Halloween is right around the corner, and people who love to get outdoors are getting in the spirit. That means following some spooky hikes to go along with the season. While some may include hazards that are a little scary, this tunnel in North Carolina is relatively safe. However, it’s spooky in its own way.
You can check it out from NC-based content creator Kate Mitchell:
To some, it may look like a pretty average tunnel, but it also has a rich history that Mitchell outlines in her post.
“In the 1930s and 1940s, Swain County gave up the majority of its private land to the Federal Government for the creation of Fontana Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” wrote Mitchell. “Hundreds of people were forced to leave the Smoky Mountain communities that had been their homes for generations. With the creation of the Park, their homes were gone, and so was Old Highway 288 the road to those communities.”
To replace the highway, the government began construction on a road dubbed Lakeview Drive. However, environmental issues forced them to abandon the project. This tunnel remains and has been nicknamed “The Road to Nowhere.”
Today, hikers are able to visit this road and tunnel. It currently exists near Bryson City within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A short drive followed by a walk down the abandoned road brings you to the tunnel. The hike in the tunnel is just under a quarter-mile long.
Many visitors, including Mitchell in the comments of her post, talk about how cold it feels instead, adding an extra level of eeriness for visitors.
Once you’re done with the hike, there are plenty of other nearby hikes to check out.
What spooky hikes do you recommend? Let us know!