I've given up on any attempt to quell my wanderlust. I had all these concerns that I wouldn't be able to get out of town once I went back to school but it turns out I can still sort of swing it. Emphasis on the sort of. Essentially, my life consists of very little sleep during the week, a 24 hour sabbatical on the weekends, followed by an oh dear God why did I just do that to myself on Sunday night. It’s a really healthy pattern of behavior (I kid, I kid).
I guess the logical response to all of this would be to, you know, cut back a little. Maybe I could spend every other weekend out of the five boroughs as opposed to my current pattern of every single one. Or I could even just journey out a bit closer to home, say within a 50 mile radius or places easily accessed by public transportation. But where would the fun be with those kinds of restrictions? I already have two flights scheduled before the end of this semester and another one that I am trying to finagle so my current lifestyle won’t be changing any time soon. Besides which, without these weekly escapades I never would have found out about this great (get it? I know, I am easily amused) little park just outside of DC.
My recent discovery of Great Falls Park should not be all that surprising; I have never lived in DC nor do I possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the National Parks system. Nevertheless, I considered it a great (never gets old…) find as it covers all of my current needs: people I love live near by (bonus points for happily joining/proposing shenanigans), giant slabs of rock to climb up/down/over, and trails that let you imagine you are alone in the woods every once in a while.
As this particular adventure took place on a beautiful Saturday, it was pretty crowded by the visitor center but don’t let that discourage you. Stop on by and say hello to the wonderful park rangers. They will be more than happy to help you find the perfect paths to check out and they’ll even recommend ideal locales for post-hike libations. The path along the Potomac River is fairly straightforward and the crowds thin out as you move farther away from the parking lot. I wish that I had known that in addition to the views/nature/wildlife amenities, the park also boasts some great (I’m done – I promise) climbing spots. All down the River Trail, people were setting up their harnesses and getting their ropes in order. While I didn’t get to climb with all the bells and whistles, there were plenty of places to scramble and explore. Since there are only 15 miles of trail, I recommend taking your time to mosey and explore the cliffs and crevices along the way.
The days were a bit longer and warmer when I was there but by now it should be prime time for leaf viewing, scarf bundling, and post-hike hot toddy sipping. All in all, a visit to Great Falls Park was the perfect way to spend an autumnal afternoon - go and see it for yourself!
notes:
i try to avoid backtracking on trails as much as possible. in order to make the hike a loop, you’ll have to cut through the woods. do not attempt this unless you have a strong sense of direction or are adept at using your phone’s gps. for convenience, you can find a trail map here but still check in with the rangers. they’re the best.
for some standard pub food and a selection of tasty beverages, check out the old brogue irish pub in great falls. after filling up on one too many fried pickles, make your way to around the corner to great falls creamery.
there’s wildlife to be had in these parts of the woods including snakes. i came inches away from crushing one with my foot. we were equally traumatized by the experience. watch your step – you have been warned.