The Haunted Hike In Ohio That Will Send You Running For The Hills

Did you know that Southern Ohio was once home to multiple railroad tunnels? Though many have deteriorated or been filled in for safety reasons, a few remain—one of which is infamously known for the hauntings associated with it. Today, you can explore this haunted railroad tunnel via the Moonville Rail Trail in McArthur, Ohio.

Stretching across Vinton County and ending in Athens County is a historic rail trail that's still in its developing stages.

It's a rare piece of living history you can explore that serves as a reminder of the long-lost coal mining town days of Ohio.

Along the Moonville Rail Trail, you'll find the infamous Moonville Tunnel and what's left of its surrounding ghost town.

For a more detailed map of the Moonville Rail Trail, click here.

The abandoned coal mining town of Moonville near Brown Township was founded in 1856, when the Marietta and Cincinnati railroad ran through the area’s woods.

At its peak, the town was home to about 100 miners and their families.

One structure of the town that remains today is the Moonville Tunnel, a haunted tunnel where legend has it the ghost of a man who was killed instantly by a train passing through the tunnel wanders along the track bed near the old tunnel at night.

In 1856, the railroad was the only route to Moonville. Throughout the years, many people have died near the tunnel and train tracks. Because the tunnel was so narrow, it was not possible for pedestrians to walk alongside the tracks in the tunnel while a train was passing through—which resulted in numerous deaths.

A few piers just outside of the tunnel along Raccoon Creek also remain.

The railroad once ran along a bridge over top of them—a bridge which created another accident-prone area where multiple people died over the years as well, according to local legend.

Today, little remains of Moonville and its abandoned surroundings. Trains passed through the area until the mid-1980s, even though the last family left the town in the mid-1940s.

If you take this trail, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for ghosts!

You'll find the Moonville Tunnel Trailhead here. For more information about the Moonville Rail Trail, click here. Have you ever hiked this trail before? If so, did you have any spooky encounters? Share your photos and stories with us!