Hike to the Mouth of the Little Falls Branch
stop one: hike begins
You are about to begin a 5-mile round trip hike to the Potomac River to find the mouth of the Little Falls Branch. This hike will take you along the Little Falls Hiker/Biker trail until it reaches MacArthur Blvd. You’ll then cross MacArthur Blvd and walk through the Brookmont Neighborhood. From there, you will cross over the Clara Barton Parkway to the C&O Canal at Lock 5. From Lock 5, it’s a short walk to where the Little Falls Branch passes under the Canal and then a scramble along the creek to the Potomac River. The route home just retraces your steps.
Let’s get started!
Head into the park from Massachusetts Ave and down the Hiker/Biker trail.
Did you know that . . .
The 160-acre Little Falls Stream Valley Park is a Capper-Cramton Park. In 1930, Congress enacted the Capper-Cramton Act to provide federal funds to acquire and protect land on both sides of the Potomac River as an integrated park and parkway system, Subsequent amendments to the act provided additional funds to develop a regional park and parkway system, and to acquire certain stream valley areas in the National Capital Region for natural resource protection including the Little Falls Stream Valley Park. Other Capper-Cramton Parks include Rock Creek Park, Cabin John Park, Oxon Run and Anacostia Park system further up the valley of the Anacostia River - Indian Creek, Paint Branch, Little Paint Branch, the Northwest Branch, and Sligo Creek. Today, more than 2,200 acres of stream valley parks in the National Capital Region were preserved and protected because of the Capper-Cramton Act. (Source: https://www.ncpc.gov/news/item/45/)
Little Falls Watershed Alliance was founded in 2008 as an environmental stewardship group committed to protecting and preserving this beautiful natural area for generations to come. You can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
stop two: First Pedestrian Bridge
Stop here at the intersection of several trails leading out of the park. If you cross the pedestrian bridge, you can go up the stairs to the Capital Crescent Trail. If you turn left, and head away from the creek, you will come to the Westmoreland Hills Park.
Did you know that . . .
A prominent structure in the 10.1-acre Westmoreland Hills Park is “Battery Bailey, a man-made hill constructed during the Civil War to support cannons aimed at protecting the reservoir of water for nearby Washington. This Civil War fortification was one of a series of forts, batteries and entrenchments constructed at half-mile intervals around Washington, DC. President Lincoln established the defensive perimeter of military works that was 34 miles in circumference. Its purpose was to defend the city from Confederate Army attacks.
“Battery Bailey is Montgomery County’s only remaining fortification. The C-shaped battery sits atop a north-facing hill, overlooking Little Falls Branch. It contained six ramparts, which were earth mounds with platforms for field guns. Embrasures, or openings in the parapets (earth walls), permitted firing of the weapons. Despite these features, there was no action at Battery Bailey during the Civil War. Therefore, the battery was unarmed and unmanned for its duration.
“The site was named for Col. Guilford Dudley Bailey of the First regiment New York artillery, who was killed on May 31, 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines.”
If you want to take a side trip up the hill, M-NCPPC restored the earthworks and interprets the site with a series of historical markers. (Source: https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/westmoreland-hills-local-park/battery-bailey/)
Little Falls Watershed Alliance was founded in 2008 as an environmental stewardship group committed to protecting and preserving this beautiful natural area for generations to come. You can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
stop three: Albemarle entrance to the park
You are approaching the Albemarle entrance to the park. After the entrance, the trail curves to the right and crosses the creek on a small pedestrian bridge.
After the bridge, the trail curves to the left and passes the Dalecarlia Reservoir on the left.
Did you know that . . .
Little Falls Watershed Alliance has a habitat restoration program in the Park. We work with community volunteers to remove non-native vines and shrubs that are crowding out and killing the native plants. This is a problem as native insects rely on native plants for food and shelter. They evolved with the native plants and cannot not eat the non-natives. So, while the area might look lush, it’s a food desert for insects.
You also passed three fenced areas that we created to exclude the deer. (There is one on your right as you approach the Albemarle entrance.) Deer prefer native plants and are also a problem for habitat restoration. By creating exclosures like this, we are able to study the effect of the deer population on the native plants. If you are interested in habitat restoration, please join us at one of our work days. You can also restore native habitat right in your yard by planting native plants. You’ll attract bees and butterflies and maybe even some bats. Song birds love native habitat too as they depend on caterpillars to feed their young.
Information about planting natives is HERE. Montgomery County and Washington DC have rebate programs for replacing your landscaping with natives.
Little Falls Watershed Alliance was founded in 2008 as an environmental stewardship group committed to protecting and preserving this beautiful natural area for generations to come. You can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
stop four: Dalecarlia Reservoir
Trail goes downhill and curves to the right to pass under the Capital Crescent Trail.
