REI Names Great Falls Park One of Top River Parks in U.S.

REI — one of the nation’s largest outdoor equipment and apparel retail chains — published a list of its top river parks in the country, and showed some love to the commonwealth of Virginia in the process.

Among the six river parks REI singled out in a recent article on its blog is Great Falls Park along the Potomac River. Here’s what REI had to say about Great Falls Park in the blog post:

Just 15 miles from Washington, D.C., the Potomac River constricts through one of the most impressive gorges in the eastern U.S. Here this large-volume river blasts over multiple 20-foot waterfalls and complex rapids. There are numerous hiking trails, overlooks, and areas to explore along the banks, as well as conservation and education programs year round. For advanced kayakers, the falls themselves are the site of the yearly Great Falls Race, one of the most famous Class V kayak races in the country.

The blog also gave mention to the James River Park in Richmond, Virginia:

The James River Park is an entire system of trails and recreation areas encompassing more than 500 acres along the James River. On the water are numerous natural whitewater features — shoals, ledges and play-waves — and the area has excellent bike trails.

Take a look at the complete list of river parks featured in the blog:

• Great Falls Park, Potomac River, Washington, D.C.

• The James River Park System, Richmond, Virginia

• Buena Vista River Park / Salida Riverside Park, Arkansas River, Colorado

• Sweetwater Creek State Park, Atlanta, Georgia

• Truckee River Whitewater Park, Reno, Nevada

• Kelly’s Whitewater Park, Payette River, Idaho

For more information on Great Falls Park, visit the National Park Service’s website here.