Gather around the campfire and listen to some scary stories from Moonville. All of these were sent to me and are reproduced below with only a few minor adjustments for spelling and punctuation. Are they true stories? Read and decide for yourself....


The Fifth Man

During the fall last year, a bunch of my friends and I went out to investigate the Moonville Tunnel. My dad worked on the railroad in his earlier years and was telling me about the story long before I even thought about going.

Well to get to the point, on our first few visits out to the tunnel, nothing was out of the ordinary. The next time we visited the tunnel was a totally different story! We had already walked through the tunnel and were on the other side, walking down the path. Nobody was wanting to walk in the back, so I, being the brave soul I am, decided to get in back, as long as one of my buddies walked beside me. So Nalin and I were walking behind the rest of our friends when he jokingly told me to watch out for the guy behind me. He was totally joking. We both just laughed but I, of course, kept looking over my shoulder for the "guy" following me. Of course, nothing was there.

About 5 or 6 minutes later we were still walking on the path away from the tunnel and both Nalin and I were still bringing up the rear. I turned my head around to look behind me when I saw the scariest thing I've ever experienced in my entire life. It scared me to death. I didn't know if I was seeing something or not. I tried to say something to Nalin, and I couldn't even talk! I simply grabbed him and turned him around. As soon as I saw the look on his face, I knew I wasn't imagining seeing the ghostly figure. We turned and ran as fast as we could nearly knocking everybody down in our path. When we looked back, the figure appeared to be getting closer to us. We kept running and the next time we checked for the "ghost," nothing was there.

I am certain that the Moonville ghost is still roaming the woods behind the tunnel. I haven't experienced the headless man in the tunnel but I surely experienced something that wasn't of the norm.


Cults in the Tunnel

I lived in Mineral, Ohio. It is only 2-3 miles from the Moonville tunnel if you come on the tracks from the backside. I have visited the tunnels many times and even camped overnight with friends. I've never seen the swinging lantern or any ghost-like creatures, but I have witnessed some type of cult activity.

It was the summer of 1992 on the first account when I saw it. A few friends of mine were going to party and show a couple of our friends from Athens the tunnel. We walked in from Mineral towards the tunnel and after our little trip across the creek a few times we finally came into view of the ridge the tunnel is in. As we came closer I could see the tunnel had a fire built, so we were going to sneak up on who we thought were a couple of teenagers drinking beer and partying. As we were sneaking up the old tracks we could hear chanting and almost sounded like some sort of Oprah without the women and the high pitched wailing. We stayed hidden in the brush and watched the scariest thing I have ever seen.

There were seven men all in what looked like hooded bath robes, except one in a red robe. They kept chanting and they opened what looked like a burlap sack and pulled either a small goat or lamb out of it (alive, we could hear it bah-ing) and they cut it open down the middle while alive. We freaked and creeped as quietly as possible back until we could run, we decided to run to the first trestle, where we would have to cross the creek. We ran there, crossed, and went home. That was it.


Sounds from the Creek

Me and some of my friends from college (Hocking) were sittin around one night and someone mentioned the Moonville Tunnel. Being the adventuresome types we were we decided to take a trip out there. There were 6 of us going there. This was just a couple of weeks ago... (mid october, 2000) None of us really knew how to get there, we just had some directions from some other people. When we got to where we thought it should be, we parked our truck and walked to the river. When we got there (right beside where the trestle was) we could see the tunnel. The river looked high so we decided not to cross it and just stood there. There were 2 guys and 4 girls. Being the smartasses that the guys were they decided we should turn out the flashlight. When they turned it out after a couple of minutes we all got real quiet, I don't know quite why, but we did. After a minute of quietness we heard a huge plop in the river and saw ripples in the water between the pillers of the trestle. The weird thing is that there was no noise at all preceding the huge plop. We thought if it was a tree branch we would have heard it break, if it was a rock we would have heard it fall, and it was not the plop of an animal, it was a solid plop in the river. Needless to say, we hightailed it out of there and didn't look back. When we got back to our apartment in Nelsonville some more guys were there and they told us they knew how to get to the tunnel so we all piled in the truck and headed there. This time we picked up 4 more guys and lost two of the guys. We hiked up to the tunnel and walked through it. Nothing happened that night in the tunnel but it is a real spooky place. At the far end of the tunnel there is a pentagon in the dirt, and there is sadistic stuff all over the walls. Well, that is my Moonville Tunnel experience and I hope you enjoy it!


A Phantom Train

As I have already told you, back in 1984 I was working at the Zaleski CCC Camp. On the weekends we were more or less free to do as we pleased. Well, one night a couple of guys--who shall be referred tp as RZ and RM--and I wanted wanted to do something. We had no money, no booze, no drugs (it was the 80’s, after all). Things were looking grim. Then, one of the Rs says, “Hey, let’s go to the Moonville Tunnel and see the ghost!” I had no idea what they were talking about, but after a brief explanation, I was in. We packed up our backpacks, jumped in RM’s Pinto, and off we went.

