Overview:
The Potomac can be run clear from Harpers Ferry to just above Great Falls, and from just below Great Falls to Washington, DC. From the Blue Ridge through the Piedmont and over the Fall Line, the Potomac pours through stunning mountain passes, through mostly pristine Piedmont countryside, and through the deep and frightening Mather Gorge below Great Falls. From the Blue Ridge through the Piedmont the Potomac is perfect for camping and float fishing. The fall line section below Great Falls is hair raising. I acknowledge here that it is technically not a Virginia River.
Recommended Trips:
- 3 or 4 days to float from Harpers Ferry to Riverbend Park, just above Great Falls, about 50 miles
- Daytrip from Harpers Ferry to Brunswick (Rt 287), about 8 miles
- 2 days frm Harpers Ferry to Nolans Ferry, about 17 miles
- Daytrip from Great Falls Park (Virginia side) to just below Chain Bridge Road, about 10 miles
- Daytrip from Algonkian Regional Park to Riverbend Park
Directions to Put Ins and Take Out:
View Potomac River in a larger map
Harpers Ferry: Put in alongside C&O Canal on the north side of the river, west of where the railroads cross over Sandy Hook Road. There is a little pull-in (no parking permitted) where you can unload boats and carry over to the river, only a couple dozen yards downhill, just west of the intersection of Sandy Hook and Hoffmaster.
After unloading the boats, drive back east and look for a parking spot in the gravel lots to the side of Sandy Hook.
Note that the parking will be filled up after mid morning from late spring through summer, so arrive early or leave your car elsewhere. Access Sandy Hook Road via Keep Tryst Road from Rt 340. Rt 340 does not intersect Sandy Hook directly. If you’re using this as a put in, I would recommend doing a bike shuttle using the C&O Canal trail (use a hybrid or mountain bike), and leave your car at the bottom so you don’t have to worry about parking.
Sandy Hook: Park under the 340 bridge off the side of Sandy Hook Road. You can use this as a take out if you’re just playing around in the rapids from Harpers Ferry down to Rt 340. Parking is limited, though not as much as at Harpers Ferry.
Rt 340: Across the river from the Sandy Hook take out, you can park just to the right off Rt 340 on the south side of the river. Parking is limited and the gate theoretically gets closed at dusk, though this has not been my experience. This takeout is fairly long and steep, but is clear.
Brunswick: The public put in is under the Rt 287 bridge. It is easy to miss this if you’re using it as a take out. From the river, you must cut through a little channel in the bank immediately after going under the bridge. This has plenty of parking.
Point of Rocks: There are public put-ins on both the north and south sides of the river of Rt 15; both have plenty of parking.
Nolans Ferry: From Maryland Rt 28, turn south on New Design Road and follow it until it dead ends. This is a good take out to use on an overnighter from Harpers Ferry.
Algonkian Regional Park: Turn north on Cascades off of Algonkian Parkway, in the middle of the most horrific sprawl you will ever see unless you visit another park of eastern Loudoun.
Riverbend Park: turn north on Jeffrey off Riverbend Rd, which connects Beach Mill Rd and Georgetown Pike. If coming from the east take Georgetown Pike to Riverbend. If coming from the west turn left on Walker Rd in Great Falls, then right on Arnon Chapel, then left on Riverbend, then right on Jeffrey.
Great Falls National Park, Virginia Side: Located directly off Georgetown Pike Rt 193 not too far west of Difficult Run. Put in at “Fisherman’s Eddy,” located about 100 yards downstream of the visitors center. It costs $6 to enter the park.
Below Little Falls: There is a public put in along the canal where Reservoir Road intersects Canal Street, right along the river about ¾ mile downstream of Chain Bridge.
Sections of River to Run:
Harpers Ferry to Sandy Hook/Rt 340: This stretch of river has the largest rapids until Great Falls. There are regular riffles and waves, and a significant drop or wave train about 1/3 mile upriver of Rt 340. Run this last drop far left at low water or if you love wave trains. Open boats will probably take water, possibly enough to swamp at the right water levels if the boats don’t have much rocker. Run center or right for narrower drops with less volume, which might not be running at low levels.
For folks who haven’t visited Harpers Ferry, I recommend landing on a beach about 1/3 mile downstream of the put in and walking into town. The beach is on the west/south side of the river just about the railroad bridge, before the confluence with the Shenandoah. This stretch of river is one of the most beautiful in the state, with striking views of Maryland Heights, Loudoun Heights, Short Hill Mountain, and Harpers Ferry.
Sandy Hook to Brunswick: Rapids are no more than little riffles for these few miles. To see a heron rookery paddle on the right side of the big island just downstream of Rt 340. The rookery is on the right side of the island. After passing this big island, you’ll see Short Hill Mountain on your right and South Mountain on your left (yes, to the north). The Appalachian Trail follows the South Mountain ridge. Stay to river right rounding the bend where the Potomac flows past Short Hill Mountain. About 1/3 mile after going past the tip of the ridge, go over two little drops and then pull over on river right; there is an old stone mill here. The path you see going uphill is the end of George’s Mill Road. From here it is about a 4 mile walk to the town of Lovettsville.
