Gulf Branch is a
stream
A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long large streams ...
in
Arlington County
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
. From its source southwest of the Gulf Branch Nature Center, Gulf Branch flows on a northeastern course and empties into the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augu ...
within the Federal
park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. ...
lands of the
George Washington Memorial Parkway
The George Washington Memorial Parkway, colloquially the G.W. Parkway, is a parkway that runs along the south bank of the Potomac River from Mount Vernon, Virginia, northwest to McLean, Virginia, and is maintained by the National Park Service ( ...
. Gulf Branch is surrounded predominantly by forests.
Parks
*Gulf Branch Natural Area, Arlington County Parks and Recreation
*
George Washington Memorial Parkway
The George Washington Memorial Parkway, colloquially the G.W. Parkway, is a parkway that runs along the south bank of the Potomac River from Mount Vernon, Virginia, northwest to McLean, Virginia, and is maintained by the National Park Service ( ...
, US
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...
Attractions
*Gulf Branch Forge
*Robert Walker Log House
*Gulf Branch Pond
*Molly Ross Rising Relics, outdoor art display
*Gulf Branch Nature Center, features exhibits on local wildlife and local Native American history
*Potomac River Trail, parallel with the stream, begins across from the Gulf Branch Nature Center
*Potomac Palisades, includes a 30-foot drop in the stream just prior to its confluence with the Potomac
*Potomac Heritage Trail, perpendicular to the stream, crosses between the Palisades and the Potomac
*Gulf Branch Bouldering Area
Roadway crossings
*Military Road
*George Washington Memorial Parkway
Rock Climbing
A small climbing area with roughly 15 climbs is located at the mouth of the stream, where Gulf Branch feeds into the Potomac, near the Potomac Palisades
See also
*
List of rivers of Virginia
This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of Virginia.
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries, arranged in the order of their confluence from mouth to source, indented under each larger stream's na ...
Rivers of Virginia
Tributaries of the Potomac River
Rivers of Arlington County, Virginia
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