Most people in Pennsylvania are familiar with the turnpike, the 360-mile-long highway that can take you from New Jersey to Ohio and back again. You may have driven through its four tunnels that dot the Appalachian Mountains… but did you know that the turnpike used to contain seven tunnels?
In 1968, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission sat down over coffee and donuts to figure out how to improve traffic flow through the tunnels, all of which were at that time single-lane tunnels. The solution? To expand four of them into double-lane tunnels, and to bypass the other three altogether. Thus, the abandoned turnpike in Pennsylvania was born.
Flickr/Brian You can find the abandoned turnpike in Pennsylvania, near Breezewood. It is closed to the public, however; there are two exceptions. Bicyclists, for example, may use the road at their own risk. It has also become a popular spot for hikers who want to explore the area. Today, the trail is called the Pike 2 Bike, and it spans 8.2 miles.
Jason Pratt/ Flickr Part of the 2009 movie “The Road,” starring Viggo Mortensen, was shot here. Yep, that’s a road if I ever saw one. Some have questioned whether the PA turnpike is haunted, but there aren’t really paranormal tales associated with this unique stretch of road.
Flickr/1sock The two tunnels along the abandoned turnpike are the Sideling Hill Tunnel and the Rays Hill Tunnel. It’s amazing that the tunnels look almost untouched after standing, unmaintained, for more than 40 years. (The third tunnel that was bypassed, the Laurel Hill Tunnel, was located further away and required only a two-mile bypass.)
Aonghas Crann/ Flickr Although the tunnels still appear to be structurally sound, they have fallen victim to vandalism and theft. All of the original signage has been stolen. What a shame.
Check out this video below for some more breathtaking footage of the abandoned highway.
Flickr/Brian
You can find the abandoned turnpike in Pennsylvania, near Breezewood. It is closed to the public, however; there are two exceptions. Bicyclists, for example, may use the road at their own risk. It has also become a popular spot for hikers who want to explore the area. Today, the trail is called the Pike 2 Bike, and it spans 8.2 miles.
Jason Pratt/ Flickr
Part of the 2009 movie “The Road,” starring Viggo Mortensen, was shot here. Yep, that’s a road if I ever saw one. Some have questioned whether the PA turnpike is haunted, but there aren’t really paranormal tales associated with this unique stretch of road.
Flickr/1sock
The two tunnels along the abandoned turnpike are the Sideling Hill Tunnel and the Rays Hill Tunnel. It’s amazing that the tunnels look almost untouched after standing, unmaintained, for more than 40 years. (The third tunnel that was bypassed, the Laurel Hill Tunnel, was located further away and required only a two-mile bypass.)
Aonghas Crann/ Flickr
Although the tunnels still appear to be structurally sound, they have fallen victim to vandalism and theft. All of the original signage has been stolen. What a shame.
As you can see on this map, the Turnpike (green) was rerouted to run parallel to the Abandoned Turnpike (red). Most people who drive on this highway don’t even know what’s right next to them!
Wikimedia Commons
Have you ever seen the Abandoned Turnpike in Pennsylvania firsthand? Share your experience in the comments! If you’re a fan of exploring abandoned spots, set off on a road trip to the nine most abandoned places in Pennsylvania.
