There’s nothing quite so mysterious as a deep, dark tunnel leading into the unknown. America is riddled with abandoned tunnels that continue to fascinate with their incredible histories and beautiful construction. Check out these amazing examples of abandoned tunnels in the U.S.! Do you find these places to be creepy? Interesting? Fun? What are some of your favorite abandoned places in the United States? Let us know.
- California: Burro Schmidt Tunnel, Kern County
David Seibold/Flickr
Wikimedia This half-mile tunnel is carved deep into the El Paso Mountains in the Mojave Desert. It was excavated entirely by hand by William “Burro” H. Schmidt in 1900 while he was mining for gold. Schmidt needed a passage through the mountains to transport his ore. If you are looking for abandoned places in the U.S. to explore, you are free to do so in this tunnel. Burro Schmidt Tunnel Road, Burro Schmidt Tunnel Rd, California, USA
- Washington: Snoqualmie Tunnel, Snoqualmie Pass
Steve Cyr/Flickr
Robert Ashworth/Flickr Snoqualmie Tunnel is part of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail in Iron Horse State Park. This abandoned railroad tunnel was first constructed in 1912 and now serves as pitch-black, 2.3-mile hiking and biking path beneath Snoqualmie Pass. There aren’t any light sources within the tunnel, so visitors should bring their own flashlights and reflective gear.
Check out the tunnel - and the hike in general - in this fascinating video!
Snoqualmie Tunnel, Snoqualmie Pass, WA, USA
- Washington D.C.: Dupont Circle Tunnels
Tim R/Flickr
Dupont Underground/Facebook This abandoned underground trolley station is made up of nearly a mile of deserted passages. Originally opened in 1949 and closed in 1963 as driving supplanted trolley transportation, some parts of the tunnels were converted to fallout shelters in the 1970s. Today, art installations have begun popping up in the Dupont Underground. Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, USA
- Maryland: Stickpile Tunnel, Little Orleans
Steve 1828/Flickr
Steve 1828/Flickr An abandoned railroad tunnel runs beneath the historic Green Ridge State Forest state park in western Maryland. Built in the early 1900s, the tunnel’s tracks were removed in 1975 and the area has been a favorite haunt of explorers (and some say ghosts) ever since. Little Orleans, MD 21766, USA
- Florida: Tunnel Cave, Marianna
65mb/Flickr
65mb/Flickr This is the only spot in the nation where an unguided, state park trail (Bluff Trail) runs through a cave. The cave tunnel isn’t very long, but the space is small and visitors must make their way through almost perfect darkness in order to pass through to the other side. The tunnel is located in Florida Caverns State Park. Guided tours of the park’s other caves are available. Marianna, FL, USA
- Oregon: Mosier Twin Tunnels, Mosier
John Russell/Flickr
John Russell/Flickr These awesome tunnels are located in the Columbia River Gorge on the Historic Columbia River Highway Trail. Built in 1922, the tunnels were restored as a hiking and biking trail in 2000. The raw stone walls of the tunnels are gorgeous, and the trail’s multiple scenic overlooks and picnic spots are incredible. Mosier Twin Tunnels, Mosier, OR 97040, USA
- North Carolina: The Road To Nowhere, Bryson City
woodleywonderworks/Flickr
Smoky Dan/Flickr With an enigmatic name to match its unique history, The Road To Nowhere tunnel was built in the 1940s after the creation of Fontana Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The tunnel was meant to grant the families displaced by the park’s creation access to ancestral cemeteries, but the road was never completed. Today, The Road To Nowhere tunnel literally leads…nowhere. Lakeview Drive East, Lakeview Dr E, North Carolina 28713, USA
- New Jersey: Sterling Hill Mines Rainbow Tunnel, Ogdensburg
Sterling Hill Mining Museum/Facebook
Sterling Hill Mining Museum/Facebook The fluorescent colors in this breathtaking abandoned mining tunnel are actually a completely natural phenomenon. Located in the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, the Rainbow Tunnel’s astounding coloration is the result of exposed zinc ore, which glows when illuminated under ultraviolet light. The mine offers tours of the tunnel, which are well-lighted, wheelchair accessible and require no climbing.
