90ish days of summer

On June 21, Jeff’s dad took us to Great Falls (National) Park.

The park is an 800-acre plot divided by the Potomac River. Most of the park is in Virginia, and that’s the side we stayed on.

Panorama of the Potomac from the second viewpoint on the Virginia side.

Let me tell you — Great Falls is the strangest national park I’ve ever been to.

As you may have read, Jeff, Esten and I visited four national parks and one state park this spring break, all of which were well west of the Mississippi River (Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas, Grand Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison and the Great Sand Dunes). So far this summer, I’ve been to three national parks east of the Mississippi: Wolf Trap, the Great Smokies, and now Great Falls.

(Note: The National Mall and other “national parks” within the D.C. metro area don’t count as national parks — not in my book, anyway.)

When we hopped out of the car at Great Falls, I immediately noticed picnic tables. And volleyball pits. And people barbecuing and playing Frisbee and walking their dogs.

It looked a lot more like a big neighborhood park than a national park.

I guess what I’m saying is, I’m used to national parks being something like this: Two-lane highway, visitors center, barren parking lot, more driving, then WHAM-BAM! Grand vistas and landscapes are within sight.

Granted, the spring break trip was in the West and still during the cold season. And granted, the Grand Canyon did not have a barren parking lot.

Still. Great Falls weirded me out a bit. I’m not saying that its recreational offerings are bad — just not what I’d become used to.

That said, the Potomac was pretty grand.

Panoramic view of the Potomac from the third viewpoint on the Virginia side.

Taken from the "Fishermans Eddy" -- not quite a sanctioned viewpoint, but not blocked-off, either. It's located between the second and third official viewpoints on the Virginia side.

As always, you can view more photos HERE.