Back in December I proclaimed that I wanted to hike a lot this winter.
Cue the polar vortex and the weeks of snow and ice on our trails that made it nearly impossible to safely get in the woods.
BUT, it was fifty degrees and sunny on Saturday so we jumped at the chance to get out for a little saunter through the woods. We chose the Moonville Rail Trail for its proximity to home and all around easiness. After all, we hadn’t been out for months!
We even made a new friend. It seemed a little early and chilly for him but he appeared quite satisfied enjoying the day in the sun.
It was a good choice and a beautiful day for fresh air, exercise and some bonding with nature. I came home feeling refreshed and not worn out. I was calmer, rejuvenated and better.
It was a powerful reminder to keep looking up! Happy Monday, friends. Keeping looking up.
PS- The temperature plummeted and the snow returned yesterday so our timing was great!
Buried deep in the hills of Vinton County, Ohio you’ll find an abandoned railroad tunnel that was once part of the B&O Railroad. Today it’s the centerpiece of the Moonville Rail Trail and a destination for both ghost hunters and graffiti artists.
This is public property and an amazing historic site that people insist on vandalizing with their paint cans. Between that and the locks people attach to one of the bridges that volunteers worked years to build , a trip here is both a fun adventure and little irritating.
Why do people insist on leaving their mark on what is not theirs?
This time, though, the graffiti was actual art.
I was kind of impressed that someone could do all this with a spray can.
I still don’t condone spray paint on property where the owners say “please don’t” but I do wish that there were more public spaces where folks like this could show off their skills.
After an unplanned break from steady hiking due to a sprained ankle, illness, rain and ice, I finally made it back out with my hiking partners yesterday. We chose an easy trail and did only about four miles so we could ease back into it.
After a lovely, long winter it felt good to be outside for a stretch of the legs. The sun accompanied us most of the way as did a strong breeze. At about 44 degrees, it was comfortable.
Sunshine on your face, clean air in your lungs and dirt beneath your feet.
These things are vital to health and wellness. These things remind us that we weren’t meant to walk on concrete all day and that our connection to nature will help keep us sane and feeling inspired in an increasingly soulless world.
Even though I live in the country where nature is outside my door, access to parks is of utmost importance to me. I firmly believe that public lands like state and national parks and forests should be protected at all costs. Humans have proven they will strip land of resources and build anywhere they can make a spot without care for the needs of the natural world we rely on so heavily for our health and well being.
Our parks and forests are treasures and I am grateful to live close to public lands so I have a place to go for my own physical and mental health.
What’s your favorite hiking spot? I’m always looking for potential destinations! Have you been out on the trail much this winter? Do tell.
I live in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio where we have countless visitors come for the fall foliage. The trees are mostly bare now so the flow of visitors has slowed some, leaving the trails pleasantly quiet.
While the brilliant golds and reds of fall are gorgeous, I think there’s still something beautiful about the landscape after the leaves fall. It’s stark and basic. It’s quiet and calming. The beauty is subtle but lovely, even on a gloomy day.
This is one of a series of photos made on the Moonville Rail Trail over the weekend. We had the trail mostly to ourselves except at the end when we arrived back at the historic tunnel where people gathered to ghost hunt. I wondered if they would venture out of the tunnel to appreciate the starkness of the transformed landscape.
Yesterday found me on a section of the Moonville Rail Trail that I hadn’t explored before. Technically, we intended to visit the haunted Moonville Tunnel and walk a few miles from there on the rail trail. Unfortunately, that area was extremely busy and we were looking for a more peaceful experience in nature. So we opted for a plan b.
Turns out that was a terrific idea!
I live in Vinton County, Ohio where a growing tourism industry has resulted in some truly good things that deserve exploring. A winery, lots of new cabins and airbnbs, a new park district and other developments have been drawing a lot of new visitors into the community.
But I think, as residents, we sometimes forget to go check out the new or different because we keep returning to the old.
This was a fun walk and it was a gorgeous day to get out and enjoy something a little different than we would normally do. It was a fantastic reminder that there’s adventure to be found near and far from home and that every day is a good one to get out and see something!
Want to visit my community? Learn more here. If you’re a resident, there’s plenty for you to explore as well!
Twenty years ago, a group of folks in my community joined together with a shared vision to create a rail trail. But it’s not just any trail. It’s a muscle powered trail open to folks who walk, ride bicycles or ride horses. It stretches for sixteen miles through the Zaleski State Forest, Lake Hope State Park wetlands and some small villages.
It’s called the Moonville Rail Trail, named for one of Vinton County’s most famous landmarks, the Moonville Tunnel. The trail follows an old Baltimore and Ohio rail line through sheer wilderness. The tunnel is famous primarily for legends and stories about ghosts and hauntings. It’s also a super cool old railroad tunnel.
In fact, many people come just to see the tunnel. They park, walk the short distance to the tunnel, nose around a bit and leave.
Sadly, they’re missing the best part. I was there with a friend after work last night. We parked at Moonville and then walked the approximate two miles to another tunnel. This one is called King’s Hollow Tunnel or sometimes King’s Switch.
First of all, I want to say how amazed I am at the work the Moonville Rail Trail Association has accomplished. When the railroad pulled out of this stretch years ago, they took out everything including the bridges which cross ravines as well as the incredibly twisty Raccoon Creek.
Having new bridges placed was imperative to making this rail trail usable. This is not a wealthy community so they have relied on grants, fundraisers and donations of blood, sweat and tears from a very small core group of people. You cross several of their bridges in that two mile stretch between Moonville and Kings Hollow and I couldn’t help but smile every time we approached a new one. This is what can be accomplished when people unite for a common good.
This is a densely forested area with gorgeous views of the changing foliage, wetlands and stream. Plus, there are the tunnels.
The Moonville Tunnel was built in 1856 and repaired at the turn of the next century. It’s brick and very cool. It’s named for the small town that was once located here. No more than a hundred people ever lived in Moonville at one time and they were mostly miners and rail workers. There’s not much left except a cemetery, the tunnel and some tall tales. Even the foundation stones once left from old buildings have been mostly swept away by flooding or souvenir seekers. However, if you go off trail in your exploration you might stumble into an old cellar or two so be careful.
Today the tunnel is largely covered in graffiti. Visiting here has long been a rite of passage for young people, including Ohio University students, to visit at night. They commonly leave their mark.
Walk a couple of miles east of Moonville to find the King’s Hollow Tunnel. What makes it special is that it’s wood. It’s a 120 foot long wooden tunnel carved through rock. I love the way the rock juts out overhead so you can truly see what the builders were up against all those years ago.
This tunnel has a distinct smell. It smells musty and old like old wood and oil. You can actually smell the tunnel before you can see it. Also, the temperature drops at least ten degrees as you approach. Sadly, graffiti artists have found this one too.
You can drive to this tunnel but then you would miss out on the glorious views along the walk and the true peace and quiet that you don’t find many places. Speaking of quiet, don’t expect much cell service.
Click here to see some more pictures from another King’s Hollow visit. Read more about the Rail Trail and get directions to Moonville at the Vinton County CVB site. You can also take a trail ride to Moonville at Uncle Buck’s Riding Stable. I did that last year and wrote about it here! Finally, I want to mention they typically have a fun event at Moonville in October. It’s cancelled this year because of Covid spikes in Ohio but they’ve already announced the 2022 date. Read about that event here.
Check back. I’ll tell you what I know about Moonville’s ghosts soon.