Learn more about this magnificent tunnel in this informative video:
Sterling Hill Mining Museum, 30 Plant St, Ogdensburg, NJ 07439, USA
- Texas: Old Tunnel State Park, Fredericksburg
TXRVer09/TripAdvisor This 920-foot railroad tunnel was constructed in the 19th century. Trains stopped running through the tunnel in 1942, and today it is home to 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats and 3000 Cave myotis bats. The bats emerge at sunset, and the public is invited to view their spectacular flight from the tunnel. Old Tunnel State Park, 10619 Old San Antonio Rd, Fredericksburg, TX 78624, USA
- Wisconsin: Tunnel #2, Wilton
sfgamchick/Flickr
Cherish Schwenn/AllTrails Located along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, this tunnel once gave passage to fifty trains a day. Now, over 60,000 cyclists pass through each year. The entrance to the tunnel is flanked by two beautiful 20-foot doors, originally meant to keep snow from impeding train travel. Wilton, WI 54670, USA
- Massachusetts: Clinton Railroad Tunnel, Clinton
copley/Flickr
smithrw1/Flickr More than 4,000 bodies from nearby cemeteries were moved to make room for this quarter-mile tunnel. Originally constructed in the 19th century to service the Wachusett Dam, the tunnel was abandoned by the state in the early 1900s. Today, brave adventurers can explore its cavernous and dark interior. Clinton, MA, USA
- Ohio: Moonville Tunnel, Brown Township
Rubbertoe (Robert Batina)/Flickr
Mike/Flickr This railroad tunnel is remnant of the abandoned coal mining town of Moonville, founded in 1856 and deserted in 1947. The tunnel has been the site of at least 6 train fatalities, and if you are looking for haunted places in the U.S., many have reported that the area is haunted. Read more about Moonville Tunnel’s dark history in our previous article.
The Moonville Tunnel is so notorious for its being haunted that even the History Channel got in on it:
Moonville Tunnel, Hope-Moonville Rd, McArthur, OH 45651, USA
- Tennessee: Sensabaugh Tunnel, Kingston Springs
DM/Flickr
Mike D’Angelo/Flickr This eerie tunnel has been the rumored site of multiple deaths and is a popular destination for seekers of the paranormal. Most stories center around Ed Sensabaugh, the original owner of the tunnel in the 1920s. Some say his ghost, and perhaps that of his murdered young son, roam the dark of the tunnel. Kingston Springs, TN 37082, USA
- Nebraska: The Belmont Tunnel, Dawes County
Irene North
Irene North Located just outside of the near-ghost town of Belmont, this is actually the only tunnel in the entire state of Nebraska. Once an important railroad route, the Belmont Tunnel has been abandoned since the 1980s. Despite being over 120 years old, it is in remarkably fine condition. Belmont Tunnel, Unnamed Road, Crawford, NE 69339, USA
- Missouri: Rocheport Tunnel, Rocheport
Heath Cajandig/Flickr
Heath Cajandig/Flickr Now part of the Katy biking trail, the Rocheport tunnel has been a source of some controversy. The limestone bluff into which the tunnel was carved was once covered in cave drawings and ancient pictographs. These were destroyed by dynamite during the tunnel’s construction. The site was featured in Stephen King’s film, “Sometimes They Come Back”. Katy Trail - Rocheport Tunnel, Katy Trail, Rocheport, MO 65279, USA
It’s amazing how quickly these incredible spots were forgotten. What other abandoned tunnels in the U.S. can you add to this list? Are there any abandoned tunnels near you? Let us know!
