The Spookiest Hikes in the U.S.

By: Courtney Johnson

Whether it is the ghosts of war soldiers and old Native American legends or the cries of children and unexplained light helping to lead the way to safety, there are plenty of tales of hikers encountering the unexpected while on trails. Here are ten of the spookiest hikes to take in the U.S. if you are brave enough.

Bloody Lane Trail- Sharpsburg, Maryland

The Bloody Lane Trail, located at the Antietam National Battlefield- a national monument, begins at the New York State Monument and ends near the cannon behind the visitor center. Once the site of one of the deadliest Civil War battles in 1862, the trail is an easy-rated trail at 1.6 miles long.

After more than three hours of combat, 5,500 men were killed or wounded on Sunken Road (known as Bloody Lane). These soldiers are said to haunt the battlefield both in the daytime and at night. The dead soldiers, buried in unmarked graves near Burnside's Bridge, are still there, and their spirits come out at night playing drums. Visitors have smelled gunpowder and have heard gunfire, and have also heard singing. Reports of balls of blue light moving and soldiers walking down the lane and then vanishing are relatively common. Footsteps heard at both the Pry House and the Piper House that stand on the battlefield have nobody associated with them.

You can make this short hike longer by following the road to Mumma Farm and taking the Three Farms Trail, The Three Ridges Trail, and the Sherrick Farm Trail for a total of 4.6 miles and a slight elevation gain of 225 feet. An alternative hike is the figure 8 loop Burnside Bridge hike that passes the haunted bridge, hikes along Final Attack Trail, and Sherrick Farm Trail for 4.4 miles.

Chilnualna Falls Trail- Yosemite National Park, California

A difficult-rated trail, this 8.4-mile trail features a steady climb with 2,300 feet in elevation gain. The trail includes three waterfalls and several cascades. Depending on what time of year you hike, you may have to cross a stream or not even reach the falls during peak runoff in the spring when the rivers are overflowing.

Hikers are treated to views of the less visited Wawona area along the hike. Two Native American legends exist here. The first being about a young boy who drowned in Grouse Lake, and the second about the spirit Pohono.

When the trail passes Grouse Lake, listen for the cries of a young boy (puppy-like cries) who once drowned there. According to Ahwahneechee Tribal legend, you can hear his cries for help. Anyone who jumps in the lake to save the boy will drown, the legend states. We all know that we shouldn't get too close to the edge of any canyon wall, waterfall, or steep drop-off. But, Native American legend says that those who do not listen may be pushed over the edge by the spirit of Pohono.

Ghost House Trail- Big Ridge State Park, Tennessee

The name says it all about what makes this easy to moderate rated 1.2-mile hike, not for the faint of heart. In the late 1800s, life was hard for the residents of the Appalachians. Poverty and disease ran rapidly. The trail was once part of the homestead of Matson Hutchinson, where visitors have heard his daughter Mary's cries of suffering from the effects of tuberculosis. Matson, dressed in plaid, also haunts the woods where he once lived. Photos from visits to the family cemetery are said to have the shape of spirits behind the tombstones. Panting from the family dog can also be heard along this wooded trail.

In addition to the Hutchinson family, Indian Rock is the site where the settler Peter Graves was scalped. His scalpless ghost has also spooked visitors. The cackles and cries of a witch hung by her father haunt the Gristmill- another haunted sight along the loop trail.

Iron Goat Trail- Skykomish, Washington

This easy 5.7-mile loop off Stevens Pass in the cascades was once the site of one of the worst railroad disasters in the U.S. In 1910, two passenger trains were derailed by an avalanche. Almost 100 lives were lost that day- their spirits said to haunt the trails and the now abandoned tracks and tunnels.

With approximately 700 feet of elevation gain, hikers can peer into the tunnels along the trail from afar, but they cannot go into them. This trail is also closed at night. Visitors tell stories of hearing screams and the sounds of a train crash around the ghost town of Wellington.

The first part of this looped trail is ADA accessible. Be sure not to miss the interpretive signs telling about this railroad's builders-once considered one of the best built of transcontinental railroads.

Long Path, Theills, New York

The Long Path runs from the 175th Street Subway Station in New York City to John Boyd Thacher State Park near Albany in New York and covers 358 miles. It passes through state parks, preserves, and forest land. The section that connects Theills, New York, to the Letchworth Village Cemetery is something out of a movie. Letchworth was once a mental institution that opened in 1911 and closed in 1996. The T-shaped markers found at the cemetery are graves of the residents of Letchworth- mostly children represented by a number and not a grave. Experiments were performed on resident children without permission. The institution was overcrowded, leading to deplorable conditions and led to death for some residents.

For those walking this moderate stretch of Longs Path, they have seen children roaming the grounds amongst over 900 gravesites and around the 130 or so now crumbling buildings. The cries and screams of children unwillingly being experimented on for the polio vaccines and other tests have been heard along the path. Unnatural sounds from the buildings have been reported as well as tall figures standing in doorways.

Mammoth Cave National Park, Browsville Kentucky

Some call Mammoth Cave "the most haunted natural wonder in the world. " A book entitled Scary Stories of Mammoth Cave, written by park rangers Colleen O'Connor Olson and Charles Hanion, tells the tales of hundreds of documented paranormal activities that have taken place within the caves.

