Three Sisters, River islands in Potomac River, Washington D.C., US
Three Sisters are three small rocky outcrops rising from the Potomac River, just west of Key Bridge in Washington, D.C. They sit close together in the river and are made of layered stone that shows more or less above the waterline depending on the season.
John Smith noted these rocks during his travels up the Potomac in the early 17th century, and they became a reference point for river navigation. A highway bridge was planned to cross right next to them in the 1960s, but the project was abandoned after strong local opposition.
The islands are tied to an Algonquian legend in which three sisters turned to stone while trying to save their brothers from the river. Visitors who see the rocks from the shore often find the story hard to forget.
The rocks are easy to spot from the shore near Key Bridge, but reaching them requires a kayak or paddleboard. Water levels change a lot by season, so it is worth checking conditions before heading out on the river.
The section of the Potomac around these rocks is among the deepest along the river's course through the city, carved out by stronger currents that pull away sediment from the riverbed. This makes the water rougher than it looks from the bank, which is something many first-time visitors do not expect.
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