NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

CHAPTER 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED OF THE PROPOSED ACTION 

 

 

1.1 INTRODUCTION 

The National Park Service (NPS) proposes a draft General Management Plan (GMP) and 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Great Falls Park, Virginia (the park). The draft 

GMP/EIS, referred to as “the plan” in this document, establishes a vision for managing Great 

Falls Park, Virginia over the next 10 to 15 years, and includes a framework for decision-making 

and problem solving that is based on that vision. The plan provides guidance on how to best 

protect the park’s resources while providing for quality visitor experiences. 

As part of this plan, an EIS has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 

regulations implementing NEPA, and NPS Director’s Order 12, the NPS’s NEPA Policy Manual. 

The EIS identifies issues and concerns that the park faces, presents two management 

alternatives, and analyzes the impacts that each of the alternatives may have on environmental 

resources. 

1.2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PARK AND SURROUNDING AREA 

Great Falls Park is located within the suburban residential area of McLean, Virginia in Fairfax 

County. It encompasses approximately 800 acres of primarily deciduous forest adjacent to the 

Potomac River. The park is located 14 miles upriver from Washington DC (see Figure 1.1: 

Regional Location Map). It is bounded on the east by the Potomac River. Much of the 

remainder of the park is surrounded by low density residential development. Route 193 

(Georgetown Pike) defines the majority of the southwestern edge of the park, while Old 

Dominion Drive, River Bend Road, and private lands are located adjacent to the western and 

northern boundaries. Approximately 0.2 miles of the northern edge of the park is adjacent to the 

southern boundary of Fairfax County’s River Bend Park (see Figure 1.2: Aerial Map). The NPS 

administers the park as a unit of the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP). The 

State of Maryland maintains jurisdiction over the Potomac River. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal 

National Historic Park (C&O Canal NHP), a separate unit of the NPS (that also includes a park 

called Great Falls Park), manages the land on the Maryland side of the river. 

GWMP’s enabling legislation, the Capper Cramton Act of 1930, provided for the, “...protection 

and preservation of the natural scenery of the Gorge and the Great Falls of the Potomac, (and) 

the preservation of the historic Patowmack Canal ...”. Great Falls Park offers visitors 

spectacular views of the Potomac River cascading 76 feet over jagged rocks through a series of 

cataracts and then surging through the narrow Mather Gorge. A wide variety of outdoor 

recreational opportunities are available to the public in a setting of outstanding natural and 

cultural resources. The preserved ruins of the Patowmack Canal are the park’s primary cultural 

resource – a physical reminder of George Washington’s efforts to make the river a navigable 

waterway. Adjacent to the Canal remains are the ruins of an abandoned settlement, the town of 

Matildaville, built to support trade along the Canal. Established in 1790, the town never 

developed to its full potential and ceased to exist towards the middle of the 19th century. At the 
CHAPTER 1 

GREAT FALLS PARK, VIRGINIA y FINAL GMP/EIS 1.2

height of development, it consisted of several dwellings, a springhouse, a forge, a gristmill and 

sawmill, several warehouses, an inn, and a number of company buildings. 

The park’s location also holds great geological value, and populations of rare plant species 

occupy this section of the Potomac River Gorge, which extends 15 miles along the Potomac 

River south to Theodore Roosevelt Island. The Gorge is one of the country’s most biologically 

diverse areas and serves as a confluence for more than 200 rare plant species and biological 

communities. Local residents and tourists from around the world are attracted to the park to 

enjoy the views, and to partake in hiking, biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, kayaking, 

fishing, and picnicking. A visitor center at Great Falls Park provides exhibits of the park’s 

natural and cultural resources, as well as orientation materials, a bookstore, and other visitor 

amenities such as restrooms and seasonal food service concessions. 

 

 Data Source: NPS, 2002. 

Figure 1.1: Regional Location Map 

 
PURPOSE & NEED 

1.3 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

 Data Source: NPS, 2002. 

