we're starting out in great falls maryland we're gonna go on the c&o canal today
we're gonna show you some roman like ruins gold mines and a spot that could be straight out of
the lord of the rings movie we're gonna show you some really cool stuff today let's go riding
we're on the c&o canal trail parked at great falls parking lot in maryland the trail is
gravel but very smooth this section is fairly wide maybe eight feet this place
could be straight out of lord of the rings movie it's so magical it's an awe-inspiring location
i think all you need is a castle to complete the look so this is the great falls tavern
inn that was built i think around the 1800s men and women could stay in their separate quarters
for 25 cents on the third floor the attic served as a honeymoon suite and it could be secured for
50 cents but you had to have a marriage certificate if you wanted to stay there
as mark twain said there's gold in them thar hills
so during the civil war there was a soldier that was stationed here in great falls
and he noticed gold in the waters so we started mining for gold and others followed there were 30
gold mines in this area let's go look for the mine and also let's go look for some gold what a pain
but this trail really isn't for bikes we need to find this gold mine and this is how you gotta do
trail markers they're blue okay here's the fork in the road this is one of the ditches where they
pan for gold right here i see gold i think that's a candy wrapper i mean it's winter time and it's
unbelievably beautiful there are said to be 150 bird species in this area you certainly
go birding in here this is lock 21 and it's got amenities so i guess that means heat and water
so you can stay here should be quite nice right off the trail and a gorgeous view of the potomac
okay the path is quite narrow here but you can see why it's about six feet wide
right now this is amazing that people have habited this area for nine thousand years
and this is where i was told that the owls hang out in the marsh after lost 22.
the roman like ruins we're gonna make a right here
there they are the roman lake ruins a lot of people have left their mark
on here it's very colorful this is where they cut the stones for the smithsonian castle in
washington dc oh my god what a trip the trail is very flat no hills quite beautiful lots of birds
we didn't see any owls but we saw ruins we saw a gold mine and just the scenery just
the potomac river great falls really reminds me of a lord of the rings movie hope to see you riding