9 Stunning Natural Pools Near Washington, DC

Most Popular: Kilgore Falls

This swimming hole near Baltimore is so popular that you'll need to make reservations to visit on weekends and holidays. A half-mile walk along the Falling Branch Trail leads to a 17-foot waterfall and a splash pad for sitting, swimming, or standing under the cascade. Be careful if you decide to climb the rock walls to see the waterfall from above.

For more information, click here.

Best for families: Elizabeth Furnace/Buzzard Rock

Located near Front Royal, Virginia, Passage Creek winds through the forest and offers several small swimming holes. One of the most popular is next to Elizabeth Furnace Campground. It’s a wide, shallow section of the creek that’s perfect for families. Another local favorite is about 2.5 miles south on Fort Valley Road, where several swimming holes are located beneath the cliffs of Buzzard Rocks. There’s a rope swing in one of the swimming holes and a mini natural water slide in another. Look for cars parked along the road and you’ll be in the right place.

For more information and directions, click here and search for “Elizabeth Furnace”.

Best of Maryland: Patapsco Valley State Park

When it comes to cooling options, this Maryland park is way ahead of the game: Swimming is allowed on much of the 32-mile Patapsco River that runs through Patapsco Valley State Park. Anywhere you don’t see a dam or whitewater rapids (where swimming is prohibited), feel free to wade in the water. The deepest pools are in the McKeldin North area off Route 32, west of Baltimore. From Route 32, take the park exit (Route 851) onto River Road. Follow River Road south and park in one of the many lots along the way. The river runs parallel to the road, providing easy access to the sandy-bottomed creek.

For directions, use “River Road and MD 851, Sykesville, MD 21784” in your GPS. For more information, click here.

Dog-Friendly: Cabin John Local Park

If you don't mind swimming with dogs, or if you to want For swimming with your dog, Maryland's local Cabin John Park (just north of the one-lane bridge at 7401 MacArthur Boulevard) is a great place to get wet with or without fur. Locals often take their dogs there to cool off on Washington's overly hot summer days. From the parking lot, follow a short, steep trail to the creek's two wide, waist-deep sections of water.

For more information, click here.

The most beautiful falls: Cunningham Falls

Maryland’s largest waterfall isn’t just a sight to behold. It’s a place to cool off, or at least cool off. An easy 1.4-mile trail through Cunningham Falls State Park leads to the 80-foot-high cascade. (There’s a sign that says no climbing, but everyone seems to ignore it.) Below the falls is a waist-deep pool of water. On the rocks of the falls are several places to sit and feel the mountain water rush over your body. If you really want to swim, just across the parking lot from the falls is a 70-acre lake with three swimming beaches.

The park is located at 14039 Catoctin Hollow Rd., Thurmont, Md. For more information, click here.

Easiest to get to: Poolesville

Don’t have a pool membership? No problem. You can cool off in a small, shaded pool in Poolesville, Maryland. Located next to the Farm and Home Service Store on River Road, a section of Seneca Creek under a bridge is waist-deep and offers cool water for wading or sitting. Please do not park in the store’s parking lot; park along Old River Road. If you have your own kayak or canoe, you can extend your fun in the water at the boat launches at Seneca Creek Landing or at Riley’s Lock, across from the farm store on the Riley’s Lock Access Road.

The park is located at 16315 Old River Rd., Poolesville, Maryland.

The Greatest Adventure: Whiteoak Canyon

The 8-mile Whiteoak/Cedar Run loop hike in Shenandoah National Park can be a bit of a challenge on a hot summer day with its steep climb, long descent, and 2,500-foot elevation gain. However, if you’re up to the task, you’ll be rewarded with views of six waterfalls, several of which have splash pools for sitting, wading, and cooling off. Start the hike from the Lower White Oak Canyon parking lot, which is off Weakley Hollow Road.

An Easier Choice for Shenandoah National Park: Overall Route

In Shenandoah National Park, Overall Run not only features the park’s tallest waterfall at 92 feet, it also includes a series of three interconnected swimming holes perfect for wading, a smooth, sloping rock wall that functions as a natural waterslide, and large, flat boulders for sunbathing. The swimming holes are most easily accessed via a mile-long trail from the parking lot and Thompson Hollow Road. Note: The waterfall is not visible from the swimming holes, requiring a separate hike. And the waterfall is at its best in the spring, when the creek’s flow is high but it’s too cold to swim.

For more information, click here and search for “Global”.

DC's Gates Adventure: Dead Run

There are several spots along the Virginia side of the Potomac River north of Georgetown that seem ideal for swimming. Some of them even have rope swings. But it is illegal to swim in the Potomac near D.C., even from the Virginia coast.

However, a short hike along the Potomac River Heritage Trail from Turkey Run Park leads to Dead Run Falls. Here, you can swim in a couple of retention pools below the small waterfall. To reach the falls and pools, park in Turkey Run Park's C1 parking lot, off GW Parkway. From the lower end of the parking lot, look for the Potomac National Heritage Trail connector trail; you'll descend many stairs to the river and turn left (north) onto the Potomac Heritage Trail. After about 1.4 miles, you'll reach rocky Dead Run. Stay on the left side of the creek for easier access to the swimming holes. There's also a person-sized swimming hole where the trail crosses Dead Run. To return, simply retrace your steps. Don't attempt to complete the loop trail described on several hiking websites: both sides of the trail are washed out along Dead Run, and even if you manage to navigate the brush and scramble over rocks upstream, the remaining sections of the trail are confusing and include several deep, muddy ravines.