October is finally here! Fall is in the air; leaves have changed colors and temperatures have dropped. You’ve booked your cabin, packed your bags, gathered your party, and made the journey to Red River Gorge. The car is packed with bodies and gear as you make your way to the most gorgeous destination that Kentucky has to offer – the anticipation has been exhausting. The drive up is bright and colorful; beautiful oranges, yellows, reds, and even lingering greens are present in all directions. The sun’s rays beam into the open windows of your vehicle, filling you with warmth.
As the curves of the road wind left and right, the radio begins to cut in and out. Suddenly, there it is – the ominous black hole, seemingly painted into the side of an enormous sandstone mountain. The ‘Gateway to the Gorge’ is the only thing between you and countless adventures.
Inching closer and closer, it becomes clear – one lane, it almost feels impossible to calm your nerves. The sheer darkness of the tunnel is almost too much to bear, regardless of the cramped quarters your vehicle is supposed to travel through. Dead silence allows you to not only feel but hear your quickening heartbeat. The walls almost seem to close in on your car. You can physically touch the walls of the tunnel out of the window.
As soon as you reach out of the window to embrace the mountainous interior, you hear – it. No, not just you.. everyone in the car. Pale, flushed faces, dart from side to side as you attempt to decipher the direction of the noise. Chills scour your skin as the devilish moan happens again. Time seems to stand still as adrenaline surges through your body. Just as your internal ‘fight or flight’ kicks in, the sun breaks through the trees and the tunnel becomes just another obstacle in the rear-view mirror.
The ‘Gateway to the Gorge’ is non-other than the historic, world-famous, Nada Tunnel. Measuring 900 ft. long, 13 ft. high, and 12 ft. wide; this man-made marvel was created between 1910-1911, and has been the cause of a few deaths. Countless travelers, and locals alike have claimed to have heard the moans of the ghost that haunts Nada Tunnel. Many argue over exactly who, or what is the cause of the eerie moaning noises that so many have heard.
What do you think it was – the laborious construction worker that met his untimely demise while attempting to unthaw TNT, the unlucky rock climber that just missed that gnarly grip, or was it just nerves throwing you into hysteria?
