Discover Potomac: Art, Nature, and History

Potomac offers several distinct themes to explore on a trip: modern and contemporary art, wooded landscapes rich in water, and trails with historic connections. These themes can help you shape your stay around the experiences that interest you.

Art, Architecture, and Nature at Glenstone

Glenstone is a museum of modern and contemporary art that offers an integrated experience of its collection, architecture, and natural surroundings. Here, art is connected to the built environment and the museum’s relationship with nature. Admission is free; check the current visitor procedures in advance. Among Potomac’s attractions, Glenstone offers a cultural focus, while the parks and trails foreground landscape and history.

Landscape and Civil War History at Blockhouse Point Conservation Park

Blockhouse Point Conservation Park includes old upland and floodplain forests, wetlands, streams, and river-rock outcrops. Visitors can explore more than seven miles of natural-surface hiking trails. Trail conditions may vary by season; check them before your visit. During the Civil War of 1861–1865, Union troops built three river-facing blockhouses in the park. From the fortified walls, they kept watch against raids by Confederate troops. Blockhouse Point thus brings together a variety of landscapes and a specific historical role.

The Muddy Branch Greenway Trail

The nine-mile Muddy Branch Greenway Trail passes through rocky upland forests, stream banks, meadows, and spring hollows, as well as the remains of mills built from clay. The landscape and mill remains give the trail its own character. Unlike the Civil War history of Blockhouse Point, this trail features traces of mill use. Parking and access to the Muddy Branch Greenway Trail are available at the Potomac Horse Center on Quince Orchard Road. Before setting out, check parking conditions, trail conditions, and any temporary closures.

Billy Goat Trail and Great Falls Tavern

The Billy Goat Trail is southeast of the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center in Potomac, Maryland. It consists of three sections totaling eight miles; each section begins and ends at the towpath. Section B is considered the best of the three for birdwatching, especially in spring. If birdwatching is a priority for you, this identifies both a specific section and a suitable time of year. Great Falls Tavern was a hotel for canal travelers starting in 1831. Today, the historic building serves as a visitor center. Its change in function from hotel to visitor center brings the canal’s history to life in a specific building.

Discover more destinations: Redland, Rockville, Ashton-Sandy Spring, Chevy Chase, Olney, Germantown, Wheaton-Glenmont, Boyds

View the overview of the wider region: Montgomery.