Stumphouse Tunnel Letterbox
Placed April 13, 2003 by CelticRice
Oconee County
Nearest City: Walhalla

Difficulty:
Clues: easy
Trail is an easy walk after a bit of scrambling to get
on top of the tunnel
Total loop from car park is less than one-half mile.

Notes about the Stumphouse Tunnel:
In 1852, the South Carolina Legislature granted a
charter to the Blue Ridge Railroad Company, which was
formed to build a railroad connection between
Charleston, South Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee.
The major obstacle to this work was Stumphouse
Mountain in Oconee County, South Carolina. Stumphouse
Tunnel was to be constructed 5,863 feet through solid
granite.

In spite of the dreams of the people of Charleston,
considerable effort on the part of many people of the
state, and sizable expenditures, the railroad across
the mountains was not meant to be. The South Carolina
Legislature refused to grant further funding to the
railroad in 1859, ending South Carolina's western
connection.

All that remains of the grandiose dream is the
unfinished Stumphouse Tunnel now preserved in a park
located in the foothills a few miles north of Walhalla
on Highway 28. Picnic tables are available.

Today, the tunnel area is a recreational site. The
temperature inside the tunnel is about 50 degrees and
the humidity is about 85% year-around. Youll want to
bring flashlights to explore the tunnel, into which
you may venture for quite a distance. Shortly after
entering the tunnel, you will come to the first
ventilation shaft, which opens up to the sky far
above. For a more detailed history of the tunnel,
visit www.stumphousetunnel.com.

The clues:
Across from the entrance to the tunnel is a rail car.
Standing at the rail car and facing the tunnel you
will notice that there are trails on either side of
the tunnel that lead to the area above the tunnel.
You may take either the left or right paths, but I
took both and found the right to be somewhat easier.
Standing at the front of the rail car, youll find the
right-hand path at about 30.

After climbing up the trail, you will soon find
yourself on a rocky plateau above the tunnel opening
and can look down to the rail car and the car park.
Turn to face 350 and you will see a trail leading
into the woods. Follow this trail. You should see
overhead wires to your right, and a guy wire for one
of the supporting poles is anchored in the path about
15 paces in.

You will soon come to a broken tree sticking out of
the ground in the middle of the trail. The stump of
the tree points to 45 and leans over at about the
same number of degrees. Continue up the trail about
43 paces, crossing another bigger log across the path
as you go. Then look to your right (east) about five
paces off the trail to see a fallen tree with its
roots pulled out of the ground. On the other side of
this tree, at the base of the trunk under a rock, you
will find that which you seek. Use discretion when
stamping up, as this trail is a popular one.

You may carry on up the path another 145 paces or so
to find the top of the tunnels first ventilation
shaft. Only the bats should use this entrance, so it
is surrounded by chain-link fence.

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