Living around Washington, D.C. means having access to many beautiful natural spots, like waterfalls just 30 minutes from the capital or the biggest caverns in the Northeast just a few hours away, and hundreds of stunning hiking trails.
Fortunately, some amazing wild swimming spots near D.C. are perfect for cooling down after a long summer hike.
While the hike may be hard, you might get tired along the way, there’s nothing more refreshing and rewarding than taking a dip at a stunning natural swimming spot!
The 78-foot-tall waterfall is the largest in Maryland. The water splashes down through a series of ledges and into a beautiful water pool at the bottom.
The waterfall can be reached through a half-mile trail through the park which also boasts a 44-acre lake and two swimming beaches.
Patapsco Valley State Park
At this 16,043-acre park in Maryland, you’ll find plenty of spots to go swimming.
You can swim almost anywhere along the 32 miles of the Patapsco River.
The deepest swimming holes are in the McKeldin north area off Route 32, west of Baltimore.
Note: Swimming is prohibited at all dams and whitewater rapids.
Devil’s Bathtub and Waterfall
Located in Ft. Blackmore, VA, the Devil’s Bathtub got its name because “it’s the only water cold enough to squelch the fires of hell”, according to locals.
The seems to max out at around 65 degrees even during hot summer days, making this crystal clear swimming pool along a modest hiking trail one of the premier wild swimming you can find if you’re willing to venture a bit further outside of the greater D.C. area!
Overall Run Falls
At 93 feet, Overall Runs has the tallest waterfall in Shenandoah National Park, Va.
The stream falls into a series of three beautiful swimming holes that can be reached after a “mildly” tiring 8.5-mile loop hike through the park.
Once you head into the natural pools you’ll find that the water is surprisingly chilly even during the hottest summer months.
The trail measures 9 miles and is peppered with six stunning waterfalls ranging from 35 to 86 feet and many smaller cascades.
Luckily for us, the waterfalls are spread out along the trail so you don’t have to do the whole trail in one sitting to get to them.