From the underpass, follow the trail to the left and head uphill where the trail makes a series of switchbacks.
After the switchbacks, and up a small hill, the trail ends at Sangamore Road/MacArthur Blvd.
Did you know that . . .
The Dalecarlia Reservoir is the primary storage basin for drinking water in Washington, D.C. It is fed by an underground aqueduct which in turn is fed by low dams that divert portions of the Potomac River near Great Falls and Little Falls. The 50-acre reservoir was completed in 1858 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Washington Aqueduct project. Initially the reservoir provided water to the city from the adjacent Little Falls Branch until the aqueduct construction was completed. Regular water service from the Potomac River source through the aqueduct commenced in 1864. The reservoir was modified in 1895 and 1935 to improve water quality and increase water supply. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalecarlia_Reservoir#cite_note-Ways_1996-4)
Little Falls Watershed Alliance was founded in 2008 as an environmental stewardship group committed to protecting and preserving this beautiful natural area for generations to come. You can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
STOP Five: Sangamore road
The Little Falls Hiker/Biker Trail ends here. After crossing MacArthur Blvd, you’ll head downhill into the Brookmont Neighborhood.
At the light, use the crosswalks to cross Sangamore Road and MacArthur Boulevard.
Turn right and follow the paved path as it dips down to the left, parallel to MacArthur Blvd, until you reach Maryland Avenue.
Turn left on Maryland Avenue to enter the neighborhood.
Did you know that . . .
You are still in the Little Falls watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all of the water that is under it, or drains off of it collects into the same place (the Little Falls Branch). It’s all the houses, roads, buildings, driveways, sidewalks as well as the parks and forests. Our watershed is 9.5 square miles and includes parts of Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Upper Northwest DC. All the water that flows from this area when it rains makes its way into the creek. That means that everything you do in our watershed affects the water quality of our creeks. The storm drain system ties directly into the creeks. So, if you wash your car and the soapy water runs into the street, it will go through the storm drains right into the creek. If your downspouts go the street, the rain water from your roof goes directly to the creek. If you over-fertilize your lawn, the excess fertilizer is washed to the creek when it rains. Dog poop left in the park or in the gutter is washed into the creek in a rain storm. Too much salt on the sidewalks and roads during a winter storm finds its way into the creek. Even a candy wrapper carelessly dropped on the sidewalk will wash into the creek. Since our creek flows to the Potomac River, which flows to the Chesapeake Bay, everything you do here effects the River and the Bay too. Click HERE for a map of the watershed.
Learn about the work the Little Falls Watershed is doing to protect our watershed HERE.
If you would like to help us help the watershed, you can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
Stop six: Brookmont
You are now going to walk through the quaint Brookmont neighborhood. Some of the streets don’t have sidewalks, so please be careful.
Follow the Maryland Avenue sidewalk to Broad Street and turn left. (Take the first road. The sign says “No Outlet”, but don’t worry, you can continue on a foot path.)
Make your way through the village green, bedecked with festive lights, until you reach Stop 7 (between houses on your left) where you'll be able to catch a glimpse of the creek again.
Did you know that . . .
The 180 home community of Brookmont was originally the home of Stilson Hutchins, founder of The Washington Post. He loved its incredible views of the Potomac River. The land was sold to a developer after Hutchins’ death, and in 1925, the community of Brookmont came into being. Today it is a favorite of world class canoers because of its proximity to the Potomac and the challenging Little Falls portion of the river. Two-time canoe slalom world champion, three-time Olympian, and boat designer Davey Hearn calls the neighborhood his home. Michael Corcoran, a slalom canoeist who represented Ireland in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, moved to Brookmont from Ireland to train with members of the U.S. team in 1988 and returned in 2003 to raise his family. (Source: https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-magazine/september-october-2009/the-people-of-brookmont/)
Little Falls Watershed Alliance was founded in 2008 as an environmental stewardship group committed to protecting and preserving this beautiful natural area for generations to come. You can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
stop seven: rest stop - admire the creek
You’ve gone almost 2 miles now, so take a break and look through the trees on your left to admire the creek far below as it winds its way toward the Potomac. The stream is hidden behind homes as we go through the neighborhood. You won't see it again until you reach the towpath.
Continue to follow Broad Street as it curves around to the right and then intersects with Ridge Drive.
Turn right on Ridge Drive and continue about 100 yards until you see the entrance to the foot path on your left. (The entrance is across the street from 6039 Ridge Drive.)
Did you know that . . .
There are fish, and frogs, and lots of macro-invertebrates living in the creek. The Little Falls Watershed Alliance has a stream monitoring team that checks the creek four times a year to census the tiny bugs under the water under rocks and on the bottom of the creek. Some of the critters they find are dragonfly larvae, mayfly larvae, crane fly larvae, sow bugs, leeches, planaria and aquatic worms. Counting the variety and numbers of these macro-invertebrates helps us determine the health of the creek. Unfortunately, the Little Falls Branch is in poor condition. Only pollution tolerant invertebrates are able to live there. To read about our monitoring program, the critters we find, and what you can do to help the stream health, click HERE.
