Billy Goat Trail Section A (Great Falls, Maryland)

Billy Goat Trail Section A is the most demanding day hike near Washington, DC, a rocky scramble along the Potomac River in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park in Maryland. The trailhead is at the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center, 11710 MacArthur Blvd, Potomac, MD, about 15 miles from downtown Washington by car. Vehicle entry costs about $20 USD and is valid for three days, and the Visitor Center can be reached at +1-301-767-3714. There is no direct Metro access. The route covers about 1.7 miles (2.7 km) along the river, or roughly 4.7 miles round trip when hikers return by the flat towpath. Cumulative elevation gain is only about 150 ft (46 m), but the trail is classed as hard because it involves sustained hand-over-hand rock scrambling across boulders, ledges and narrow crevices, with exposure to drop-offs and a few steep sections that require careful footing. Allow two to three hours. The surface is bare gneiss and schist rock, which becomes slick when wet, and shade is limited on the open rock, making summer heat a real hazard. Highlights include views of Mather Gorge, where the Potomac squeezes between steep cliffs, rapids and rock formations, and the chance to see climbers on the gorge walls. The trail is marked with blue blazes and is often crowded, with bottlenecks at the harder scrambles. Turn-around is possible at the start of the scramble, and a bail-out route to the towpath exists near the midpoint, making the loop shorter for those who find the rocks too demanding. Water is available at the Visitor Center but not on the trail, so hikers should carry at least 2 liters, plus a hat and sun protection. Gloves help on the rough rock. The park closes the trail or the river access during high water, and conditions should be checked with the Visitor Center before traveling.