The Great Falls area is popular for outdoor activities such as kayaking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and hiking.

[2] The Falls themselves formed during the Last Glacial Period, about 35,000 years ago, when sea level most recently dropped, causing the Potomac to downcut its valley.

[2] The river cascades over a series of 20-foot (6.1 m) falls, dropping a total of 76 feet (23 m) in elevation over a distance of less than 1 mile (1.6 km).

[3] As sea level rises again, the power of the falls will be reduced due to a shorter vertical drop and likewise downcutting will slow down.

Heavy rain or snow in the watershed upstream causes white-water floods which entirely submerge the rocks and even threaten the adjacent park visitor center (built on stilts for this reason).