Riverbend Park, Great Falls and Difficult Run a Moderate 10.5 Miles
Details
Riverbend Park, Great Falls and Difficult Run a Mod. 10.5 Mile Hike
SEE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON REGISTRATION UNDER NOTE
This is a two-park hike spanning 10.5 miles, beginning at Riverbend Park and winding through the uplands toward Great Falls. The trail follows the gorge and continues onto the floodplain, offering a variety of landscapes, stunning vistas, and about 800 feet of elevation change along the way. The hike winds its way back to Riverbend along the cliff and through the woodland of Riverbend Park.
Just 15 miles from downtown Washington, the Great Falls area stands out as premier natural escape from the city. Riverbend Park features over 400 acres of forest, meadows, and ponds. Here, Potomac River abruptly plunges nearly 80 feet through a series of rapids, carving a narrow, mile-long gorge with sheer walls. Protected by National Park Service lands on both riverbanks, the hike rewards you with breathtaking views of nature's power.—
NOTE: It is important to arrive by 9:15 or earlier as the parking lot fills quickly.
Time to Meet: Please meet at 9:15 for introductions and sign in. We will start hiking promptly at 9:30
Contact Information: Please use the comments feature for routine comments and questions. The hike Leaders is Christa (410-610-6254) and Tim (202-744-0289). Call or text as needed.
Directions to Trailhead:
It is best to use the GPS coordinates. They will take you directly to the parking lot.
The GPS Coordinates are 39.017916, -77.246091
The street address to the park is 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls, VA 22066.
We meet at the visitor’s center.
Details
Rating: Moderate
Distance: 10.5 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 800 feet
Pace: 2.0 to 2.5 miles per hour
Facilities: Bathrooms both at trailhead and Great Falls
Fees: no fees
Cancellation:
In the unlikely event that the hike needs to be cancelled, it may be cancelled up to the evening before the hike. Hikers will be notified through comments on this posting.
Weather:
The weather for this location can be found here.
Notes:
-PLEASE RSVP IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THIS HIKE. SHOULD YOUR PLANS CHANGE KINDLY UPDATE YOUR RSVP BY NOON THE DAY PRIOR TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO FILL YOUR SPOT. IF YOU ARE ON THE WAIT LIST IT IS IMPORTANT TO SIGN OUT AS SOON AS YOU KNOW YOU WILL NOT ATTEND BECAUSE MEETUP MOVES PEOPLE AUTOMATICALLY TO THE GOING LIST ONCE A SPOT OPENS. SIGNING OUT AFTER 6 PM WILL BE CONSIDERED A "NO SHOW" AND REPEATED INSTANCES MAY RESULT IN BEING BARRED FROM PARTICIPATING IN FUTURE HIKES LED BY THIS ORGANIZER.
-Please do not show up unregistered.
-Please keep this a fragrance free event.
-To find out more about PATC, click here.
-Consider becoming a member of PATC. To join, click here.