Great Falls Park | RIDGE TRAIL, SWAMP TRAIL, AND OLD CARRIAGE ROAD

Ridge and Swamp Trail map

Ridge and Swamp Trail map


I hiked the Ridge Trail, Swamp Trail, and Old Carriage Road as part of a 6-mile loop hike around Great Falls Park. See the Hiking Trails web page for details. These trails make up the final segment of the hike. A link to the previous segment is located at the bottom of this trail review.


Length: 2 miles, one-way
Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: easy to moderately strenuous

The hike along the Ridge Trail picks up at the intersection with the River Trail at the southern end of Great Falls Park. Take a right on the Ridge Trail, leaving Mather Gorge behind as you head into the interior of the park. The Ridge Trail is a wide, gravel trail that is open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. The trail surface is fairly smooth and the terrain is slightly downhill. It is somewhat uneventful, particularly after hiking the River Trail, which I consider to be one of the best trails at any east coast National Park.

Typical terrain of the Ridge Trail in Great Falls Park

Typical terrain of the Ridge Trail in Great Falls Park

Two-tenths of a mile after turning onto the Ridge Trail is an unmarked intersection with a narrow foot path that veers sharply to the left. This is not on the map, so ignore it and continue on the much wider Ridge Trail.

What you are bound to notice by this point is that nearly all of the people have disappeared. The River Trail, on the other hand, is packed with hikers, and there is not a moment’s worth of solitude. Get away from the spectacular views and you are liable to find yourself all alone.

A tenth of a mile later is the intersection with the Old Carriage Road and Matilidaville Trail. This is confusing because the trail map makes it look like a simple four-way intersection, yet the Ridge Trail turns north and passes the Matilidaville Trail while running parallel to the Old Carriage Road for a hundred or so yards before curving left and dead ending into the road. Take a look at the following map to see the true layout.

Ridge Trail-Carriage Road intersection

Ridge Trail-Carriage Road intersection

If you want to save a few hundred yards, just before the Matildaville Trail intersection is a set of stairs on your left that lead down to the Old Carriage Road. This is a shortcut, and directly across the road is the continuation of the Ridge Trail. If you miss these stairs—I saw them but had no idea what they were at the time—you simply dead end into the Carriage Road farther north. If this is the case, take a left and walk back south until you see the Ridge Trail on your right.

The Ridge Trail in Great Falls Park picks up on the other side of the Old Carriage Road

The Ridge Trail in Great Falls Park picks up on the other side of the Old Carriage Road

From the intersection with the Old Carriage Road, the Ridge Trail climbs a short hill, then continues for another .2 mile over level terrain before coming to the intersection with the Swamp-Ridge Connector Trail. If following the route of my 6-mile loop hike, take a right at the intersection to begin the hike north towards the Great Falls Visitor Center. The Ridge Trail does continue straight for another .4 mile before dead ending into Old Dominion Drive.

Intersection of the Ridge Trail and the Swamp-Ridge Connector Trail at Great Falls Park in Virginia

Intersection of the Ridge Trail and the Swamp-Ridge Connector Trail at Great Falls Park in Virginia

The Swamp-Ridge Connector is quite hilly and moderately strenuous in difficulty. In the direction I was hiking, most of the terrain is downhill, and at points the trail gets so steep that it resorts to short switch-backs to help alleviate the difficulty of the descent (or ascent if you are coming the other way). Considering that the trail is heading towards a swamp—undoubtedly the lowest point on the landscape—the downhill hike is to be expected.

The extra work only lasts .3 mile before the connector trail ends at the Swamp Trail intersection. There is a directionals sign, and you’ll want to head in the direction of the Swamp Trail / Visitor Center, which is to the left. Heading straight takes you back to the Old Carriage Road.

Intersection of the Swamp-Ridge Connector Trail and the Swamp Trail at Great Falls Park in Virginia

Intersection of the Swamp-Ridge Connector Trail and the Swamp Trail at Great Falls Park in Virginia

There is a depression between the Swamp Trail and the Old Carriage Road that may fill with water during the rainy season, but it’s certainly not a swamp like in Georgia or Florida. All I could see was a lot of green vegetation. There wasn’t an alligator in sight.

Swamp along the Swamp Trail at Great Falls Park in Virginia

Swamp along the Swamp Trail at Great Falls Park in Virginia

The trail is full of rocks and roots, so be careful not to twist an ankle. It becomes so rocky that a visible trail disappears, but there is a swamp to your right and a rock cliff to your left, so it’s pretty obvious which way to proceed.

Rocky terrain along the Swamp Trail at Great Falls Park in Virginia

Rocky terrain along the Swamp Trail at Great Falls Park in Virginia

At 5.25 miles into the loop hike the Swamp Trail ends at the Old Carriage Road. Make a left and take this all the way back to the parking lot. There is a short downhill stretch, but once you come to the intersection with the Matildaville Trail everything flattens out and you’ll have an easy hike for the last three-quarter mile.

Old Carriage Road at Great Falls Park in Virginia

Old Carriage Road at Great Falls Park in Virginia


Previous Trail Segment: River Trail


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Last updated on January 16, 2025
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