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6 Gold Mine Loop Trail

County

Montgomery

Endpoints

Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center (Potomac)

Mileage

2.5

Type

Rail-Trail

Roughness Index

2

Surface

Dirt

Tucked in the meandering, wooded hills of the sprawling yet understated multimillion-dollar estates of Great Falls, just outside Washington, D.C., is the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Home to the already famous C&O Canal Towpath, the Great Falls section of the park also hosts this unique rail-trail circuit.

The trail begins at the hillside just beyond the historic, early 1800s Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center. Start at the well-marked post and head up a series of stairs that are cut into the hillside and reinforced with logs. This is not your traditional rail-trail. Only part of it runs on the former railroad corridor, so prepare for some gentle uphill climbs. (The trail is off-limits to bicycles.)

The path, marked by a blue blaze, immediately takes you into the surrounding airy forest. After less than a mile, you reach the beginning of the actual loop. Take note: Detours on yellow-blazed spur trails along the route take you to the Maryland Mine ruins, where gold was processed from 1867 to 1939. Upon reaching the start of the loop, go either left or right; both ways will take you back to this starting point.

Even little ones enjoy exploring the woodlands along this route.

If you head to the right, you will first come to the Woodland Trail Spur (one of six trail spurs along the loop), where you’ll cross a tiny creek and the surface will change from dirt to gravel. If you are on the trail in the spring, several stands of redbud will be blooming, providing a vibrant color contrast to the grayish-green of an awakening forest. At certain points, you may have to scramble over, under, or around impressive felled trees, but they only add to the trail’s woodland feel.

When you return to the beginning of the loop, take the path back to the visitor center and explore the rest of the park. Don’t miss the nearby Great Falls overlook, which provides stunning views of the waterfall that separates the upper and lower Potomac River. Pick up a trail map at the ranger station to find directions to the overlook.

CONTACT: nps.gov/grfa

DIRECTIONS

From the Capital Beltway/I-495, take Exit 41 (Carderock/Great Falls), and follow Clara Barton Pkwy. west for 1.7 miles. At the stop sign (at the end of the road), make a slight left onto MacArthur Blvd. Go 3.5 miles to the end of the road at the park. There is an entry fee.

Near Great Falls, this 2.5-mile loop offers something unique for hikers and equestrians.