Great Falls Rock Scrambling on the Billy Goat Trail

The Billy Goat Trail at Great Falls, within the C&O Canal National Historical Park at 11710 MacArthur Boulevard in Potomac, Maryland, is a 1.7-mile rock-scrambling route along the Mather Gorge of the Potomac River, a short drive from Washington, DC, in the United States. Section A, the best known, crosses jumbled boulders and a short rock face where hikers use hands as well as feet, with a drop-off to the river below. The route is a loop that returns along the canal towpath, and most visitors complete it in two to three hours. It requires reasonable fitness, sure footing and comfort with heights and exposed scrambling, but no technical climbing skills or ropes. The park recommends it for older children and adults, and younger children need close supervision. The activity is self-guided with no operator, so visitors bring sturdy trail shoes with good grip, plenty of water, and optionally gloves for the rock. Climbing on wet rock is strongly discouraged because slips are the most common cause of injury. There is no formal safety briefing, but signs and National Park Service rangers near the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center, +1-301-767-3714, give conditions and advice, and emergency help is available by calling 911. Rescues from the gorge can be slow and difficult, so visitors should not attempt the route alone in poor conditions. Entry costs about $20 per vehicle for a three-day pass, and fees should be verified at nps.gov/choh. The trail is open from April to October in practice, though sections can close due to high water or hazards. Spring and fall weekdays offer the best conditions with fewer people, since the trail is crowded on summer weekends and queues form at the main scrambles. Conditions to avoid include rain, ice, high river levels and midsummer heat, when rock surfaces become hot and slippery with sweat.