Figure 1.2: Aerial Map 

 
CHAPTER 1 

GREAT FALLS PARK, VIRGINIA y FINAL GMP/EIS 1.4

1.3 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION 

1.3.1 Purpose of the Plan 

The purpose of this plan is to: 

• Specify resource conditions and visitor experiences to be achieved in Great Falls Park; 

• Provide a basic framework for decision-making regarding management of the park; 

• Establish the direction and values that should be considered in planning to achieve the 

purposes defined in the established legislation of the park; 

• Serve as the basis for shorter term management documents such as 5-year strategic plans, 

annual performance plans, and implementation plans; 

• Devise and consider a range of future management alternatives; and 

• Involve appropriate constituencies for advice on major decisions. 

1.3.2 Need for the Plan

Great Falls Park is visited by nearly half a million people per year.1

 This visitation places 

demands on park personnel and facilities to protect resources and maintain a suitable visitor 

experience. Currently, management of the park is guided by existing laws, and NPS-wide 

policies and guidelines. A general management plan is needed to provide a broad direction for 

the future of the park. Such a plan would assist park managers in making purposeful decisions, 

based on a deliberate vision that is specific to the park. 

 

1.3.3 Issues and Concerns 

A variety of issues and concerns were identified by the public, park staff, and other agencies 

during public scoping for this plan. Public scoping included distribution of Newsletter 1 in 

December 2002, a public meeting on January 28th, 2003, and several meetings with public 

agencies. The issues and concerns identified included access and circulation, natural and 

cultural resource management, visitor activities, park facilities, and visitor safety. The plan 

provides a framework or strategy for addressing these issues within the context of the park’s 

purpose, significance, and mission. 

 

Access and Circulation

• Vehicular Access to the Park: Old Dominion Drive provides the only public vehicular 

access into the park (see Figure 1.3: Park Facilities). During the peak visitation period 

(May to September), this road occasionally becomes congested from visitors seeking to 

access the park. This may be due to the parking lots reaching capacity. Emergency 

vehicles that use Old Dominion Drive as the primary access road into the park can 

potentially be delayed during these occasional congested periods, as can neighboring 

residents living along Old Dominion Drive. 

 

1

 NPS Stats, National Park Service Public Use Statistics Office (http://www2.nature.nps.gov/mpur/index.cfm), 2004. 
PURPOSE & NEED 

1.5 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

 Data Source: NPS, 2002. 

Figure 1.3: Park Facilities
CHAPTER 1 

GREAT FALLS PARK, VIRGINIA y FINAL GMP/EIS 1.6

• Non-Vehicular Access and Circulation: Within the park, there are a number of locations 

where visitors wander away from designated trails and create new ‘undesignated’ trails. 

A number of these undesignated trails traverse through sensitive cultural and natural 

resource areas (including the Patowmack Canal) and can cause damage to these 

resources. 

• Connections to Regional Trails: Three trails are proposed in the area surrounding the 

park - the Cross County Trail (CCT), the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail 

(PHNST), and the Georgetown Pike Trail (GPT). These trails propose to link to Great 

Falls Park. The park has to decide on the type and location of these linkages, while 

maintaining consistency with the park’s visitor experience goals. 

Natural and Cultural Resource Management

 

• Conflict Between Natural and Cultural Resources: The Great Falls Park section of the 

Patowmack Canal is a designated National Historic Landmark, as well as a National 

Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Further, several features of the canal and 

Matildaville are either listed (or are eligible for listing) on the National Register of 

Historic Places. There are a number of instances in the park where existing vegetation 

(such as the roots of large, mature trees that grow on the walls of the Patowmack Canal) 

can significantly damage the structural integrity of the park’s cultural resources. The 

park has a mandate to preserve both natural and cultural resources that present a 

management challenge in instances where one conflicts with the other. 

Visitor Activities

• Impact of Visitor Activity on Sensitive Natural and Cultural Resources: To prevent the 

loss of threatened and endangered species, the park typically refrains from identifying 

the type and locations of such resources. This results in visitors often unknowingly 

damaging the resources as they move away from designated trails. Damage is visible in 

the vicinity of known resources including the Patowmack Canal, and along the rock 

ledges and cliff faces of the Potomac Gorge. Growing demands of some of the existing 

uses, such as rock climbing, have the potential to amplify these impacts. 

• Conflict Between Trail Users: Park staff often finds bicyclists or horseback riders on 

trails that are designated for pedestrian use only, causing concern for pedestrian safety, 

as well as potential damage to the pedestrian trails. Inadequate trail markings and 

signage contribute to this concern. 

