Night Hikes/Paranormal Investigations
Where the natural world and the supernatural world collide©
Waiver Forms. Information about the Hikes. What to Expect.
About the Night Hike/Paranormal Investigation
About the Hike/What to Expect
About the Hike / What to Expect
Join me for a guided night hike along the historic Moonville Rail Trail as we explore the ghost stories passed down from the old railroad communities, followed by a paranormal investigation at the famous Moonville Tunnel.
All participants must register and pay online in advance to receive a ticket. Tickets will be scanned before the hike, so please save a copy or screenshot of your ticket to your phone before arriving. Cell phone service around Moonville can be spotty, and you may not be able to pull up your ticket once you are there.
The hike lasts approximately 2½ hours, including hiking, storytelling stops, and the investigation at the tunnel. Along the way, I stop several times for brief stories about Moonville, the railroad, the people who once lived here, and the ghost stories that have been passed down through the years.
The walk is relaxed and enjoyable, although we do keep a steady pace. After dark, the rail trail becomes very quiet, and we often hear coyotes, frogs, and owls. We occasionally encounter wildlife such as foxes, snakes, and even black bears. And, with a little luck, perhaps something from Moonville’s past.
Starting Locations & Hiking Distance
Depending upon the hike date, trail conditions, flooding, and completion of the new section of the Moonville Rail Trail, hikes may begin from one of two locations.
Route 1: Moonville Tunnel Parking
Approximately 1.6 miles one way / 3.2 miles round trip
Route 2: Hope Schoolhouse Parking Lot
Approximately 2 miles one way / 4 miles round trip
There is no shuttle service. You will be hiking the entire route out and back, so please make sure you are comfortable walking the full round-trip distance.
Moonville Night Hike Dates & Starting Locations
Please check your specific hike date below before coming. Starting locations may vary depending upon completion of the new Moonville Rail Trail section, flooding, trail conditions, and access.
All hikes leave at 7:15 p.m. sharp. Please arrive 15 minutes early.
September 26
Starting Location: Moonville Tunnel Parking
Approximately 1.6 miles one way / 3.2 miles round trip
October 3
Starting Location: To Be Announced
October 9
Starting Location: To Be Announced
October 10
Starting Location: To Be Announced
October 17
Starting Location: To Be Announced
October 24
Starting Location: To Be Announced
October 31
Starting Location: To Be Announced
Once you reach the Moonville Tunnel area, cell phone service is spotty and may be unavailable.
The Moonville Rail Trail follows the old railroad grade and is relatively level, although trail conditions can vary. Rain and flooding may leave mud, standing water, loose gravel, fallen branches, or other obstacles.
What to Bring
- Jeans or other long pants
- Long-sleeved shirt (recommended)
- Tennis shoes or hiking boots
- Insect repellent
- A flashlight, headlamp, or cell phone for light
Open-toed shoes and sandals are not recommended. The trail surface is crushed stone, and snakes, frogs, insects, and other wildlife are common during spring, summer, and fall.
The trail is heavily shaded, making it much darker than surrounding areas, even under moonlight.
The hike is held rain or shine, except during thunderstorms or other hazardous weather. We will most likely still do a ghost hunt and storytelling in the tunnel.
Please Note
- No pets.
- No climbing on or above the tunnel.
- No jump-scares or intentionally frightening other guests.
- I will be set up with my registration table at the starting location listed for your specific hike date. Please check the date and starting location above before coming.
- Most manual and powered wheelchairs have little difficulty on this relatively flat gravel rail trail, though recent rain, loose gravel, fallen branches, or ruts may make travel more challenging in some areas.
- There are no refunds, although you can add Purchase Protection for a small fee during registration.
- Participants under 18 must have a parent or guardian with them for both the hike and paranormal investigation. Only those 18 and older will receive a reminder before the hike.
Signing Up/Registration
After the hike, I’ll bring out a variety of paranormal investigation equipment so you can try a little ghost hunting inside Moonville Tunnel.
I may videotape portions of the investigation and often post the results within a few days on my YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@LoneGhostWriter
With the natural sounds of the forest, voices from the group, and equipment running, tools such as the spirit box can sometimes be difficult to hear clearly in real time. When I go through the video afterward, however, we sometimes discover some very peculiar results that were not noticed during the investigation.
Please check Jannette’s Haunted Ohio Facebook page HERE before coming for weather/flooding/cancellation or other updates.
I will have some of my Ohio, West Virginia, and Appalachian hikes books available (including the Moonville books, Haunted Hocking Hills, and the Haunted Ohio books) for purchase for ten dollars a piece, but bring cash. There are no ATMs and the cell phone services are sketchy.
Under 18 must have a parent/guardian along for the hike and ghost hunt.
How Do I SIGN UP?
Reservations are required ahead of time as I cannot accept payment at the site
Hikes in the autumn are the most popular. I try to keep the groups small because parking is limited.
Part of the appeal of Moonville is that you never know what you will find on the far side of the tunnel where the natural world and the supernatural world collide.
