Dare To Explore The Creepy Paw Paw Tunnel Hike In Maryland

Hikers have a spine-tingling reputation for the Paw Paw Tunnel, a subterranean passageway hidden in Allegany County, Maryland.

Built in the 1800s as part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, this 3,118-foot brick-lined tunnel now attracts adventurers seeking both history and hair-raising thrills.

What makes this hike truly unforgettable isn’t just the eerie darkness that swallows you whole, but the whispers of paranormal activity that have followed the tunnel since its bloody construction days.

Blood-Soaked Construction History

The tunnel’s creation from 1836 to 1850 claimed numerous lives through deadly accidents, disease outbreaks, and violent worker riots.

Irish and German immigrants toiled in horrific conditions, with many buried in unmarked graves near the worksite.

Cholera epidemics swept through worker camps, killing dozens.

The project bankrupted several contractors and took 14 years instead of the planned 2 years to complete.

Many hikers report feeling an overwhelming heaviness upon entering, as if the tunnel remembers its violent past.

Pitch-Black Passage That Disorients Hikers

Walking into the Paw Paw Tunnel means entering complete darkness that swallows your flashlight beam.

The curved design prevents you from seeing the exit until you’re halfway through, creating a disorienting sensory experience.

Cool air rushes past you while water drips from the ceiling, amplifying sounds in unsettling ways.

Voices echo strangely, sometimes seeming to come from nowhere.

Experienced hikers recommend bringing multiple light sources – those who’ve had flashlights mysteriously fail inside never forget the panic.

Ghostly Encounters Along the Towpath

“I felt someone breathing down my neck” is a common report from solo hikers traversing the tunnel’s narrow towpath.

Phantom footsteps matching your pace, only to stop when you turn around, have been documented by dozens of visitors.

Park rangers acknowledge the frequency of paranormal claims but maintain an official silence about specific incidents.

Some hikers capture unexplained orbs and mist in photographs that equipment specialists cannot debunk.

Most frightening are accounts of shadowy figures darting between the tunnel wall and canal water.

The Screaming Rock Face Outside

Before reaching the tunnel’s entrance, hikers must pass a peculiar rock formation locals call “The Screamer.”

Resembling a human face frozen mid-scream, this natural phenomenon changes appearance throughout the day as shadows shift across its surface.

Geological experts explain it as simple erosion, but trail guides share stories of hikers hearing wailing sounds near this formation on windless days.

Some claim The Screamer depicts a worker crushed during construction.