Spirits of a Ghost Town’s Past
Moonville was a small mining community located along the Marietta & Cincinnati railway, notable for its unique name derived from the full moon’s visibility above the tunnel on certain nights. Although the town had only a few resident families, it served as a convenient passage for travelers from Zaleski to Athens. The railway provided a more direct route through the steep hills compared to the nearby roadway, which was often subject to flooding as it followed Raccoon Creek.
However, the convenience of the railway came with significant risks, leading to numerous fatalities over the years. This dangerous environment gave rise to various legends about ghostly apparitions of individuals who lost their lives in accidents associated with the railway. Notable among these legends are a ghost train and the spirits of an engineer who died in a train collision in November 1880 and a miner who tragically lost his life and his hand while trying to hitch a ride on a train.
Nowadays, folks can visit the old ghost town in the Hocking Hills. They can walk the short trail to the old Moonville Tunnel and perhaps discover a ghost or two along the way!
Parking/Trailhead
Moonville Tunnel Parking/Trailhead
Hope-Moonville Road
Zaleski, Ohio 45698
(39.308368, -82.324567)
The Hike: From Moonville to Kings Tunnel:
Hikers can follow the rail-trail from Moonville and across the bridge over Raccoon Creek 0.2 miles to Moonville Tunnel.
Hiking Moonville Rail Trail
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Lake Hope State Park, about 7 minutes away, offers many hiking trails, including
- Buzzard Cave Trail – 0.5 mile – moderate
- Greenbriar Trail – 0.5 mile – moderate
- Peninsula Trail – 3 miles – moderate
- Furnace Trail – 3.2 miles – moderate; multi-use
- White Oak Trail – 0.25 mile – moderate/difficult
- Habron Hollow Trail – 1.5 miles – moderate/difficult; multi-use
- Olds Hollow Trail – 1.5 miles – moderate/difficult
- Tulip Trail – 1 mile – moderate/difficult
There are trails about 30 minutes away at Hocking Hills State Park:
- Ash Cave Gorge – 0.3 miles – Easy – Wheelchair Accessible
- Ash Cave Rim – 0.25 miles – Moderate
- Cantwell Cliffs – 0.2 miles – Difficult
- Cedar Falls – 1 mile – Moderate
- Old Man’s Cave – 1 mile – Moderate
- Rock House – 1 mile – Moderate
- Whispering Cave Trail 3.8 to 4.5 miles – Difficult.
- Buckeye Trail (Grandma Gatewood Trail)-Difficult