Great Falls National Park, Fairfax County, Virginia Stock Photo

At Great Falls, Virginia, the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks and flows through the narrow Mather Gorge. Great Falls Park is a small National Park Service (NPS) site situated on 800 acres along the banks of the Potomac River in northern Fairfax County. Great Falls Park is an integral part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, despite being disconnected from the roadway.