The mountains of South Carolina contain a treasure trove of hidden parks and preserves in which to get lost and reconnect with Mother Nature for a few hours. From Big Rock Mountain, the newest hot spot for serious hikers, located over in the Nine Times Preserve to more established parks like the one below that contains the only railroad tunnel in South Carolina, you’ll never run out beautiful and interesting of places to explore in the Palmetto State.
Found just eight miles north of the City of Walhalla, Stumphouse Park is filled with history, mystery, beauty, and intrigue.
This huge 440-acre park maintained by the City of Walhalla is a pristine wilderness that features a historic railroad tunnel, a waterfall, hiking trail, and bike park, as well as a section of the Palmetto Trail.
Walking into the tunnel and seeing the hand-picked sides gives an eerie sense of the scope of work in this massive undertaking — which, by the way, was never finished.
The Civil War initially brought a halt to the project, but a lack of funds after the war prevented it from being finished and the tunnel sat abandoned for decades after.
Incidentally, there are two more tunnels at Stumphouse Park, both from the same 1860s attempt to dig through the mountain. Both of them, however, are inaccessible.
After exploring the tunnel, check out some hiking trails. The Stumphouse Section of the Palmetto Trail (a statewide trail that runs from the mountains to the sea) is accessible from the park and winds through the huge property and past the Walhalla Reservoir.
Read more about the Native American folklore surrounding Issaqueena Falls in this previous article.
Finding Stumphouse Park is as easy as taking SC-28 north from Walhalla and looking for the big sign on the right side of the road at the entrance to Stumphouse Tunnel Road.
Have you visited this unique tunnel in South Carolina? We’d love to know!
Plenty of parking is available. Picnic tables and portable restrooms are on site. Admission is $5 per vehicle; City of Walhalla residents get in free. Learn more from this link on the city’s website.