David Seibold/Flickr
Wikimedia
This half-mile tunnel is carved deep into the El Paso Mountains in the Mojave Desert. It was excavated entirely by hand by William “Burro” H. Schmidt in 1900 while he was mining for gold. Schmidt needed a passage through the mountains to transport his ore. If you are looking for abandoned places in the U.S. to explore, you are free to do so in this tunnel.
Burro Schmidt Tunnel Road, Burro Schmidt Tunnel Rd, California, USA
Steve Cyr/Flickr
Robert Ashworth/Flickr
Snoqualmie Tunnel is part of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail in Iron Horse State Park. This abandoned railroad tunnel was first constructed in 1912 and now serves as pitch-black, 2.3-mile hiking and biking path beneath Snoqualmie Pass. There aren’t any light sources within the tunnel, so visitors should bring their own flashlights and reflective gear.
Check out the tunnel - and the hike in general - in this fascinating video!
Snoqualmie Tunnel, Snoqualmie Pass, WA, USA
Tim R/Flickr
Dupont Underground/Facebook
This abandoned underground trolley station is made up of nearly a mile of deserted passages. Originally opened in 1949 and closed in 1963 as driving supplanted trolley transportation, some parts of the tunnels were converted to fallout shelters in the 1970s. Today, art installations have begun popping up in the Dupont Underground.
Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, USA
Steve 1828/Flickr
An abandoned railroad tunnel runs beneath the historic Green Ridge State Forest state park in western Maryland. Built in the early 1900s, the tunnel’s tracks were removed in 1975 and the area has been a favorite haunt of explorers (and some say ghosts) ever since.
Little Orleans, MD 21766, USA
65mb/Flickr
This is the only spot in the nation where an unguided, state park trail (Bluff Trail) runs through a cave. The cave tunnel isn’t very long, but the space is small and visitors must make their way through almost perfect darkness in order to pass through to the other side. The tunnel is located in Florida Caverns State Park. Guided tours of the park’s other caves are available.
Marianna, FL, USA
John Russell/Flickr
These awesome tunnels are located in the Columbia River Gorge on the Historic Columbia River Highway Trail. Built in 1922, the tunnels were restored as a hiking and biking trail in 2000. The raw stone walls of the tunnels are gorgeous, and the trail’s multiple scenic overlooks and picnic spots are incredible.
Mosier Twin Tunnels, Mosier, OR 97040, USA
woodleywonderworks/Flickr
Smoky Dan/Flickr
With an enigmatic name to match its unique history, The Road To Nowhere tunnel was built in the 1940s after the creation of Fontana Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The tunnel was meant to grant the families displaced by the park’s creation access to ancestral cemeteries, but the road was never completed. Today, The Road To Nowhere tunnel literally leads…nowhere.
Lakeview Drive East, Lakeview Dr E, North Carolina 28713, USA
Sterling Hill Mining Museum/Facebook
The fluorescent colors in this breathtaking abandoned mining tunnel are actually a completely natural phenomenon. Located in the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, the Rainbow Tunnel’s astounding coloration is the result of exposed zinc ore, which glows when illuminated under ultraviolet light. The mine offers tours of the tunnel, which are well-lighted, wheelchair accessible and require no climbing.
Learn more about this magnificent tunnel in this informative video:
Sterling Hill Mining Museum, 30 Plant St, Ogdensburg, NJ 07439, USA
TXRVer09/TripAdvisor
This 920-foot railroad tunnel was constructed in the 19th century. Trains stopped running through the tunnel in 1942, and today it is home to 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats and 3000 Cave myotis bats. The bats emerge at sunset, and the public is invited to view their spectacular flight from the tunnel.
Old Tunnel State Park, 10619 Old San Antonio Rd, Fredericksburg, TX 78624, USA
sfgamchick/Flickr
Cherish Schwenn/AllTrails
Located along the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, this tunnel once gave passage to fifty trains a day. Now, over 60,000 cyclists pass through each year. The entrance to the tunnel is flanked by two beautiful 20-foot doors, originally meant to keep snow from impeding train travel.