 
PURPOSE & NEED 

1.7 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

Vegetation impact on Matildaville Ruins 

 

Rock climbing along the Potomac Gorge
CHAPTER 1 

GREAT FALLS PARK, VIRGINIA y FINAL GMP/EIS 1.8

Park Facilities

• Visual Impacts of the Maintenance Facility: The existing maintenance facility is located 

immediately beyond the entrance station, and provides one of the first images of the 

park. This facility is unattractive and adversely impacts the visual environment. Further, 

the facility is an outdated and structurally deteriorated building.

• Inadequate Restrooms: Existing comfort facilities, located in the visitor center and to the 

south of the southern parking lot, are inadequate to handle the amount of visitors 

accessing the park during peak periods. This need is compounded during special events. 

These facilities also lack handicapped-accessible restrooms. 

• Space Constraints for Park Personnel: The park staff currently has offices within the 

visitor center. These spaces are inadequate for the current staff size, staff functions, and 

storage needs. Also, U.S. Park Police is currently housed in a trailer facility that does not 

provide adequate space to safely detain people suspected of criminal activity; this 

arrangement is in need of general improvements. 

 

Visitor Safety

• Accessing the River: The park currently allows a variety of user groups, including nonmotorized boat users and fishermen, to access the Potomac River from Great Falls Park. 

There have been a number of instances where visitors have suffered serious injuries, or 

death, while taking part in these and other activities along the river. 

1.3.4 Decision Points 

The major resource conditions and visitor experiences issues that need to be addressed in this 

plan were summarized through the following questions: 

1. How should natural and cultural resources be managed to optimize the preservation of 

both? 

2. What are the most appropriate levels of service and locations for visitor interpretation and 

education in the park? 

3. What are the appropriate levels and locations of recreational activities such as picnicking, 

kayaking, dog walking, biking, horseback riding, climbing, and boating in the park? 

4. How should trails be managed with regard to use, connections to trails outside the park, and 

locations? 

5. How should traffic and associated elements (parking spaces, time limits, etc.) be managed? 

6. What are the most appropriate locations to support administration and operation functions 

with respect to minimizing resource disturbance? 
PURPOSE & NEED 

1.9 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

Visitor Center with staff offices and food service concession at the lower level, and 

interpretation exhibits and an auditorium at the second level 

Visitors along the river’s edge 

 
CHAPTER 1 

GREAT FALLS PARK, VIRGINIA y FINAL GMP/EIS 1.10

1.4 GUIDANCE FOR THE PLANNING EFFORT 

The purpose, significance, and mission of the park were used to develop the alternatives for this 

plan. Also guiding the development of these alternatives were the park’s establishing legislation, 

NPS policies, legal requirements, public comments, and analysis of resource values. 

1.4.1 Park Purpose 

Great Falls Park was established as a site within the GWMP to preserve and protect the natural 

scenery of the Potomac River Gorge, the Great Falls of the Potomac, and the historic 

Patowmack Canal for future generations. This upland piedmont forest is the focal point of the 

park’s human history, from the American Indians who utilized the river and woodland 

resources, through the efforts of George Washington to construct a canal that circumvented the 

Falls in order to trade with the west, to the preservation and recreational activities of recent 

generations. The park’s notable features provide visitors a chance to recreate in a superlative 

green space within the metropolitan Washington DC area, and opportunities to gain an 

understanding of the natural and cultural resources, and the social and political values of the 

American people. 

1.4.2 Park’s Significance 

Great Falls Park’s significance is attributed to the following factors: 

• Great Falls Park contributes to protecting and preserving the spectacular scenic views of the 

Great Falls on the Potomac River, the Potomac River Gorge, and the Potomac Palisades. 

• The park contains portions of Patowmack Canal, one of the first canal systems built (1785-

1802) and operated (1802-1828) in the country, as well as the ruins of the town of Matildaville 

that was built to support trade along the Canal. The Patowmack Canal is often referred to as 

George Washington’s “Dream Canal.” This National Historic Landmark was one of the first 

river navigational systems that supported trade with the Ohio River Valley. 

• Despite its location in an expanding metropolitan area, the Potomac Gorge is one of the most 

noteworthy natural areas in the National Park System. It extends 15 miles along the Potomac 

River, from a location above Great Falls, south to Theodore Roosevelt Island. Due to the 

unusual hydrogeology, the Gorge is one of the country’s most biologically diverse areas that 

serves as a confluence for more than 200 rare plant species and biological communities. 

