking trails, and it is a huge attraction for kayakers, as you will see later in this post.

Don’t you love the green water? They give the falls additional character, and, it is quite mesmerizing to watch the waterfalls and listen to its thunderous crashing against the rocks.  I am always amazed at the beauty I find in Virginia. Everywhere I look, within a stone’s throw, there is an endowment of God’s creation to us for our enjoyment.

Great Falls floods regularly and takes away soil and plants and replaces it with new silt and seeds instead. Due to the constant erosion and deposits, it creates a rare natural environment for several different plant, bird, and animal species. Great Falls is said to be home to over 150 species of birds throughout the year.  True to its form, while we were there, we were able to see some magnificent birds soaring above us, and sometimes quite close to us. Here are some shots I managed to snap off before they moved further down the falls.

Incredible looking birds, right? If you think they were impressive, take a look at the next few photos of two kayakers who were attempting to take on the very forceful rapids of the falls. They looked like they were getting a workout of a lifetime!

As you can see, we had a fantastic time at Great Falls this morning. We sure hope you make a trip out here if you are in the area. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!