Billy Goat Trail is a 4.7-mile hiking route near Great Falls in Montgomery County, Maryland, between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River within Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. Created in 1919 by the YMCA Triangle Club, it consists of three separate sections linked by the canal towpath. Its most famous part, Section A on Bear Island, is a rugged 1.7-mile stretch with cliffside climbing above Mather Gorge and boulder scrambling, while Sections B and C are easier alternatives. Long popular near Washington, D.C., the trail is valued for dramatic river scenery and a range of hiking difficulty.