• The park is within the Potomac River watershed, which covers approximately 14,670 square 

miles in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. The 

Potomac River is the second largest contributor to the Chesapeake Bay. 

• Great Falls Park protects American Indian artifacts in their original locations.

• Great Falls Park offers a diversity of resource-based recreational experiences in proximity to 

the Nation’s capital. Activities range from picnicking, bird watching, photography, guided 

ranger programs, hiking, jogging, horseback riding, and bicycling through scenic wooded 

trails, rock climbing along the Gorge, and white water activities, as well as fishing on 

the river. 
PURPOSE & NEED 

1.11 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

The view of Great Falls of the Potomac River is one of the main reasons visitors come to 

the park

 

Portion of the historic Patowmack Canal 

 
CHAPTER 1 

GREAT FALLS PARK, VIRGINIA y FINAL GMP/EIS 1.12

1.4.3 Mission Goals 

 

This section defines, in broad terms, the ideals that the NPS is striving to attain, as they are 

applicable to Great Falls Park. 

The goals for Great Falls Park are directly linked to the NPS service-wide mission goals 

contained in the NPS Strategic Plan (NPS 2000). They are written as desired outcomes in 

keeping with the Government Performance and Results Act. The park’s mission goals are as 

follows: 

• The natural and cultural resources associated values of Great Falls Park are protected, 

preserved, and maintained in good condition and managed within their broader 

ecosystem or cultural context (Service Mission Goal Ia). 

• Visitors safely enjoy and are satisfied with the availability, accessibility, diversity, and 

quality of park facilities, services, and appropriate recreational opportunities (Service 

Mission Goal IIa). 

• Park visitors and the general public understand and appreciate the preservation of the 

park and its resources for this and future generations (Service Mission Goals IIIa). 

• Through partnerships with other federal, state, and local agencies and non-profit 

organizations, Great Falls Park contributes to a nationwide system of parks, open spaces, 

rivers, and trails and provides educational, recreational, and conservation benefits for 

the American people (Service Mission Goal IIIb). 

• The NPS uses current management practices, systems, and technologies to accomplish 

its mission at Great Falls Park (Service Mission Goal IVa). 

• The NPS increases its managerial capabilities and support from other agencies, 

organizations and individuals (Service Mission Goal IVb). 

1.4.4 Special Mandates 

Similar to all other NPS units, management of Great Falls Park is guided by numerous 

congressional acts and executive orders, in addition to the enabling legislation (CapperCramton Act). Some of these laws and executive orders are primarily focused on units of the 

National Park System. These include the 1916 Organic Act creating the NPS, the General 

Authorities Act of 1970, and the Act of March 27, 1978 relating to the management of the 

National Park System. Others have a broader application, such as the Endangered Species Act 

of 1973, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended, and Executive Order 11990 

addressing the protection of wetlands. 

Mandates that either specifically address the park, including the establishing legislation, or are 

applicable to national parks in the region include the following: 
PURPOSE & NEED 

1.13 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

• Public Law 69-158 (June 6, 1924) provided for a comprehensive development of the park 

and playground system of the Nation’s capital. The law constituted the National Capital 

Park Commission to “prevent pollution of Rock Creek and the Potomac and Anacostia 

Rivers, to preserve forests and natural scenery in and about Washington, and to provide 

for the comprehensive systematic, and continuous development of the park, parkway, 

and playground system of the National Capital.” 

• The Capper-Cramton Act of May 29, 1930, as amended, provided for the acquisition, 

establishment, and development of the George Washington Memorial Parkway 

(GWMP) “to include the shores of the Potomac, and adjacent lands from Mount Vernon 

to a point above Great Falls on the Virginia side except within the City of Alexandria ... 

and including the protection and preservation of the natural scenery of the Gorge and 

the Great Falls of the Potomac, the preservation of the historic Patowmack Canal ...”. 

The Act also provided for the acquisition of lands in the District of Columbia and the 

States of Maryland and Virginia requisite to the comprehensive park, parkway, and 

playground system of the Nation’s capital (in specific fulfillment of the 1924 National 

Capital Park Commission Act). 

