October 10, 2024
Built between 1828 and 1850, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (C&O Canal) extends alongside the Potomac river for about 185 miles from Georgetown in Washington DC to Cumberland, Maryland. It was built to transport coal and other goods but quickly became obsolete with the advent of railroads. It is now used by hikers and bikers. On a beautiful Autumn day we joined our friends Sarah and Carrie and Carrie’s dog Oscar for a walk from Old Angler’s Inn in Potomac to Great Falls. It is a beautiful hike and along the way we saw herons and ducks and turtles, as well as views of the river that made you think that you could easily be out west or in New England.
Great Falls is a popular spot for expert kayakers like Sarah. She showed us the various falls and rapids that she and her friends run.
At the center of the next photo is the infamous Charlie’s hole. One of Sarah’s friends was dragged into it and tragically never seen again. As Sarah explained it, if a kayaker ends up going down between the two rocks at the center of the photo, they will probably never come out.
Mal and Lauren 