District of Columbia

Waterfalls Near Washington, D.C., DC

5 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Washington, D.C., 1 of them inside 10 miles. The nearest is Little Falls, 5.1 miles northwest of town. Great Falls earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.8 stars from 623 Google reviews). Most of the falls are northwest of Washington, D.C.. The list includes falls across the line in Maryland.

Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.

Photo of Great Falls in Montgomery County, Maryland
Pictured: Great Falls, MD

Best Waterfalls Near Washington, D.C. at a Glance

Photo of Little Falls near Washington, D.C., DC
Closest

Little Falls

5.1 miles northwest of Washington, D.C..

Photo of Great Falls near Potomac, MD
Highest rated

Great Falls

4.8 stars from 623 Google reviews.

7 Waterfalls Near Washington, D.C., Ranked by Distance

  1. Little Falls

    Washington, D.C., DC · District of Columbia County · 5.1 mi northwest of Washington, D.C.
    4.8 (9 reviews)

    Little Falls is the closest named waterfall to Washington, D.C., 5.1 miles to the northwest in District of Columbia County. It ranks 5th for review count among waterfalls near Washington, D.C.. Small area of rapids in the Potomac River viewable from the nearby Chain Bridge.

    Rating
    4.8 (9 Google reviews)
    Address
    Washington, DC 20016
    View details Directions

  2. Stubblefield Falls

    Potomac, MD · Montgomery County · 10 mi northwest of Washington, D.C.
    4.4 (11 reviews)

    Stubblefield Falls lies 10 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. in Montgomery County, number 2 of 7 by distance. It ranks 4th for review count among waterfalls near Washington, D.C.. Its own nearest town is Potomac.

    Rating
    4.4 (11 Google reviews)
    Address
    Potomac, MD 20854
    View details Directions

  3. Yellow Falls

    Potomac, MD · Montgomery County · 11 mi northwest of Washington, D.C.
    4.0 (4 reviews)

    Yellow Falls lies 11 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. in Montgomery County, number 3 of 7 by distance. It ranks 6th for review count among waterfalls near Washington, D.C.. Its own nearest town is Potomac.

    Rating
    4.0 (4 Google reviews)
    Address
    Potomac, MD 20854
    View details Directions

  4. The Spout

    Potomac, MD · Montgomery County · 14 mi northwest of Washington, D.C.
    5.0 (1 reviews)

    The Spout lies 14 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. in Montgomery County, number 4 of 7 by distance. It ranks 7th for review count among waterfalls near Washington, D.C.. Its own nearest town is Potomac.

    Rating
    5.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Potomac, MD 20854
    View details Directions

  5. Great Falls

    Potomac, MD · Montgomery County · 14 mi northwest of Washington, D.C.
    4.8 (623 reviews)

    Great Falls lies 14 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. in Montgomery County, number 5 of 7 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Washington, D.C.. Stretch of powerful rapids & waterfalls on the Potomac River, with hiking trails nearby.

    Rating
    4.8 (623 Google reviews)
    Address
    Potomac, MD 20854
    View details Directions

  6. The Cascade

    Myersville, MD · Frederick County · 50 mi northwest of Washington, D.C.
    3.0 (26 reviews)

    The Cascade lies 50 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. in Frederick County, number 6 of 7 by distance. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Washington, D.C.. Its own nearest town is Myersville.

    Rating
    3.0 (26 Google reviews)
    Address
    Frederick County, MD 21773 (GPS 39.5174, -77.5248)
    View details Directions

  7. Cunningham Falls

    Thurmont, MD · Frederick County · 56 mi northwest of Washington, D.C.
    4.3 (61 reviews)

    Cunningham Falls lies 56 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. in Frederick County, number 7 of 7 by distance. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Washington, D.C.. Its own nearest town is Thurmont.

    Rating
    4.3 (61 Google reviews)
    Address
    Frederick County, MD 21783 (GPS 39.6315, -77.4714)
    View details Directions

Where the Waterfalls Are

By direction from Washington, D.C.: 5 to the northwest. They are spread across Montgomery County (4) and District of Columbia County (1). The average distance is 10.6 miles.

By Distance

Within 10 miles of Washington, D.C.

Little Falls (5.1 mi)

10 to 20 miles of Washington, D.C.

Stubblefield Falls (10 mi), Yellow Falls (11 mi), The Spout (14 mi), Great Falls (14 mi)

Waterfalls Near Washington, D.C.: FAQs

How many waterfalls are near Washington, D.C., DC?

5 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Washington, D.C.: 1 within 10 miles, 4 10 to 20 miles, 0 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.

What is the closest waterfall to Washington, D.C.?

Little Falls in District of Columbia County is the closest, about 5.1 miles northwest of Washington, D.C..

What is the best-rated waterfall near Washington, D.C.?

Great Falls has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.8 stars from 623 Google reviews.

Which counties are the waterfalls near Washington, D.C. in?

Montgomery County (4) and District of Columbia County (1).

How does Washington, D.C. compare with other District of Columbia towns?

Washington, D.C. ranks 1st of the 1 District of Columbia towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.