Posted in Washington Abandoned, Hiking, Nature January 24, 2023 by

The Creepiest Hike In Washington Takes You Through The Ruins Of An Abandoned Railroad Tunnel

You’ve heard about Washington’s many haunted hotels, haunted theaters, and creepy ghost towns. But did you know we also have a few haunted hiking trails? Sometimes when tragedy strikes, some eerie evidence can get left behind. We aren’t sure if the six-mile Iron Goat Trail is actually haunted, but it’s definitely creepy. And once you hear about the horrifying events that occurred here, you’ll understand why.

The Iron Goat Trail is located in the Central Cascades, not far from the small town of Skykomish.
Gary N Rochelle Taber / AllTrails
The trail itself is fairly easy to navigate, so if you're capable of walking six miles, the hike won't be a problem.
This is a gentle nature walk along the old Great Northern railroad grade built in 1893.
Gary N Rochelle Taber / AllTrails
At that time, it was considered the best engineered of the transcontinental railroads.
To enjoy this hike, you'll simply start out at the Martin Creek trailhead and follow the signs.
Gary N Rochelle Taber / AllTrails
You'll see other signs explaining the stories of the people that built the railway, so this is a great trail for history buffs.
But as beautiful as this area is, it has an extremely sinister history.
Kit Carrau / AllTrails
This is actually the site of the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history, the Wellington Avalanche, and one of the worst tragedies to ever happen in the Pacific Northwest.
In February of 1910, this area was hit with a treacherous blizzard that lasted for nine days. At one point, a foot of snow was falling nearly every hour, with a whopping 11 feet falling in one day.
Kit Carrau / AllTrails
During this blizzard, two trains were trapped at the Wellington Depot, an old train station on what is now the Iron Goat Trail in the now ghost town of Wellington.
In the wee hours of March 1, the snow was replaced with rain and wind. Lightning struck just after 1 a.m., breaking a big slab of snow loose.
Gary N Rochelle Taber / AllTrails
A huge mass of snow half a mile long fell toward Wellington, and an avalanche crashed into the railroad depot, sending the sleeping train passengers 150 feet downhill and into the Tye River Valley. 96 people died, and the 23 survivors were pulled from the wreckage by railroad employees who were able to get into the area and help. The weather made further rescue almost impossible.
Some people claim that if you hike the Iron Goat Trail, you can hear screams and other sounds inside the trail tunnel. A few have even spotted full-on apparitions.
Shelly Gibson / AllTrails
While these spooky happenings are definitely few and far between, it's something you might want to consider before hiking this trail.

But don't worry, if you travel the trail with plenty of daylight left you should be safe from any specters that haunt the area. Let's go on a hike on the Iron Goat Trail to see these fascinating ruins in this video from The Hungry Hiker:

If you are craving even more spooky hikes in WA like the Iron Goat Trail there are plenty more to be found. Have you discovered any trails that gave you a few stomach flutters while hiking in WA? Tell us all about them with a comment.

Were you aware that America’s deadliest avalanche happened right here in Washington?

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Address: Iron Goat Trailhead, Iron Goat Trail, Leavenworth, WA 98826, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center

More WA ghost stories and creepy hikes

January 29, 2023
Chris Muras

Are there any haunted places in Washington?

If you enjoy a good fright there are plenty of creepy places to be discovered in Washington. From hiking trails associated with tragic events to haunted houses, graveyards, and hotels - spirits linger in these places hoping to resolve some unfinished business. Here is a list of some haunted places in Washington with interesting stories to tell:

  • Mount Baker Theater, Bellingham, WA: Sometimes ghosts haunt a place even before tragedy strikes - such is the case with the Mount Baker Theater. Ever since it opened in 1927 people have heard strange noises, felt cold spots, and have even seen ghosts lingering after shows.
  • University Heights, Seattle, WA: Schools are creepy enough even without ghosts running the halls at night. It is believed a young boy who was a former student roams the halls. Tales of laughing children are also told.
  • Rucker Mansion, Everett, WA: The spine-tingling sound of a ghost piano laying can be heard in this old mansion owned by the Rucker family. It is said Mrs. Rucker leaped to her death from the bedroom window - she hasn't left since.
  • Northern State Mental Hospital, Sedro-Woolley, WA: Old abandoned mental hospitals are pretty much guaranteed to have ghosts lingering long after everyone else has left. Such is the case with Charlie, a Chinese immigrant from the early 1900s who wanders the premises after dying from suffocation hiding behind an old fireplace.
  • The Spruce Railroad Trail, Port Angeles, WA: A beautiful tranquil trail with a dark undercurrent that has some people pulling their jackets tight and running as fast as they can for a warming mug of cocoa. Hallie Latham Illingworth was murdered in 1937 by her husband and dumped in the lake - she wasn't found until 1940. And some say The Lady of The Lake has never left.