There are over 18 miles of trails around the visitor center and on the south side. On the north side of the park, there are over 60 miles of backcountry trails. But, the real haunted activity happens within the cave walls. Tours of the caves vary by time of year, so check the website to see what tours are running when you plan to visit.

A cave explorer, Floyd Collins, once owned Crystal Cave on Flint Ridge - one of the caves part of the Mammoth Cave system. Charging for tours, Collins wanted to commercialize more caves. While exploring Sand Cave in 1925, Collins became trapped. With cave collapses and other dangers, it took several days for rescuers to get to him. When the rescue team arrived, Collins was dead. The ghost of Collins has been seen roaming the caves. His cries for help echo against the cave walls. Rocks and other objects have been thrown at people from unknown sources. Visitors have also reported feeling like they have been touched and/or pushed by unknown beings. Weird shadows have been seen via lantern light while people have been touring the caves. The caves were once used as a burial ground for local aboriginal tribes and cave explorers- many of whom died of tuberculosis.

In the 1800s, there was a tuberculosis hospital on site. Coughing has been heard within the walls of the caves. The huts once used by patients can be seen if you take the Violet City Lantern Tour. Slave apparitions have also been spotted in the caves. Visitors have said to have seen the ghost of explorer, tour guide, and slave Steven Bishop who is buried nearby.

Manoa Falls, Oahu, Hawaii

This 1.6-mile out and back hike in the Manoa Valley features a 150-foot waterfall. Visitors to this lush forest have told Hawaiian tales of night marchers- ghosts that march along to the beat of ancient drums. Their forms have switched between tale-tellers from Hawaiian royalty to warriors in full armor. The marchers, also known as hukai'po, often hover overhead carrying torches as they walk amongst the banyan trees.

As the name would have it, these ghosts appear at night, although a few hikers have said they have heard the drumbeat during the daytime. Even though they float above, the night marchers often leave footprints along this muddy trail. Locals say that if you happen to see a marcher, do not look them in the eye. Lay down on the ground and "play dead" until the spirit(s) march by to avoid tragic consequences.

Norton Creek Trail- Great Smokey Mountains National Park, North Carolina

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, encompasses over 816 square miles. Within the park boundaries are more than 200 known cemeteries.

The Norton Creek Trail (also referred to as the Noland Creek Trail) goes through the highest concentration of cemeteries in all the region. Begin on the north shore of Lake Fontana and take the trail six miles upstream. Along the way, the trail passes by crumbling chimneys, stone fences, and remains of old homes and buildings, all adding to the eeriness. The trail leads to the Upper and Lower Norton Cemeteries.

Perhaps along your hike, you will run into the legend, Spearfinger. Her Cherokee name, U'tlun'ta, means "she had it sharp. " Spearfinger is said to have a long stone finger with a knife on the end. She would wander the trails looking for children who wandered too far from their homes. Posing as a grandmother, she would rock the children to sleep. Once asleep, she would use her finger to cut out the children's livers- a favorite food of hers to eat. Can you hear the lullabies? If you get lost, do not fear. Instead, look for the light leading you to safety. It is the light of a man once killed while looking for his lost daughter in the Great Smokies. If you are courageous enough, you can even get a backcountry permit to spend a night or two at one of the campsites along the trail. Yearly, families still come out to participate in "December Days" , where they come to to decorate the graves and celebrate their loved ones who are buried there.

Transept Trail- Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, you will find the out and back Transept Trail. This out and back trail is 2.0 miles one way and connects the Grand Canyon Lodge to the North Rim Campground. While the trail heads up and down the rim, it only has approximately 280 feet of elevation change but is steep in parts.

As you hike past the wildflowers, listen for the sounds of the Wailing Woman. Most often seen at night, she wears a long white dress mourning the loss of her son and husband, who perished in a hiking accident. Amongst the pines and aspens, you can hear her sorrow as the trail takes you along a tributary of Bright Angel Canyon. A rustling in the trees….. was that the Wailing Woman or a mule deer, one of the common animals found along the trail? Head out to catch the sunset from this perfect vantage point.

Keep your eyes open for a woman in a white dress while you listen for cries echo in the canyon as she calls out to her long lost lover.

Along the dunes lives Pavla Blanca- the ghost of White Sands National Park. In 1540, a Spanish conquistador Hernando Luna was looking for the lost Seven Cities with an explorer Francisco Coronado. They were ambushed by Apaches and killed. Mañuela- Luna's wife, who stayed in Mexico City, was never seen again.

The ghost of Mañuela is said to appear at sunset. Dressed in a wedding gown, she looks for her fiancé, who perished in this now national park. She flies over the dunes taken along by nightly breezes in search of the love of her life. There is no set route for climbing the dunes, and Pavla Blanca has appeared in different areas around the park in her endless search.

Courtney Johnson is a book author, freelance writer and teacher based in Erie, CO. Most of her days are spent chasing her 7 year old daughter on the bike trails, ski runs and up climbing routes. You can follow her adventures at: https://adventureswithmylittleray.com/.