Olmsted Island is named for Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr, a landscape architect and preservationist. Sitting in the middle of Great Falls, the island is often flooded by the Potomac River, sometimes entirely engulfing the island. The island is constantly changing as new seeds are washed in from upstream and debris piles are moved downstream. This creates one of the most biologically diverse habitats within the whole national park system. Please stay on the walkway to protect this fragile ecosystem.
