Although the trail is well-maintained and has a level path, when visiting Moonville, bring bug spray! The area sits above Raccoon Creek and some swampy areas prone to mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers. Oh, and here's an old saying heard in this neck of the woods: "Leaves of three, leave them be!" That would include poison ivy that is along the trail. If you don't know what poison ivy looks like, take a look at the picture above and stay on the trail or you'll end up pretty itchy later if you run into a patch!
The Moonville Rail Trail is a work-in-progress 16-mile trail. From the parking lot at Moonville, you can hike a 3.6 miles(one-way) route from the Moonville Tunnel through King Tunnel and then to Mineral on a nice path and turn around to come back again. The old train path will take you through the ghost towns of Moonville, Ingham Station, and Kings Station.
Kings Station Tunnel
Map of Moonville Tunnel:
Or come take a hike and ghost hunt with me along the old trails of Appalachia, like those in Moonville, with ghost stories and legends attached.
Jannette Quackenbush, author, naturalist, and folklorist has written over 40 books on ghosts and hauntings from Louisiana through the Appalachians and into Northern Ohio.
Take a walk with Lucy and Jannette and see Moonville through the eyes of the Lucy Cam!
A video I took many years ago that was on "My Ghost Story" when few people ventured because you had to hike through Forestry to get there or cross the risky waters of Raccoon Creek. And no, no other people were around. . .
The Moonville Rail Trail is maintained by Moonville Rail Trail Association, established in April of 2001 in order to build and maintain the muscle-powered Moonville Rail Trail system.
Zaleski State Forest
Moonville Rail Trail
Moonville Tunnel
Ghosts
Folklore
...and much more
