Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Horseshoe Bend at Great Falls – Great Falls Overlook loop from Congressional Country Club

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Horseshoe Bend at Great Falls – Great Falls Overlook loop from Congressional Country Club

Easy

3.1

(7)

riders

Horseshoe Bend at Great Falls – Great Falls Overlook loop from Congressional Country Club

01:47

24.2km

130m

Cycling

Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: April 21, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Cabin John Stream Valley Park

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

7.58 km

Great Falls

Highlight • Waterfall

Enjoy easy access to the Great Falls, a popular destination for photographers, hikers, and expert kayakers. Though not exceptionally tall, the falls surge with force as the Potomac River carves through ancient, metamorphic rock.

Tip by

9.77 km

Widewater

Highlight • Lake

As you ride onto the wide canal bend, you’re met with serene water views—Widewater is a beautiful lake that serves as habitat for many bird and wildlife species. It’s an …

Tip by

10.4 km

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Lake

11.3 km

Great Falls Park on the C&O Trail

Highlight • Waterfall

Located at mile 14.3 on the C&O Canal Towpath in Potomac, Maryland, Great Falls Park is a must-visit highlight for hikers, cyclists, and history buffs alike. A short boardwalk leads …

Tip by

11.5 km

Horseshoe Bend at Great Falls

Highlight • River

Great Falls has a scenic Horseshoe Bend where the river curves in a horseshoe shape around a rocky outcrop. It's a nice spot to stop for photos on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail.

Tip by

11.8 km

Start of the Great Falls Foot Trail

Highlight • Trail

The Great Falls of the Potomac is a place with various rapids and small falls in the Potomac. The place marked here may only be entered on foot. Bicycles and dogs 😜 must stay outside.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

11.9 km

Great Falls Overlook

Highlight • Viewpoint

This is a spectacular waterfall on the Potomac River. Water gushes over a series of jagged rocks and flows through the Mather Gorge.

Tip by

12.4 km

Washington Aqueduct Observation Platform

Highlight • Viewpoint

Washington Aqueduct was constructed back in the mid-1800s by the Army Corps of Engineers to provide water to Washington, D.C., and is still used today. The observation platform for the …

Tip by

13.7 km

Lock 15 and View of the Potomac River

Highlight • River

Lock 15 marks the beginning of the "Six Locks" series, which raises the canal 50 feet past Great Falls. Built from red sandstone boulders transported from Seneca, these locks differ …

Tip by

24.2 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

14.4 km

9.75 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

11.4 km

9.75 km

3.06 km

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Today

Tuesday 12 May

22°C

5°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 11.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Nearby routes

Moderate

4.7

289

Custis, Washington-Old Dominion, and Mount Vernon Trail Loop

02:00h

33.2km

190m

Easy

5.0

Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

00:26h

7.23km

20m

Moderate

4.8

269

Rock Creek and Capital Crescent Trail Loop

02:17h

36.5km

190m

Easy

4.5

201

Mount Vernon Trail

01:49h

30.3km

120m

Moderate

4.5

Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail

03:51h

65.7km

350m

Easy

4.8

105

Washington & Old Dominion Trail

01:29h

25.4km

140m

Moderate

1.0

Needwood Loop

02:39h

31.2km

160m

Moderate

2.5

Upper Potomac River Loop around northwest of Washington, D.C.

01:44h

26.7km

340m

Moderate

5.0

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath

04:42h

62.8km

90m

Moderate

3.7

Washington, Alexandria & Arlington loop

02:55h

48.9km

290m

Moderate

4.5

Alexandria Loop

01:37h

26.4km

180m

Moderate

5.0

Fairfax County Parkway Trail

02:22h

40.4km

250m

Horseshoe Bend at Great Falls – Great Falls Overlook loop from Congressional Country Club

Great Falls

Widewater

Great Falls Park on the C&O Trail

Horseshoe Bend at Great Falls

Start of the Great Falls Foot Trail

Great Falls Overlook

Washington Aqueduct Observation Platform

Lock 15 and View of the Potomac River

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️