Sunny October weekends in Ohio lead to adventures in exploring our great outdoors. Anxious to check another hike off our Ohio bucket list, we headed south to Vinton County to explore the Moonville Tunnel.
Moonville Tunnel History
The Moonville Tunnel is located in the Zaleski State Forest and is one of the last remaining structures from the village of Moonville. The village originally sprang up around the railroad and was home to mostly miners and railroad workers. It was founded in the mid-1850s and began to decline in the early 1900s.
According to the history published at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources site, the last family left Moonville in 1947. In addition to the train tunnel, only the cemetery and the foundation of a schoolhouse remain.
The Ghosts of Moonville Tunnel
A quick bit of research on the Moonville Tunnel identifies the spot as one of the most haunted in the state. In fact, the tracks surrounding the town of Moonville were the site of several train related deaths. According to several sites, the tunnel and a nearby trestle across Raccoon Creek was the only way in and out of the town. With a number of trains passing through daily, getting in and out of town proved to be a perilous endeaveor.
While I’m certainly not a ghost chaser, there is a significant amount of material available if you are interested in the legends. Most sites point to the stories of four separate ghosts: an engineer that was killed in a head on collision in the tunnel, a brakeman who feel from a train and was crushed, an older lady who appears and brings a faint scent of lavender, and the ghost of a man who was beaten to death.
A Short Hike
Our trip was in full daylight and although we visited on October 31, there was no sign of ghostly spirits. Instead, we were met with a small parking lot within view of the tunnel. There were other hikers, but it was far from crowded.
Just on the far side of the parking lot, a trestle bridge crosses Raccoon Creek and leads to a wide trail which continues through the tunnel. Though the tracks were removed in 1988, the trail follows the railway bed.
The tunnel itself is the star of the show. While it’s slightly overgrown and currently covered in bright, colorful graffiti, the tunnel allows you to step back in time. It’s difficult to imagine living in a town so isolated from the rest of the world. Even today, the area is fairly deep in the forest and far removed from modern conveniences.
Beyond the Tunnel
Following our walk through the tunnel, we continued nearly half a mile on the Moonville Rail Trail. Heading along the path, there are cliffs above and to the left in the distance. On the right of the path, the land slopes immediately downhill to a large flat area.
Before long we reached our end of the line. The trailway stops at Hewett Fork. The pylons, remnants of a railway bridge, are visible across the creek, but there is currently no bridge in place.
According to park information, crossing the water and continuing on the trail would eventually lead to another rail tunnel through the hillside at King’s Hollow Tunnel. Not wanting to cross the water and being advised that the next tunnel was a “considerable distance” meant our hike at Moonville was done.
It was a fairly easy hike. The trail was mostly wide and flat with no real elevation change. About 50 yards on the other side of the tunnel, the path had a considerable amount of large rocks. These were likely left over from the rail bed. They weren’t bothersome but might be a concern for some hikers.
A Picnic Lunch
Because the hike was a in an isolated area and also because we brought our dog, I had packed a lunch to enjoy in the car. We had all finger foods: pickle treats, veggie pizza, clementines, and chocolate chip cookies.
Exploring the Area
Afterward we did a little driving around the area. We took a quick trip through the parking lot at Lake Hope State Park. They have a lodge and we passed by a cluster of cabins, which looked nice for a future trip. I hopped out and shot a few quick pictures of the lake.
Though I’d never visited Lake Hope, I remember my dad telling me a story of the time he went skiing there just out of high school. Apparently, his class ring pulled off while he was water skiing and to this day resides at the bottom of the lake.
Later we took a drive to the Hope Furnace. The Furnace is a quick trip from the parking lot, but I will feature the spot in another article as the history behind the Furnace and it’s impact on American history is an interesting read.
Thanks again for FindingOhio with us. Remember to click over to Day Trips to check out more of our Ohio adventures. And, as always, thanks for sharing our content on social media.