Below this old mill the river flattens out. Fish the big rocks in the middle of the river before cruising into Brunswick. Note that you have to cut through a narrow channel in the island on river left to get to the take out from the river. Brunswick has good eatin (Mommers Diner) and basic provisions (Jerry’s Liquor) within a 5 minute walk of the landing, if you need to stock up on the way downriver. Campsites on this stretch include the big island with the heron rookery, the old mill site, and spots along the C&O canal.
Brunswick to Point of Rocks: This is a flat stretch of river with pretty islands. One island about halfway through this stretch is on river left and has a fantastic campsite with a decent rope swing. There are several more outstanding campsites on subsequent islands, including one about 10 yards upstream of the Rt 15 bridge.
Point of Rocks to Nolands Ferry: Heaters Island, which starts just downstream of the Rt 15 bridge, stretches about a third of this 4 mile stretch. There are some smaller islands near Nolands Ferry; if you want to take out here, stay to the left side of the river after Heaters Island.
Nolands Ferry to Algonkian Regional Park: The relatively flat, medium velocity river continues past a few large island and a bit of Loudoun sprawl.
Algonkian to River Bend: This stretch of river is very pretty after you get past the garish golf course community (Lowes Island) that the Loudoun Board of Supervisors approved. After you get past the golf course shit you’ll go through the Seneca Breaks, numerous islands and little riffles that lead all the way to Riverbend Park. Riverbend is not too easy to miss; the river narrows there, so you won’t miss it by being on the wrong side of an island. Do not under any conditions proceed beyond Riverbend, as you risk going over a small dam and then Great Falls.
Great Falls National Park (Virginia side) to below Chain Bridge: The Potomac passes through a highly landscape from Great Falls to its tidal reaches in Washington, D.C., and paddlers should plan trips based on water levels. Above 3.5 feet, Mather Gorge (the first couple miles below Fisherman’s Eddy put in on the Virginia side in Great Falls National Park) is a turbulent and difficult run, particularly for open boats or kayakers who don’t have a solid roll. At lower levels the large waves and holes disappear and it is suitable for novice paddlers.
Between Great Falls and its tidal reaches near Fletchers Boathouse, the Potomac passes through three distinct sections of river: Mather Gorge, the islands and riffles between Mather Gorge and Brookmont dam, and Little Falls. Mather Gorge has stunning scenery with sheer cliff walls, and should be visited by any resident of the D.C. region or Virginia, but non-advanced paddlers should not paddle it above levels of 3.5 feet. Between Mather Gorge and Brookmont dam the rapids are easy boulder gardens and riffles, perhaps reaching Class I+ in difficulty. An outstanding day trip is to float from the top of Mather Gorge at Fisherman’s eddy down to Lock 10, as this will permit the paddler to see the whole gorge section of the Potomac.
It is illegal and dangerous to run Brookmont dam, so don’t. Below Brookmont, the river concentrates on river right, passing through first a Class I boulder garden right below the dam, then some Class I wave trains, and then Little Falls. Little Falls is complex, potentially dangerous, and changes dramatically with water level, so I highly recommend going with someone who knows the lines. The easiest line, at least at water levels in the 3-5 foot range, is to start in the center of the left (main) flow, cut left behind a hole at top left, then run down the wave train to the bottom. This route avoids the pinning rocks, waves and holes that choke the river right routes. Another fairly safe option for levels at perhaps 3.5-4 feet is to start far left, slide over a fairly shallow slide for the first drop, eddy out, then ferry out working hard left below and through the second drop. Another option is to start in the main (left channel) flow and work right, eddying out to river right of Cleaver rock, which is part of a large and nasty rock formation in the middle of the lower section of Little Falls. It certainly looks like paddlers could get terminally pinned in this formation, and many canoes have wrapped on Cleaver. Below the falls there is a rectangular concrete formation on the left. You can carry your boat up here and walk some 200 yards to the canal, then paddle another couple hundred yards up the canal to Lock 5. Or you can continue downstream to Fletchers Boathouse.
Due to the hassle of portaging Brookmont dam, I would suggest planning trips that avoid it, which is possible using multiple river access points on the Maryland side of the river in the C&O Canal National Historic Park. For example, a good daytrip is Fisherman’s Eddy (Virginia side) to Lock 10 (Maryland side), or put in at Old Anglers, paddle all the way up Mather Gorge, then run down to Lock 10 to avoid the hassle of driving back and forth across the river. Locks 6 and 5 provide good access to Little Falls—it is fairly easy for kayakers to park at Lock 6 and run Little Falls, take out and walk/paddle back. For additional details on this complex and beautiful section of river see American Whitewater’s website, which has details about different water levels, play holes, and river access points.
