These 7 Trails Around Washington DC Will Lead You To Extraordinary Ruins

The Goldmine Loop Trail is a 2.5 mile trail in Montgomery, MD, just outside of DC. If you take the detour on the trailed marked with yellow blazes, you will reach the Maryland Mine ruins. Gold was processed there from 1867 to 1839.

Hidden in Rock Creek Park off a hiking trail is the remains of parts of the Capitol building. Known as the "Capitol Stoneyard," the area is visible from the hiking trail and there are no fences blocking the ruins. So anyone can stroll over and examine the old stones that were once a part of the most famous buildings in the district. The location is "technically" supposed to be a secret but you can find it on Google Earth. We recommend entering the park near the Militar Road/Oregon Avenue entrance.

Seneca Quarry, located in Seneca in Maryland is a historic site with some of the coolest ruins in the area. The Seneca Quarry is best known for producing the red sandstone that was used for the Smithsonian castle.

Inside of Hemlock Overlook Regional Park in Clifton, VA, you can explore eight different hiking and horseback riding trails. We recommend following the Bull Run/Occoquan Trail to see the ruins of Virginia’s first hydroelectric dam.

The Fort Foote Civil War Ruins hike is a 1.7 loop near Fort Washington Maryland. Perfect for Civil War buffs, you can see civil war bunkers and cannons along the route.

Located in Harpers Ferry, this trail offers beautiful views of the charming town and you can see ruins of St. John’s Episcopal Church, which was damaged during the Civil War and abandoned in 1895.

Scott’s Run is known for it’s gorgeous waterfall but did you also know you can see ruins of an old historic home there? Take the wooden stairs that lead up to the Burling House Ruins, where Edward Burling, who owned much of the land that is Scott’s Run, lived.