• Public Law 89-255 (October 10, 1965) authorized the Secretary of the Interior to acquire 

783.6 acres of land in the Great Falls area of Virginia from the Potomac Electric Power 

Company (PEPCO) in exchange for 391 acres of NPS land in Blue Ponds in Prince 

George’s County, Maryland, and a sum not to exceed $1,000,000 from appropriated 

funds to make up the difference in value of the two properties. The law also provided 

that the Secretary could accept title to approximately 16 acres of land owned by the 

Fairfax County Park Authority in Virginia. 

• National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 (NPRA, 16 USC Sec 1, note 92 stat 3467) which 

requires the National Park Service to prepare and revise general management plans in a 

timely manner for each unit. 

1.4.5 Servicewide Laws and Policies 

The NPS has also established policies for all units under its stewardship. These are identified 

and explained in the NPS guidance manual entitled Management Policies (2006 edition). These 

policies are derived from existing laws, proclamations, executive orders, and regulations that 

govern NPS resources. Compliance with management policies are further supplemented by 

specific Director’s Orders (DO), which serve as interim updates or amendments, as well as serve 

as a vehicle to clarify the management policies. Compliance with these management policies are 

summarized in Table 1.1 – National Park Management Policies and Conditions to be Achieved: 
CHAPTER 1 

GREAT FALLS PARK, VIRGINIA y FINAL GMP/EIS 1.14

Table 1.1 – National Park Service Management Policies and Conditions to be Achieved 

 

TOPIC 

 

CONDITIONS TO BE ACHIEVED – 

REQUIRED BY CURRENT LAWS AND POLICIES 

 

Natural 

Resources 

Preserve the natural resources, processes, systems, and values of units of the National Park 

System in an unimpaired condition, to perpetuate their inherent integrity and to provide 

present and future generations with the opportunity to enjoy and learn about them. 

Identify natural resources, processes, systems, and values found in parks to include: 

physical resources such as water, air, soils, topographic features, geologic features, etc; 

physical processes such as weather and erosion; biological resources such as native plants, 

animals and communities; biological processes such as photosynthesis, succession and 

evolution; ecosystems; and highly valued associated characteristics such as scenic views. 

Manage exotic species that could potentially have a substantial adverse impact on park 

resources and whenever possible intervene to protect and increase native species. 

Cultural 

Resources 

Preserve and foster appreciation of the cultural resources in its custody, and demonstrate 

respect for the peoples traditionally associated with those resources, through appropriate 

programs or research, planning, and stewardship.

Interpretation 

and Education 

Instill in park visitors an understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the significance of 

parks and their resources. Interpretive and educational programs encourage the 

development of a personal stewardship ethic, and broaden public support for preserving 

park resources by forging a connection between park resources, visitors, the community, 

and park management.

Use of the Park Promote and regulate appropriate use of the parks, and provide the services necessary to 

meet the basic needs of park visitors and to achieve each park’s mission....taken together, 

the 1916 Organic Act and the 1970 General Authorities Act, as amended, impose on NPS 

managers a strict mandate to protect park resources and values, and a responsibility to 

actively manage all park uses and, when necessary, to regulate their amount, kind, time, 

and place. 

Park Facilities Provide visitor and administrative facilities that are necessary, appropriate, and consistent 

with the conservation of park resources and values. Facilities will be harmonious with park 

resources, compatible with natural processes, aesthetically pleasing, functional, energyand water- efficient, cost-effective, universally designed, and as welcoming as possible to 

all segments of the population. Park facilities and operations demonstrate environmental 

leadership by incorporating sustainable practices to the maximum extent practicable in 

planning, design, siting, construction, and maintenance. 

Commercial 

Visitor Services 

Provide, through the use of concession contracts, commercial visitor services within parks 

that are necessary and appropriate for visitor use and enjoyment. Concession operations 

protect park resources and values and demonstrate sound environmental management 

and stewardship. 

Air Quality Perpetuate the best possible air quality in parks to (1) preserve natural resources and 

systems; (2) preserve cultural resources; and (3) sustain visitor enjoyment, human health, 

and scenic vistas. 

