North Dakota has lots of gorgeous hiking trails that’ll give you great experiences, but it only has one tunnel trail – and it’s something special. This tunnel trail will take you on an adventure through a piece of ND history with a unique backstory and there is no other place quite like it. Check it out for yourself and take the trail:

North Dakota's only tunnel trail is also a bridge trail, utilizing a railroad lift bridge and tunnel that were never fully completed or used. It is called the Fairview Bridge and Cartwright Tunnel.
Don Barrett/Flickr
It is located at the very western edge of North Dakota and goes over the Yellowstone River. Today, there is a park and accessible trail for hikers to enjoy, as trains never came to pass on it.
noeljkeller/traillink
As you cross the bridge, you'll start approaching a dark tunnel in the hillside. This is North Dakota's one and only railroad tunnel even though the tracks never made it through after it was constructed in 1912 and 1913.
noeljkeller/traillink

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The tunnel can look quite ominous from the outside, like a spooky, pitch-black hole to nowhere, but it is quite a fascinating experience to make the trek through it.
wolfman9999999/Youtube
Inside the tunnel it does get quite dark and goes at somewhat of a curve so there are points where you can't see either end, just the darkness around you. Keep in mind that there are no lights in the tunnel, so you will need to rely on your own night vision or bring a flashlight.
wolfman9999999/Youtube
At the other end of this 1,458-foot-long tunnel, the trail continues to the outside for a ways in the prairie hills. After this, you can head back through and over the bridge once more.
noeljkeller/traillink

The Fairview Bridge and Cartwright Tunnel is located in Sundheim Park off of Highway 200, about 4 miles east of Fairview, North Dakota.

Check out this video for a full walk through the tunnel, but if you get the chance you should definitely experience it for yourself and see just how cool it is! As far as defunct railroad tunnels go, this one is definitely the most awesome, and there is no other railroad tunnel in general – in use or not – in North Dakota to experience.

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Fairview Bridge & Cartwright Tunnel Trail, North Dakota, USA