Deep in Vinton County, about 40 minutes south of Old Man's Cave, a brick-lined railroad tunnel built around 1856 stands alone in the forest — no train tracks, no town, no road nearby. The community that built it has been gone for over a century. The railroad that ran through it was abandoned decades ago. But Moonville Tunnel endures, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and famous across Ohio for something the engineers never intended: ghosts.
The Trail
The Moonville Rail Trail follows the former Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad bed for approximately 10 miles from Zaleski to Mineral. The trail is flat — it was engineered for trains, which cannot climb grades — making it one of the easiest hikes in the Hocking Hills region. The surface is packed dirt and gravel, suitable for all fitness levels and manageable in regular walking shoes.
The tunnel itself sits roughly in the middle of the trail, accessible from either direction. Most visitors approach from the Hope-Moonville Road trailhead near Zaleski, which puts the tunnel about 1.5 miles in — a 3-mile round trip taking 1.5–2 hours at a relaxed pace. The walk through the forest follows Raccoon Creek, crossing several bridges, before the tunnel appears around a bend in the trail.
The tunnel is roughly 100 feet long, brick-lined, and open at both ends — you can walk straight through. Daylight is visible from either entrance. The interior is cool and damp, with water seeping through the bricks in places. Bring a flashlight to see the brick detail and the graffiti that generations of visitors have left on the walls.
The Ghost Stories
Moonville's ghost legends center on deaths that occurred along this stretch of railroad during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The most persistent story involves an engineer killed in an 1880 crash — his lantern-swinging ghost is said to walk the tracks inside the tunnel. A second legend describes the Lavender Lady, a woman reportedly struck by a train near the tunnel whose ghost appears in a lavender mist.
The community of Moonville was a small mining settlement that peaked at roughly 100 residents. By the 1940s, the mines had closed and the population dwindled. The last resident left in the 1950s. The railroad continued operating through the tunnel until abandonment, after which the forest slowly reclaimed everything except the tunnel itself.
Guided Night Hikes with Jannette Quackenbush
The most distinctive way to experience Moonville is on a guided nighttime paranormal hike led by Jannette Quackenbush, an author, folklorist, and ghost hunter who has been leading these walks for years. The hikes run Friday and Saturday nights throughout September and October, beginning at dusk.
Two routes are offered: the Moonville Tunnel Hike (3.0 miles round trip, 2–2.5 hours including the ghost hunt) and the King Hollow Tunnel Hike (2.4 miles round trip, approximately 2 hours). Jannette narrates the history and folklore during the walk, then leads participants through the tunnel using ghost-hunting equipment — dowsing rods, EMF detectors, and spirit boxes.
The hikes are technically free (tips accepted; Jannette sells her books for $10 cash). All participants must sign a waiver. No pets. No restrooms at the tunnel. Specific fall dates are announced on Facebook closer to the season. Contact: loneghostwriter@gmail.com; waivers available at 21crows.com.
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