Soundscape Preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the natural soundscapes of parks. Natural 

soundscapes exist in the absence of human-caused sound and are the aggregate of all the 

natural sounds that occur in parks, together with the physical capacity for transmitting 

natural sounds. 
PURPOSE & NEED 

1.15 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 

The following Director’s Orders (DO) provide additional guidance on the management of NPS 

resources: 

• DO-15 (Wireless Communication) • DO-77 (Natural Resource Protection) 

• DO-18 (Wildland Fire Management) • DO-77-1 (Wetland Protection) 

• DO-21 (Donations & Fundraising) • DO-77-2 (Floodplain Management) 

• DO-22 (Fee Collection) • DO-77-8 (Endangered Species) 

• DO-28 (Cultural Resource Management) • DO-80 (Facility Management Program) 

• DO-42 (Accessibility for Park Visitors) • DO-81 (Maintenance Management Program) 

• DO-50C (Visitor Safety) • DO-87B (Alternative Transportation Systems) 

• DO-52C (Park Signage) • DO-87D (Non-NPS Roads) 

1.5 RESOURCES POTENTIALLY AT RISK 

 

Specific resources and values, called impact topics, were used to focus the planning process and 

the assessment of potential consequences of the alternatives. The criteria used to identify these 

impact topics include the following: 

y Resources cited in the establishing legislation for the park; 

y Resources critical to maintaining the significance and character of the park; 

y Resources recognized as important by laws or regulations; and 

y Values of concern to the public during scoping for the plan. 

The following impact topics were identified based on these four criteria (above) and are 

assessed in Chapters 3 and 4 of this document: 

y Land use including socio-economic conditions: the park is proximate to established 

residential areas as well as other parks in the area. During scoping, the influence of the 

park’s decisions on surrounding land uses was identified as an important issue. 

 

y Cultural resources including archaeological, historical, and visual resources: the park 

possesses cultural resources that are considered exceptional and are protected by 

various legislative, executive, and NPS mandates. These resources include the 

Patowmack Canal (that is identified for preservation in the park’s establishing 

legislation), the associated cultural landscape including Matildaville and other structural 

ruins from the period of the canal’s construction, and petroglyph sites believed to be 

attributable to prehistoric American Indians. 

y Natural environment including geophysical resources, water resources, biological 

resources, air quality, and noise: the park possesses valuable natural resources that are 

more pronounced given its location in an urbanized metropolitan area. Some of these 

resources, including a section of the Potomac Gorge, the presence of rare plants, 

animals, and biological communities, and the park's location within the Potomac River 

watershed, are critical to maintaining the significance and character of the park. 
CHAPTER 1 

GREAT FALLS PARK, VIRGINIA y FINAL GMP/EIS 1.16

y Visitor Experience: the park offers a variety of recreational experiences that were 

determined to be of great value during the public participation process. These include 

the spectacular scenic view of the Great Falls that contributes to the significance and 

character of the park. 

y Transportation resources including traffic and parking conditions: Old Dominion Drive 

is the only vehicular access roadway to the park. During scoping, residents from 

adjacent neighborhoods identified concerns with establishing additional access ways to 

the park through secondary neighborhood roads. 

y Site utilities including water, sewer, and electricity: the park contains several structures 

served by existing utilities that have the potential to be impacted by proposed 

improvements. 

1.6 OTHER PROJECTS IN THE AREA 

 

This section identifies other projects or actions in the area that could have an additive or 

cumulative impact on environmental resources, when considered together with the proposed 

alternatives in this plan. The cumulative impacts of these are discussed in the environmental 

consequences section in Chapter 4 of this document. These projects are as follows: 

y Cross County Trail (CCT) – the existing Cross County Trail, which runs along Difficult 

Run in the east-west direction, connects the park to areas to the west. The Fairfax 

County Park Authority has undertaken efforts to improve and extend this trail for a 

distance of 40 miles between the Potomac and Occoquan Rivers. 

y Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHNST) – Potomac Heritage National Scenic 

Trail is a proposed national trail that would extend through Virginia, Washington D.C., 

Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Preliminary studies identify the route of the trail along 

Georgetown Pike as it approaches the park from the south. PHNST is then anticipated 

to use existing trails within the park to connect to Riverbend Park to the north. 

y Georgetown Pike Trail (GPT) – the proposed Georgetown Pike Trail is planned along 

Georgetown Pike from the Great Falls Village Center to the park.