Start of Section A
Here the trail leaves the towpath for the rocks of Bear Island
The story
Here the Billy Goat Trail leaves the towpath and heads for the river. A billy goat is a male goat, and from here on you’ll be scrambling over rocks like one. The trail was laid out in 1919. It has three sections: A, B and C. Section A is the hardest and the most popular. It crosses Bear Island, between the canal and the Potomac. The National Park Service calls the island one of the most biologically diverse places in the country: the terrain and regular floods have created rare and fragile habitats here. Follow the blue blazes on the rocks and stay on the trail.
Visiting
Hike one way only, downstream, to the south. Halfway along, the Exit Trail leads back to the towpath if you want to cut the hike short.
On the trail
- Billy Goat Trail, Section A — 3.7 miles (6 km), loop, 2–3 h on the rocks, plus about 40 min on the towpath
Sources
- National Park Service — Billy Goat Trail, Section A (1.75 miles one way, 2–3 h, technical and strenuous; flood closures; over 400 rescues a year)
- National Park Service — Great Falls hiking trails map with descriptions: a 3.7-mile loop via the towpath, Bear Island, park regulations
- Wikipedia (EN) — Billy Goat Trail: three sections, laid out in 1919
This text was written by AI from open sources. An expert will still check it. Found a mistake? Write to us. Support
