Mammals - Great Falls Park (U.S. National Park Service) (2024)
The most commonly seen mammals in Great Falls Park are whitetail deer, Eastern chipmunks, and gray squirrels. Deer are the largest mammals found in the park, and typically give birth to one or two fawns in the spring. Does leave their fawns in one place while they go in search of food. If you find a fawn curled up in the woods, leave it in place, its mother will return for her baby.
Red foxes prefer to den on slopes or underneath trees in the woods. They eat a variety of foods, including mice, rabbits, birds, berries, and seeds. Pups are typically born in March or April.
Coyotes are also found in Great Falls Park. Encountering a coyote is an unlikely event, due to their shy, reclusive nature. Coyotes are known for adapting to live in many different environments and have even been seen in Rock Creek Park, located in Washington D.C.. They will eat small mammals, carrion, berries, vegetation, and sometimes birds. Coyotes help control prey populations, especially rats, which are a favorite meal. They are most active in the evening and at night. Because of that, interactions between coyotes and people are rare. Any sightings within Great Falls Park should be reported to park staff.
If you walk on the river trail above the falls, look for signs of beaver activity. Their diet in the winter consists of bark, and hikers can see the remains of trees that the beavers have felled. Beavers here live in dens they have dug into the riverbank, instead of dams.
Nocturnal residents include raccoons, skunks, and North America's only marsupial, the opossum. Bats are active at dusk, and can be observed near the picnic areas and parking lots as they hunt mosquitoes and other insects.
All wildlife is protected in the park. Observe animals from a distance, and do not feed or attempt to touch an animal. If you see an animal acting strangely, contact a park ranger.
Native animals, such as whitetail deer, fox, box turtles, squirrels, coyotes, bats, and chipmunks also call this place home. A wide variety of plants, including several rare species, thrives in this environment.
Bears sightings have been reported over the years in multiple areas of Fairfax County including Annandale, Burke, Chantilly, Centreville, Clifton, Fairfax, Fairfax Station, Falls Church, Great Falls, Herndon, Lorton, Mclean, Oakton, Reston, Springfield, and Vienna.
For more information on fees and passes, visit Great Falls Park's Fees & Passes web page. The park is open each day (except Christmas Day) from 7:00 a.m. until dark. Swimming and the use of alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
Leashed pets are welcome on all park trails, parking lots, falls overlooks, and picnic areas. There are no off-leash areas in Great Falls Park. Owners must have physical control of the animal, using a six foot leash, at all times.
Bird feeders and other animal food: Simply remove bird feeders during April – November – bears are most active during this time of year. Natural bird food is plentiful, so birds should not have trouble finding enough food.
Remember, NO SWIMMING, NO WADING, keep your feet out of the river. Many people have died after entering the Potomac River Gorge, as-well-as slipping and falling in the river along the rocky shorelines in Great Falls Park. Fifty-one percent of all river related injuries in the Potomac River Gorge are fatal.
The drinking water used by the residents of Great Falls, Malmstrom Air Force Base (MAFB), and Black Eagle is sourced from the Missouri River and treated at our water treatment facility to make it safe to drink.
How many animals am I allowed to have? Unless you apply for and receive a multiple animal permit, you are limited to two dogs and two cats over four (4) months of age.
Wildlife to Watch: Woodland birds are common year round, including Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Wild Turkey, Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Pileated Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, and White-breasted Nuthatch.
With the construction of the dams and the installation of electric street lights, Great Falls became known as "The Electric City." This Electric City was home to the largest Opera House between Minneapolis and Spokane. A City of firsts for Montana, Great Falls had the first: Fire Bell.
Introduction: My name is Arielle Torp, I am a comfortable, kind, zealous, lovely, jolly, colorful, adventurous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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