If you are interested in searching for macro-invertebrates, click HERE to learn about our Creek Critter program.
Little Falls Watershed Alliance was founded in 2008 as an environmental stewardship group committed to protecting and preserving this beautiful natural area for generations to come. You can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
Stop eight: Footpath to the C&O Canal
Follow the footpath as it winds downhill and then crosses Clara Barton Parkway.
The spiral ramp will drop you onto a dirt (often muddy in the winter months) path, which you can follow toward a short bridge that crosses the canal at Lock 5.
Did you know that . . .
The C&O Canal which runs from Georgetown to Cumberland Maryland was once an active transportation link between the coalfields of the Allegheny Mountains and the urban markets at the upper reaches of the Chesapeake Bay. The “C” is for Chesapeake and the “O” is for Ohio.
Though construction began in 1828, the canal wasn’t completed until 1850, several years after the B&O Railroad had already reached Cumberland. The canal couldn’t compete with rail in terms of speed or capacity, and so it was nearly obsolete from the time of its opening. Only bulk commodities, like lumber, wheat and especially coal, ever depended to any large extent on the canal for access to markets. Nevertheless, the canal operated (with only occasional interruptions in the wake of especially devastating floods) until 1924 when a damaging flood destroyed it beyond repair. People continued to live in cabins and shanties along the canal for another 45 years, until the national park was established in 1971. Today, you can bike or hike the entire length of the canal stopping overnight at one of the many canal campsites. (Source: https://www.canaltrust.org/about-us/about-the-co-canal/history/)
Little Falls Watershed Alliance was founded in 2008 as an environmental stewardship group committed to protecting and preserving this beautiful natural area for generations to come. You can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
Stop Nine: LOCK FIVE
You have now arrived at Lock Five. You’re almost there. You can see the Potomac River. The creek is about a 1/4 mile down stream.
Take the short bridge across the canal and turn left onto the towpath.
Follow the towpath until you see a large concrete block to the left. You’ll see the stream there coming out from under the parkway.
Keep walking to the other side of the stream where you’ll see the Stop 10 sign and a path leading to the river.
Did you know that . . .
The Little Falls watershed is home to a great variety of songbirds, owls, hawks, falcons, woodpeckers, and more. There are also waterbirds like egrets spotted in the creek and by the river. Take a minute to listen as you walk down the tow path. Do you hear a woodpecker or a cardinal? How many birds can you spot? Click HERE to see how many birds our volunteers spotted during the yearly Great Christmas Bird Counts.
Little Falls Watershed Alliance was founded in 2008 as an environmental stewardship group committed to protecting and preserving this beautiful natural area for generations to come. You can support our work with a DONATION or join one of our community work days.
Stop ten: To the mouth of the Little Falls Branch
You made it. You found the Little Falls Branch! There is a dirt path on the right after you cross that takes you along the creek. The path peters out, so be prepared to scramble over rocks if you want to go all the way to the Potomac.
When you get the Potomac, please take care on the rocks and stay far away from the river's edge - the current is treacherous.
The tour ends here. Retrace the route to return to the starting spot on Mass Avenue. You can take an alternate route and skip the Brookmont neighborhood. See below.
Did you know that . . .
Little Falls is an area of rapids located where the Potomac River crosses the Atlantic Seaboard fall line. It is the first cataract, or barrier, to navigation encountered on the Potomac River when going upstream. It also marks the upstream edge of the tide line - below Little Falls, the river’s flow and level are influenced by the tide. It is named in contradistinction to Great Falls, about 5 miles further upstream.
Captain John Smith (1580–1631) of England was the first European to explore the Potomac as far as Little Falls. When he arrived there in 1608 he noted that "as for deer, buffaloes, bears and turkeys, the woods do swarm with them and the soil is extremely fertile."
The sole mission of the Little Falls Watershed Alliance is to protect the Little Falls Branch and surrounding natural areas. We hope you’ll join us in our stewardship by becoming a member HERE.
THROUGH THE WOODS: An Alternate return Route for the Adventurous.
Click for a map of an alternate return route between Stop 8 and Stop 4.
Follow the map to go off the paved trail and through the woods between Stop 8 (Ridge Drive in Brookmont) and Stop 4 (Capital Crescent Trail). Please note, this route traverses the woods along dirt paths and some places are rocky and steep so proper footwear and careful footing are a must. You’ll be rewarded for your care with stunning views from a narrow bridge, a glimpse of a hidden waterfall, and be transported back in time through an old train tunnel on the CCT.