Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there is a wealth of unexplainable phenomena across not just the United States, but around the rest of the world as well. Why not plan a trip to explore them? At worst, you can see for yourself why certain people think there’s paranormal activity in certain areas, and at best you might see an example of it yourself!
California’s Chilnualna Falls Trail
This difficult loop extending 8.4 miles passes Grouse Lake, where, if you believe Ahwahneechee tribal lore, the cries of a little boy who drowned can still be heard. But beware. Legend says that if you dive into the water to look for him you’ll suffer the same fate.
Maryland’s Bloody Lane Trail
This 1.5-mile trail in the Antietam National Battlefield was once the site of one of the most death-dealing Civil War battles. The actual conflict occurred in 1862, but more than 150 years on there have been reports of sightings of ghostly soldiers both at night and during the day.
Many of the fallen were buried around Burnside’s Bridge, and people have seen balls of blue light, heard the sound of drums, gunfire and battlefield songs, and smelt gunpowder in the area.
If you’re lucky, you might come home with a tale to tell the next time you play Bingo in Australia or anywhere else worldwide. You’ll be a chat room superstar!
Tennessee’s Ghost House Trail
This remote part of the Appalachians is located in the Big Ridge State Park and its claim to fame is that it’s where a witch was hung and a Native American scalped. A plaque commemorating the latter event can be viewed on the nearby Indian Rock Trail.
But the 1.2-mile Ghost House Trail is where the spooks are at. It once belonged to the Hutchinson family where one of the daughters, Mary, passed away from TB in the 1800s. Neighbours heard cries and saw figures in the house even after the family moved away, but it’s not the young girl you’ve got to watch out for. It’s her little dog that comes out to play, with many hikers saying they’ve heard it running and panting but seen no sign of it anywhere.
Washington’s Iron Goat Trail
The Iron Goat Trail in the Cascades’ Steven Pass was where one of the worst railroad accidents in US history took place. In 1910, an avalanche knocked two trains off the tracks while they were stationary in the Wellington Depot and almost 100 people were killed.
The Great Northern Railroad abandoned the tracks after the tragedy, building new routes and tunnels, but the original abandoned underground passageways and snow sheds are still there. Hikers have shared stories of hearing voices, screams, and the sound of twisting metal around the crash site at Tye Creek, in Wellington, now a ghost town. But you’re not allowed on the trail after dark and don’t under any circumstances enter the tunnels, as they’re all on the point of collapsing.