It’s only a few minutes to drive from the camp (actually, we weren’t at the camp, but at a cabin a mile or so up the road, this is pertinent because absolutely no one but us knew we were going to the tunnel that night) to the tunnel, and we arrived, jumped out, put on our packs and headed up the tracks (I should point out that at the time the tracks were still there and in use (and, obviously, so was the bridge)) to the tunnel.

After a short walk in the dark (it was around midnight, hate to be melodramatic) we were at the front of the tunnel. We looked around, listened closely, and saw no one, heard nothing but the regular night sounds that one would associate with the woods. At this time, to make it perfectly clear, and to avoid saying it again, absolutely no one knew we were going to the tunnel. It was a spur of the moment thing between the three of us. When we came up with the idea, there was no one within probably a mile of us and we got our packs, got in the car and went. When we got to the tracks and parked, there were no other cars around. When we got to the tunnel, there was no one else there. We saw, heard, tasted, smelled, felt, absolutely nothing that would lead us to believe there was someone hiding there waiting on us. I hope I have made this clear.

So, we look at each other, say wtf, and walk into the tunnel. About half-way through, RZ and RM started running. I thought maybe they were screwing with me and I ran to catch up. At this point, I noticed they were looking over their shoulders as they ran. This was curious, because we were in a tunnel at midnight and a few seconds earlier all I could see was the opening at the other end. I looked back and saw a train entering the tunnel behind us. Shit! I ran like hell, but something wasn’t right. We got out the other side and jumped off the tracks to the sides of the tunnel. Then I realized what was wrong. No choo-choo noises.

“Did you see that?” they yelled. Yes I had and now I looked back down the tunnel and saw it again, a light in the mouth of the tunnel at the far (front) end. It looked like a train light just entering the tunnel. I quickly ducked back again, then peeked again…still there! Duck back again, look across the tracks at the Rs, and peek again. Gone, its gone now.

I will not go into the story any further because there is nothing else to say that really matters. Needless to say, we didn’t camp that night, and when we walked back through the tunnel everything was normal. No more mysterious appearances, no more lights, no sounds of local rednecks laughing in the brush.

What did we see that night? I don’t know. I have ruled out a lot of things it couldn’t have been. I don’t believe in ghosts, ESP, UFOs, or much of anything else, for that matter. I tend to think people who do are whackos. I know that a lot of people will jump to the conclusion of SUPERNATURAL when an obvious answer isn’t (and sometimes is) available. I am not one them. The only reasonable explanation I can come up is that some local high school kids happened to go the tunnel that night with a spotlight and see if they could scare someone, and we happened along.

The problem is, this is prety shakey, due to the fact that it would be damn difficult to hide while we walked past, show the light, and get away before we came back, without laughing out loud. The whole thing happened in a few minutes. Still, this seems the only reasonable explanation.


The Children of Moonville

Hey I just wanted to tell you about my trip out to the tunnel! Me and my boyfriend went out looking for it after I read about it on your site. We had no idea if we were going in the right direction but after a while we found it. It looked a little different and it wasn't as creepy as your pictures show until we started hearing voices. It sounded like two little kids playing and laughing in the tunnel. There were no cars around where we had parked and we didn't see any on our way out. We looked all over the woods and saw no one. And as you know there are no houses around out there that would have little kids that would be hiding in the woods. So it was creepy out there, so yeah thats my little adventure for the day.


Camping in Moonville

Well I have been to Moonville twice now, and both times have been quite interesting to say the least. The first time I went was about 3 years ago (Halloween night) with a group of my friends, and we camped out in the train tunnel. I had only heard a few stories about the ghosts, and that was just from talking to other people who were walking around the area. That night when me and my friend were carrying fire wood accros the creek and up the hill to the tunnel; when I got to the top of the hill (which is a bitch to carry up that hill, people who have been there should know what I am talking about) everything slowed down, and to the left of me sort of off the path we were walking on was a ghostly old lady walking around with here head down, like she was searching for something. She had old clothing, layered, and draped. The thing that was so starnge for me was that time sort of slowed down during this entire encounter. My friend was only a few steps ahead of me, but it was like he wasn't even there, and then when I asked him if he saw that, I turned back to look and there was nothing there. People always ask me if I was drunk or stoned, or anything like that, but I was not at all. I know what I saw, and it was for real. Until that day I had never really believed in ghosts, but I definitely do after that.

The second trip I took to Moonville, also on Halloween night a few years back, was not as pleasant. Actually everything was fine and dandy until the morning after we camped out. This time we decided to camp out on the graveyard. I know it sounds terrible and weird, but we weren't sleeping right on the graves, we were sort of off to the side. Anyways that night was spooky, for reasons I can't even explain, but it was spooky. The next morning was terrible though. I guess some of the Moonville locals decided they were going to be assholes and slash 3 of my tires on my car. So to make a long story short, we had to walk like 6 miles to the nearest phone after getting no sleep whatsoever, than get my car towed into the small town of Moonville, which was completely closed down because it was a Sunday, so I had to have my car towed to Chillicothe to a Sears Auto and have 3 of my tires replaced. So let that be a warning to people going to Moonville anytime soon...there is alot of crazy and stupid people out there around this time, so keep an eye on your car. Anyways, I like your website and I just wanted to share my Moonville story with everyone. I hope you all find it interesting.


