Great Falls Park
National park · Virginia
The Potomac drops 76 feet over jagged bedrock cascades at this 800-acre National Park Service site near McLean, with cliffside trails past the ruins of George Washington's Patowmack Canal offering some of the region's most dramatic river-gorge foliage views.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 26–October 30
Color builds from October 19 · mostly bare by November 19
Sampled at Great Falls Park’s own coordinates and elevation (48 m) rather than a regional average.
16 weather points cover Virginia, and the model shifts their answer 4 days earlier, which is what it takes to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. Against Virginia's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 6 days earlier. How the forecast works
When to go to Great Falls Park
Good color holds through about November 6, giving you roughly 18 days from the first turn to past peak. Against Virginia overall, that is 6 days later.
It is in Washington, DC, close enough to reach without planning a drive around it.
Great Falls Park on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Virginia, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
More things to do in Virginia
Farms & harvest
Halloween
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When does Great Falls Park peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 26–October 30 (best estimate October 28). Color starts around October 19 and is mostly bare by November 19.
- How do I get to Great Falls Park?
- The closest city is Washington, DC, about 13 mi away (it's right in town). It's part of Virginia's fall lineup.
Own or manage Great Falls Park? Update your listing or get in touch.