Wilton, WI 54670, USA
copley/Flickr
smithrw1/Flickr
More than 4,000 bodies from nearby cemeteries were moved to make room for this quarter-mile tunnel. Originally constructed in the 19th century to service the Wachusett Dam, the tunnel was abandoned by the state in the early 1900s. Today, brave adventurers can explore its cavernous and dark interior.
Clinton, MA, USA
Rubbertoe (Robert Batina)/Flickr
Mike/Flickr
This railroad tunnel is remnant of the abandoned coal mining town of Moonville, founded in 1856 and deserted in 1947. The tunnel has been the site of at least 6 train fatalities, and if you are looking for haunted places in the U.S., many have reported that the area is haunted. Read more about Moonville Tunnel’s dark history in our previous article.
The Moonville Tunnel is so notorious for its being haunted that even the History Channel got in on it:
Moonville Tunnel, Hope-Moonville Rd, McArthur, OH 45651, USA
DM/Flickr
Mike D’Angelo/Flickr
This eerie tunnel has been the rumored site of multiple deaths and is a popular destination for seekers of the paranormal. Most stories center around Ed Sensabaugh, the original owner of the tunnel in the 1920s. Some say his ghost, and perhaps that of his murdered young son, roam the dark of the tunnel.
Kingston Springs, TN 37082, USA
Irene North
Located just outside of the near-ghost town of Belmont, this is actually the only tunnel in the entire state of Nebraska. Once an important railroad route, the Belmont Tunnel has been abandoned since the 1980s. Despite being over 120 years old, it is in remarkably fine condition.
Belmont Tunnel, Unnamed Road, Crawford, NE 69339, USA
Heath Cajandig/Flickr
Now part of the Katy biking trail, the Rocheport tunnel has been a source of some controversy. The limestone bluff into which the tunnel was carved was once covered in cave drawings and ancient pictographs. These were destroyed by dynamite during the tunnel’s construction. The site was featured in Stephen King’s film, “Sometimes They Come Back”.
Katy Trail - Rocheport Tunnel, Katy Trail, Rocheport, MO 65279, USA
If you can’t seem to get enough of all the amazing places in the US, you might also want to check out our shortlist of ten amazing waterfalls in the United States that you can walk behind!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Abandoned Tunnels February 13, 2023 Melissa Mahoney What are some of the most haunted places in the U.S.? From haunted hotels to haunted bars, restaurants, hospitals, roads, cemeteries, and more, every state has its very own special haunted locales that many either like to explore or avoid at all costs. If you’re in Birmingham, Alabama, a trek to Sloss Furnaces may be of interest to you. It’s a place where many workers died in freak accidents and several visitors to the now-abandoned furnaces have reported phantom sightings. Battlefields are usually a hotbed for ghostly sightings, so if you are visiting the Little Bighorn Battlefield near Billings, Montana, you may hear rifle shots being fired off or battle cries or even see a ghost of a soldier who had perished in battle here. Read about more locations in our article, Here Are The Most Haunted Spots In All 50 States. What are the creepiest places in the U.S.? When we find ourselves in a creepy place, we may be met with a sense of dread or feel chilled to the bone. Cemeteries are notoriously creepy places with paranormal activity and there are several throughout the country that you may not want to visit unless you want to see a ghost. Woodland Cemetery in New Hampshire, West Liberty Cemetery in West Virginia, and Elmwood Cemetery in Tennessee are just a few of the highly creepy graveyards that will send shivers down your spine. The same goes for abandoned places, and there are plenty of those around the U.S., especially in rural areas. You are sure to feel a bit frightened at the abandoned Mining Dredge in Oregon, Crystal Mill in Colorado, or Asbury Park Casino in New Jersey. Can I visit any abandoned places in the U.S.? There are numerous abandoned places people can visit around the country and some even offer tours. The Old Idaho Penitentiary, which has been closed to inmates since 1973 in Boise, is open daily for tours. Through walking around the buildings and grounds, you will get a sense of what life was like for prisoners here. In New York, Storm King Adventure Tours hosts kayak tours along the Hudson River to the abandoned Bannerman’s Castle, an imposing structure that was built in 1901.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Abandoned Tunnels