Wikimedia Commons
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Address: Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike, Pennsylvania, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Abandoned PA Turnpike And Haunted Places In Pennsylvania November 13, 2020 Beth Price-Williams Can I visit any abandoned places in Pennsylvania? You’ll find no shortage of abandoned places in Pennsylvania, many of which you can visit. (Some, however, you’ll have to check out from afar.) Centralia While you can’t visit Centralia these days, you still might want to drive past the town. (Going to it is trespassing.) The ground under it has, after all, been on fire for more than five decades. Today, only a handful of people remain as residents. Eastern State Penitentiary Eastern State Penitentiary is a popular destination for tours all year around. If you visit around Halloween, it transforms into an eerie haunted destination. What are the creepiest cemeteries in Pennsylvania? Hans Graf Cemetery exudes tranquility during the day. Once the sun goes down, however, it becomes one of the creepiest cemeteries in Pennsylvania – especially on nights when there is a full moon. If you visit on a night when there’s a full moon and you walk around the perimeter of the cemetery twice, you won’t be leaving. Even if you don’t risk your life visiting during a full moon, beware of the apparition of a white dog that roams the cemetery grounds after dark. He usually barks incessantly until no visitors remain in the cemetery. What is the most haunted place in Pennsylvania? Gettysburg is, hands down, one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania. It’s definitely worth a visit, especially if you want to increase your chances of experiencing the paranormal. Visit the Jennie Wade House, for example, the home of the lone civilian casualty of the Civil War. Jennie’s spirit is said to remain in the home, and it’s not uncommon for visitors to tell of hearing the voices of small children. If you’re hungry, head over to the Dobbin House Tavern. Dig into a delicious meal, but be prepared to experience the paranormal. Don’t be too surprised, for example, if you smell cigar smoke when no one’s smoking.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Abandoned PA Turnpike And Haunted Places In Pennsylvania
November 13, 2020
Beth Price-Williams
Can I visit any abandoned places in Pennsylvania? You’ll find no shortage of abandoned places in Pennsylvania, many of which you can visit. (Some, however, you’ll have to check out from afar.) Centralia While you can’t visit Centralia these days, you still might want to drive past the town. (Going to it is trespassing.) The ground under it has, after all, been on fire for more than five decades. Today, only a handful of people remain as residents. Eastern State Penitentiary Eastern State Penitentiary is a popular destination for tours all year around. If you visit around Halloween, it transforms into an eerie haunted destination. What are the creepiest cemeteries in Pennsylvania? Hans Graf Cemetery exudes tranquility during the day. Once the sun goes down, however, it becomes one of the creepiest cemeteries in Pennsylvania – especially on nights when there is a full moon. If you visit on a night when there’s a full moon and you walk around the perimeter of the cemetery twice, you won’t be leaving. Even if you don’t risk your life visiting during a full moon, beware of the apparition of a white dog that roams the cemetery grounds after dark. He usually barks incessantly until no visitors remain in the cemetery. What is the most haunted place in Pennsylvania? Gettysburg is, hands down, one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania. It’s definitely worth a visit, especially if you want to increase your chances of experiencing the paranormal. Visit the Jennie Wade House, for example, the home of the lone civilian casualty of the Civil War. Jennie’s spirit is said to remain in the home, and it’s not uncommon for visitors to tell of hearing the voices of small children. If you’re hungry, head over to the Dobbin House Tavern. Dig into a delicious meal, but be prepared to experience the paranormal. Don’t be too surprised, for example, if you smell cigar smoke when no one’s smoking.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
You’ll find no shortage of abandoned places in Pennsylvania, many of which you can visit. (Some, however, you’ll have to check out from afar.)
Centralia
While you can’t visit Centralia these days, you still might want to drive past the town. (Going to it is trespassing.) The ground under it has, after all, been on fire for more than five decades. Today, only a handful of people remain as residents.
Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary is a popular destination for tours all year around. If you visit around Halloween, it transforms into an eerie haunted destination.
What are the creepiest cemeteries in Pennsylvania?
Hans Graf Cemetery exudes tranquility during the day. Once the sun goes down, however, it becomes one of the creepiest cemeteries in Pennsylvania – especially on nights when there is a full moon. If you visit on a night when there’s a full moon and you walk around the perimeter of the cemetery twice, you won’t be leaving. Even if you don’t risk your life visiting during a full moon, beware of the apparition of a white dog that roams the cemetery grounds after dark. He usually barks incessantly until no visitors remain in the cemetery.
What is the most haunted place in Pennsylvania?
Gettysburg is, hands down, one of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania. It’s definitely worth a visit, especially if you want to increase your chances of experiencing the paranormal. Visit the Jennie Wade House, for example, the home of the lone civilian casualty of the Civil War. Jennie’s spirit is said to remain in the home, and it’s not uncommon for visitors to tell of hearing the voices of small children. If you’re hungry, head over to the Dobbin House Tavern. Dig into a delicious meal, but be prepared to experience the paranormal. Don’t be too surprised, for example, if you smell cigar smoke when no one’s smoking.
