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On the morning of July 4, 2025 I decided to go to the Virginia side of Great Falls Park for sunrise. For those who are not aware, the Potomac River forms part of the border between Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. The river also forms the border between Washington DC and Virginia. In the Maryland, Virginia, DC region, Great Falls Park is a popular location along the Potomac river, about 10 miles west of the western edge of Washington, DC. There is both a Great Falls, Maryland and Great Falls, Virginia.
The North Branch of the river originates in West Virginia, while the South Branch originates in Virginia. The river flows a total of 405 miles through the Appalachian Plateau, the Appalachian Ridge and Valley, before cutting through the Blue Ridge and then the Piedmont Plateau prior to reaching the Atlantic Coastal plain and draining into the Chesapeake Bay.
The Potomac River is steeped in geological and US history. Estimated to be 3.5 million years old, the river formed secondary to a combination of glacial ice advancement and retreat during the last ice age; in combination with sea level fluctuations along with uplift of the earths crust.
The Potomac Gorge, where the Great Falls of the Potomac is located, is the transition point between the Piedmont Plateau and the Atlantic Costal Plain. At this junction, the bedrock of the plateau gives way to a sandy floor in the coastal plain, as the river passes through the gorge and the elevation changes from 140 feet above sea level to about 10 feet above sea level. Within Great Falls Park the river drops approximately 80 vertical feet due to a series of cascade falls.
Great Falls of the Potomac includes a series of waterfalls that ultimately weave through the Mather Gorge. The walls of the Mather Gorge are a bit steeper on the Virginia side. The area features a wide variety of flora and fauna. There is an exceptional trail system along the Potomac River and in and around Great Falls Park.
On the morning I went to the river I decided to park at Riverbend Park in Virginia and hike into Great Falls Park. There are a series of trails one can take from Riverbend park, the easiest being the Potomac Heritage Trail. I got to the park a few minutes later that I had hoped, but I still caught some nice sunrise light. After shooting some images from the observation decks I hiked around a bit, ultimately down to the backs of the river before leaving the park. On the hike out of the park I saw a blue heron with nice light on it and I grabbed a few pictures.