February 13, 2023
Melissa Mahoney
What are some of the most haunted places in the U.S.? From haunted hotels to haunted bars, restaurants, hospitals, roads, cemeteries, and more, every state has its very own special haunted locales that many either like to explore or avoid at all costs. If you’re in Birmingham, Alabama, a trek to Sloss Furnaces may be of interest to you. It’s a place where many workers died in freak accidents and several visitors to the now-abandoned furnaces have reported phantom sightings. Battlefields are usually a hotbed for ghostly sightings, so if you are visiting the Little Bighorn Battlefield near Billings, Montana, you may hear rifle shots being fired off or battle cries or even see a ghost of a soldier who had perished in battle here. Read about more locations in our article, Here Are The Most Haunted Spots In All 50 States. What are the creepiest places in the U.S.? When we find ourselves in a creepy place, we may be met with a sense of dread or feel chilled to the bone. Cemeteries are notoriously creepy places with paranormal activity and there are several throughout the country that you may not want to visit unless you want to see a ghost. Woodland Cemetery in New Hampshire, West Liberty Cemetery in West Virginia, and Elmwood Cemetery in Tennessee are just a few of the highly creepy graveyards that will send shivers down your spine. The same goes for abandoned places, and there are plenty of those around the U.S., especially in rural areas. You are sure to feel a bit frightened at the abandoned Mining Dredge in Oregon, Crystal Mill in Colorado, or Asbury Park Casino in New Jersey. Can I visit any abandoned places in the U.S.? There are numerous abandoned places people can visit around the country and some even offer tours. The Old Idaho Penitentiary, which has been closed to inmates since 1973 in Boise, is open daily for tours. Through walking around the buildings and grounds, you will get a sense of what life was like for prisoners here. In New York, Storm King Adventure Tours hosts kayak tours along the Hudson River to the abandoned Bannerman’s Castle, an imposing structure that was built in 1901.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
From haunted hotels to haunted bars, restaurants, hospitals, roads, cemeteries, and more, every state has its very own special haunted locales that many either like to explore or avoid at all costs. If you’re in Birmingham, Alabama, a trek to Sloss Furnaces may be of interest to you. It’s a place where many workers died in freak accidents and several visitors to the now-abandoned furnaces have reported phantom sightings. Battlefields are usually a hotbed for ghostly sightings, so if you are visiting the Little Bighorn Battlefield near Billings, Montana, you may hear rifle shots being fired off or battle cries or even see a ghost of a soldier who had perished in battle here. Read about more locations in our article, Here Are The Most Haunted Spots In All 50 States.
What are the creepiest places in the U.S.?
When we find ourselves in a creepy place, we may be met with a sense of dread or feel chilled to the bone. Cemeteries are notoriously creepy places with paranormal activity and there are several throughout the country that you may not want to visit unless you want to see a ghost. Woodland Cemetery in New Hampshire, West Liberty Cemetery in West Virginia, and Elmwood Cemetery in Tennessee are just a few of the highly creepy graveyards that will send shivers down your spine. The same goes for abandoned places, and there are plenty of those around the U.S., especially in rural areas. You are sure to feel a bit frightened at the abandoned Mining Dredge in Oregon, Crystal Mill in Colorado, or Asbury Park Casino in New Jersey.
Can I visit any abandoned places in the U.S.?
There are numerous abandoned places people can visit around the country and some even offer tours. The Old Idaho Penitentiary, which has been closed to inmates since 1973 in Boise, is open daily for tours. Through walking around the buildings and grounds, you will get a sense of what life was like for prisoners here. In New York, Storm King Adventure Tours hosts kayak tours along the Hudson River to the abandoned Bannerman’s Castle, an imposing structure that was built in 1901.