More Sounds from the Creek

There was about four of us having a few beers and sitting around a campfire we built near the far end of the tunnel. Someone in the group would sit down and cite our variation of the ghost story (ours was the one about the Cholera outbreak...). Anyway, we had been there for about three hours, just chatting and such - stone cold sober by the way. One of my friends said, quite sternly, "There is no ghost at this place. It's a crock of shit." At that point - and I shit you not - the campfire, which was not blazing but was far from out, BLEW OUT. Completely. The tunnel became completely dark.

The next thing I heard was the sound of all of my friends running as fast as they could to the near side of the tunnel. Being a little freaked out, and not wanting to sit there by myself, I got up and ran after them. Of course I (and I always did this) tripped on that one railroad tie that sticks out of the ground at the near end of the tunnel and fell flat on my face.

We all met outside of the tunnel where the moon lighted most of the area. We looked around and noticed that our backpacks and extra firewood were still in the tunnel. We decided to forget about it for the night, and decided to come back the following day to retrieve it. Thus the next day (in broad daylight) two of us drove back out there (about a 45 min drive from campus) to get our supplies. We walked through the tunnel, grabbed our stuff and were on our way back to the car. At this time of the year, the creek was low, and you could hop across the rocks. I had about a 50 yrd lead in front of my friend, and was crossing the rocks, when I turned to see where my my friend was. I was standing in the middle of the creek when I felt this hugh splash of water right next to me, that didn't really get me wet, but was loud enough (even louder than the rushing water around me) and high enough to really get my attention. It was as if someone standing right next to me threw a large (and I mean large) rock into the creek to make a huge splash. Normally I would have shrugged it off as a fish jumping or something, but this splash was huge. I turned around and my friend was so far behind me, I knew he didn't have anything to do with it. It was really strange. The hair rose on the back of my neck, and I hi-tailed it back to the car. Luckily it was pretty close.

That was the last time I have ever been there, and to tell you the truth I have no intention of going back. I don't scare easily, and having been there so many time in the past, I was conditioned to visit Moonville and be a little scared. I even camped out there in a tent, but I'll never forget that night and the following day. I've built many campfires, and put even more out, but never saw one instantly go out on it's own. Well, thanks for reading. Though I never saw a ghost, I do believe there is something a but strange out there.


Snakes and Lizards and Other Things That Go Bump in the Night

We began our journey down that steep hill, where the trestles are located. I came to the creek bed where debris had washed up (we did have a flood several days before) and I started to walk along the bed to find the easiest way across when suddenly, I stepped down, and when I did right at eye level was a snake that had bounced when I stepped down. I let out a scream and took off running for my life. My friend was waiting at the top. She could see me, and she told me to keep running because that snake had followed me, and was right behind me. So I ran up the hill and never once stopped to look back. Once I arrived at the top, ready to pass out, my friend and I heard the weeds crunching like someone walking.

We knew that we were the only ones out there, because not a single car had passed. Then, from nowhere, two Hocking County Sheriff's cars pulled up. Both officers came toward us and asked us what we were doing. I explained that I was trying to find the cemetery for research reasons. He didn't hesistate one bit--he said that place was no place for two females, and that he could explain to me where the cemetery was but he didn't think that we should be out there. Mind you this is at 3:30 PM, in the middle of the afternoon. NO REASON I could see. I told him that a cemetery is a landmark and anyone who is anyone has the right to visit them. He said he agreed and would explain where it was but he didn't think we should explore it "today." So my friend and I, scared anyway, agreed, and were escorted out to the main road by the sheriffs.

Months later I went back with another friend and was determined to find the tunnel and cemetery. Needless to say, I found the cemetery. And it was gloomy as it was described on the internet. I began to take my pictures and explore the sights. That tree is as big as they say. I haven't really been able to put my pictures under any type of light to see if there is anything strange but maybe when I get the chance I will. We started back down the road to head for the car, then at the same time we looked at each other and suddenly turned around. It felt as if someone or something was staring right as us. So without seeing anything we continued down the road and arrived at the car. There were lizards and salamanders everywhere. It was weird but that's about it.


Swinging a Lantern

I know that a lot of people think ghosts are fake, but this is my story. All the men in my family get together every year and go deer hunting in Moonville. When my dad had told me about it I thought he was just telling me some big story to try to scare me since it was my first time going. We camped on the railbed that is on the other side of the trestle. On the third night I was there we were all hanging out and just goofing off. I decided I was going to go and scout for deer tracks. I got about 15 feet from the tunnel when I saw a light swinging back and forth inside. I thought it was just going to be one of my family members playing a trick on me so I shined my flashlight down the tunnel and all I saw was a light being swung by something that looked like a man, but it wasnt a real man because I could see through him. Then he walked to the opposite side of the tunnel and vanished.


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