Here is what you might expect at a night hike/ghost hunt. Watch while visitors use the equipment to explore the tunnel and its ghosts!
Preparing for the Hike
Please take note of the following information:
- It will be dark on the return hike. Please bring a flashlight, headlamp, or use your cell phone for light.
- The flat gravel surface is accessible for many wheelchairs, although recent rain, ruts, or loose gravel may make travel more difficult in places.
- I recommend bringing bottled water or another drink, especially during warmer weather.
- No pets are permitted, except on specifically designated pet-friendly hikes.
- The surrounding swamps can produce plenty of mosquitoes during the spring and summer, so insect repellent is highly recommended. Light, loose-fitting long pants and long-sleeved shirts are also a good idea.
- The Moonville Rail Trail is well maintained by the Moonville Rail Trail Association, but fallen branches, ruts, rocks, or downed trees may occasionally be present. These hazards can be difficult to see after dark, so please watch your footing.
- Children must remain with their parent or guardian at all times. Portions of the trail pass near steep embankments, waterways, and other natural hazards. Parents and guardians are responsible for supervising their children.
- Please do not climb above the tunnel. The historic town of Moonville was not located above the tunnel, and there is nothing to see there. Climbing the hillside is dangerous and is not permitted.
- I also bring copies of my books to each hike. They are usually $10 each, considerably less than retail prices. Buying a book helps support the hikes, pays for my gas, and, of course… my ego.
- Tips are never expected but are always greatly appreciated.
- This trail is also used by horseback riders, so horse manure is often present on the path. Please wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes or hiking boots.
- There are no restrooms at Moonville. The nearest public restrooms are a few miles away at Lake Hope State Park, near the beach parking area.
- I share the ghost stories, folklore, and local legends passed down by residents, often at or near the locations where the events are said to have occurred. Children are welcome, but please remember that these stories can be frightening. I generally do not recommend this hike for children under 8 or 9 years old. Even older children may find stories such as Bloody Bones unsettling, especially in the darkness of the trail.
- If your child truly doesn’t want to be there, they’ll let you know. They’ll probably let everyone within a mile know. Loudly.
- I have five kids, so I can usually talk over them. However, many guests come to enjoy the stories and atmosphere, and it can be difficult for others to hear when children are crying or talking while I’m telling the stories. You know your children best, so please use your judgment when deciding whether this hike is right for them.
- After all, I take great pleasure in giving adults nightmares with the stories I write and tell.
- Yes, you can bring a stroller or wagon. They work well on the path.
- The Moonville Rail Trail and Moonville Tunnel are managed by the Vinton County Park District. To help ensure visitor safety and allow law enforcement to patrol the area, both the trail and the surrounding Zaleski State Forest close at 11:00 p.m. Please plan to leave the area promptly at the conclusion of the hike.
Moonville Whispers: Ghosts of Moonville Tunnel in Ohio by Jannette Quackenbush
Historical profiles of ghost towns along the trail
First-hand accounts of supernatural encounters
Detailed guide to the most haunted spots along the Moonville Rail Trail
Dare to walk the line between history and legend-if you’re brave enough to listen to the whispers.
Hiking the Hocking Hills?
Coming to the Hocking Hills and looking for the best park trails, little known and well known? This is your guide!
Traditional Hocking Hills hikes and unique hikes! In color.
Detailed maps are included for each trail.
Detailed information: Provides trail difficulty and ratings along with Compass and Scale on the maps!
Includes trails from other parks including Hocking Hills State Park, Hocking Hills Nature Preserves, Hocking Hills State Forests, Clear Creek Metroparks, and county parks like Vinton and Hocking County.
Directions to Moonville via Hope-Moonville Road
- GPS for Moonville: 39.308451, -82.324552
Directions to Moonville:
From Oh-278, turn on to Wheelabout Road (you will see the Lake Hope State Park dam across from the road).
Go straight (left) on to Shea Road. (If you go past the Hope Schoolhouse, you took the wrong road). Follow the road that turns into gravel for 2.5 miles (there are no other roads) and you will cross a steel bridge and not far after, you will see a Moonville Rail Trail sign on the right.
The parking is on the left.
- Directions to Moonville: Flood Route :
From Oh-278, turn on to Wheelabout Road (you will see the Lake Hope State Park dam across from the road).
*The road makes a Y at about .2 miles, make a right to continue on Wheelabout. (Straight is the way that is sometimes flooded)
You will pass the old Hope Schoolhouse.
*After two miles, you will see a little Y where the road jogs to the left or continues rounding to the right. Take this left. It will go from asphalt to gravel.
*There will be a stop sign at Hope Moonville Road. Make a left.
The parking lot will be on the right, watch for the rail-trail sign
If you use your cellphone for directions to the hike, once you are at Moonville, you may not be able to get service until you are about 20-30 minutes from the tunnel. That said, you may have trouble setting up your return home from the parking lot after the hike, so make sure you plan your route as a round trip.