Horseshoe Curve in Altoona beckons tourists who want to experience the beauty and architectural wonder of the railroad line with tracks that curve around the mountainside like a horseshoe. But, not far away sits a tunnel, not really an architectural wonder like the Horseshoe Curve but memorable nonetheless. This tunnel – this haunted tunnel in Pennsylvania, to be exact – has spawned tales of terror for years. The question is: Do you believe the legend?

Wikimedia Commons/Chris Light
Local lore hangs heavy at the Horseshoe Curve Tunnel in Altoona, but what exactly happened there remains somewhat murky. Legend states that an Irishwoman has haunted the tunnel since the late 1800s.
Flickr/Skye D.
What happened to this young lady, said to be wearing a flowing white dress, is debatable. Many say that she was lurking outside of the tunnel on the Altoona side awaiting the return of her beloved after a day's work.
Flickr/Richo In Oz
In one version, a murderer prematurely and brutally ends her life, and her spirit remains in the dark, foreboding tunnel. Others assert that it was actually the Irishwoman's beloved who met a tragic end – perhaps murdered – on his way to meet her, and her spirit has lurked in the tunnel for decades, still awaiting her love's return.
Flickr/Rachel Kramer
Whatever the true story, we may never know, but many tell stories of having terrifying, ghostly encounters on the Altoona side of the Horseshoe Curve Tunnel. Do you dare to drive through – just shy of the midnight hour on a night when a full moon brightens the sky or…

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When rain, fog, or snow hang heavy in the air? Such instances, some say, create the ideal conditions for experiencing the paranormal.
Flickr/R.E. Barber Photography
Some tell of a strong sulfur smell that lingers in the air as they draw closer to the tunnel and difficulty breathing before the Irish lass appears, none too happy to see her visitors. Others claim to have stopped in the tunnel, flashed their lights three times then honked their horn three times, and turned off their car only to be greeted by the laughter of children and shadows passing the vehicle. (Please note: Stopping in the middle of the tunnel can be extremely dangerous and is not advised.)
Flickr/Liz West
Drivers have told of placing a water bottle on the roof of their vehicle after they stopped in the middle of the darkened tunnel. The tortured spirit will then, again according to local lure, grab the water bottle and throw it off of the roof.
Flickr/F.D. Richards
Upon exiting the tunnel, some visitors have seen the young Irish lass in the flowing white dress standing by a towering spruce tree.
Flickr/Joel Kramer
If you dare to go through the haunted Horseshoe Curve Tunnel, find a safe place to pull over once you've driven through. You may see, as others have, hand prints on your car's windows.

If you’ve been on the hunt for a “haunted tunnel near me,” you just found one of the most fascinating. Will you drive through this haunted tunnel in Pennsylvania to see for yourself if ghosts really do exist? Or, perhaps visit one of these eight haunted cemeteries in Pennsylvania that will terrify you?

Next time you go ghost hunting, make sure you take a camera with you. You never know what you’ll capture.

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More to Explore

Haunted Places In Pennsylvania

Beth Price-Williams | May 01, 2020

What are the most haunted places in Pennsylvania?

If you’re on the hunt for the most haunted places in Pennsylvania, plan a visit to Gettysburg. The historic city, in fact, might be the most haunted spot in the entire state. Start your visit at Gettysburg Hotel, where you might want to stay the night if you’re brave enough. During the Civil War, the hotel served as a makeshift hospital. Many say the spirits of the dead still remain. You might even catch a glimpse of Rachel, who’s been spotted in hotel rooms digging through luggage and dresser drawers.

To see more of haunted Pennsylvania, including Pennhurst Hospital and State School and Devil’s Den, follow this haunted road trip.

What are the most famous Pennsylvania ghost stories?

Van Sant Covered Bridge, in New Hope, is home to one of Pennsylvania’s ghost stories that will make chills run down your spine. Although known as Crybaby Covered Bridge, Van Sant is the site of the tragedy of a young mother and her newborn baby. After being shunned by family and friends, the mother threw her baby from the covered bridge before hanging herself. Today, if you go to the covered bridge, listen for the anguished cries of the newborn. If you’re really daring, drive over the bridge in the middle of the night, stop, and listen for the sound of the mom’s footsteps as she paces back and forth on the roof of the bridge.

Can I take a tour of any haunted places in Pennsylvania?

If creepy stories from Pennsylvania give you chills, imagine what a tour of some of the most haunted places in PA will do. Eastern State Penitentiary, for example, was a place of human misery as inmates languished in solitary confinement. (It even housed Al Capone at one time.) Today, visitors can tour the haunted prison, but be prepared for the unexpected – including to experience the paranormal.

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