Posted in Washington October 23, 2020 by

This Railroad Hike In Washington Was Named One Of The Scariest Haunted Hiking Trails In The U.S.

Washington certainly has its share of paranormal activity. However, a haunted hiking trail may seem like a bit of a stretch… at least, at first. But recently, The Travel Channel put together a list of the Scariest Haunted Hiking Trails in the U.S., and we were not surprised to see the Iron Goat Trail on that list. Once you understand the tragic history behind this place, you’ll understand why hiking there often feels a little eerie.

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The Iron Goat Trail is a six-mile hike located in the Central Cascades, near Leavenworth.
Sam Barrett / alltrails.com
Despite its length, it's considered a fairly easy hike, and it's definitely scenic.
You'll walk along the old Great Northern railroad grade built over the Cascades in 1893.
Alicia David / alltrails.com
At the time of its construction, it was thought to be the best engineered of all the transcontinental railroads
Unfortunately, this is also the site of the single deadliest avalanche in U.S. history and one of the biggest tragedies ever to befall our state.
Christina Jahncke / alltrails.com
The Wellington Avalanche is an incredibly dark spot in our history.
For nine days at the end of February in 1910, the area was hit with a treacherous blizzard. A foot of snow was falling nearly every hour, with a whopping 11 feet falling in one day.
John Fortner / alltrails.com
During this unforeseen 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.
Early in the morning of March 1, the snow was replaced with rain and wind. Lightning struck just after 1 a.m., breaking a slab of snow loose.
Eric Gorskie / alltrails.com
A huge mass of snow half a mile long fell toward Wellington. The avalanche barreled into the railroad depot, sending the sleeping train passengers 150 feet downhill and into the Tye River valley.
This horrible accident claimed the lives of 96 people.
Tim Benjamin / alltrails.com
The 23 survivors were pulled from the wreckage by railroad employees who were able to rush over and help. But sadly, the snow didn't let up for quite awhile, and it took even longer to fully melt. Most of the bodies from the accident weren't retrieved until July of that year.
Some hikers have reported hearing screams and other sounds inside the trail tunnel, sounds that don't belong there.
Andrea Snyder / alltrails.com
Some have even seen full-on apparitions, felt as if hands were touching them, or felt their hair standing on end for no apparent reason.

The Iron Goat Trail is a beautiful, relaxing hike. Just be aware that you may end up seeing (or hearing) a little more than you bargained for.

Address: Iron Goat Trail, Leavenworth, WA 98826, USA