rays hill tunnel parking

Regardless of how or when you go, we think you’ll find this a unique off the beaten path experience. RR; completed 1940 by Penn. 1885 by South Penn. The highlights of this 13 mile-long site are two abandoned tunnels – the Sideling Hill Tunnel and the Rays Hill Tunnel. The tunnel is part of an unofficial bike trail on a 13 mile stretch of weather-beaten asphalt called the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Sideling Hill Tunnel is five miles east of the Rays Hill Tunnel. 30 East and Tannery Rd. Also wear a headlamp, so you see what you are looking at as you look around you. The center 2/3 of the tunnel is pitch black and requires a strong bike light to negotiate safely. You’ll also experience a 20 degree temperature drop, which is welcome on a hot July day. If you go to the eastern end, you’ll pass the parking apron of the old Cove Valley Travel Plaza. To the north of Broad Top Mountain it is most often spelled "Wrays" and to the south most often "Rays." All these places were geocache locations. Although little has become of the Pike2Bike, the route is a popular and fairly easy 26 mile ride round trip. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! It was also bypassed and abandoned but everything was torn down. Here are coordinates for the beginning of the pike heading towards Rays Hill tunnel along with parking space: +39° 59' 59.72", -78° 13' 41.34" . The trail is safe from predators, both four legged and two legged, and is patrolled sporadically by state, county and local law enforcement. Comm. If you continue for another 3.5 miles, you come to the half-mile long Rays Hill Tunnel. Check out Grouseland Tours. This is Oregon Road. Tpk. The nearby Sideling Hill Tunnel was the longest tunnel on the turnpike at almost 7,000 feet. Construction and expansion have been ongoing ever since. The third abandoned tunnel, Laurel Hill, is 50 miles to the west. By foot or by bike, the Rays Hill Tunnel is 1.5 miles from the Breezewood parking area. The first is Rays Hill Tunnel which is about 1.5 miles from the start of the freeway. Construction started in October 1938. It's amazing that the tunnels look almost untouched after standing, unmaintained, for more than 40 years. The parking area for the abandoned turnpike near Breezewood. It’s also the only portal to not have ventilation fans above the opening. Construction started in 1938 using the railroad bed and seven of the nine tunnels. Headlights were required even during the day. This is a schematic of the western end of the Pike2Bike. A photographer illuminated by a spotlight inside the Sideling Hill Tunnel. Past more highway and the smaller, but better preserved, Rays Hill Tunnel is the Bedford County entrance to the abandoned turnpike. Location of the Laurel Hill Tunnel. The turnpike was a victim of its own success. The eastern portal of the Rays Hill Tunnel in 1885 with the geocache location shown. Length: 3,532 feet. So here we are on a hot July day looking for tunnel geocaches compliments of Andrew Carnegie and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Despite the constantly increasing rates to drive on the toll road that stretches from one side of the state to the other, it’s often the most convenient way to travel. Parking here is limited, so I suggest doing what we did: There is a trucker motel (quality inn?) The two tunnels along the abandoned turnpike are the Sideling Hill Tunnel and the Rays Hill Tunnel. I also recommend bringing a spare tube and a pump as we encountered a number of bikers with flat tires. Southern Alleghenies Conservancy 814-623-7900 sacc@earthlink.net. Families and groups of all ages and abilities bike on it, including the tunnels. Between 1964 and 1968, three of the tunnels were abandoned. We started this series last year and have been working through it slowly but surely. There are two main ways to access the tunnels. Reach the .7-mile-long Rays Hill Tunnel at mile 1 and the 1.3-mile-long Sideling Hill Tunnel at … In its first year of operation, two million cars traveled on it. The abandoned road that connects these two tunnels lives on as an easy — but incredibly intriguing and historic — hiking trail . Both portals are concrete now with concrete wingwalls. The eastern portal of the Rays Hill Tunnel in 1885 with the geocache location shown. Before it was abandoned in 1968, my family had driven through it many times. This is the parking area for Rays Hill Tunnel and the southern end of the Abandoned PA Turnpike. Sideling Hill Tunnel is one of three original Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels abandoned (this one in 1968) after two massive realignment projects. Parking is available in front of the orange snow fence at the bottom of the hill. Steps, passageways, ventilators, control rooms and other assorted man-made features are waiting for the curious. Originally 1,228' but was reduced after a major rainstorm on June 26, 1919 caused a severe collapse. After you bike through the tunnel, it’s up and over. In the fall, the colors are spectacular. Take a jacket and a flashlight. Actually, two is better. Four others had second parallel tubes drilled. Photo by M. Dakelman : Shortest of the original seven tunnels on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Two small parking areas exist along Oregon Road about two miles from this intersection and provide simple access to a trail. Basics of the Global Positioning System (GPS), NPS Passport Stamps – More Things to Hunt, Britain’s Day of Infamy – December 10, 1941, The Unbelievable Exploits of Captain Robert Stobo, The Palms aka Hoberg’s, Borrego Springs, CA, Tuzigoot National Monument, Clarkdale, AZ, Tumacácori National Historic Park, Tubac, AZ, Santa Elena Canyon at Big Bend National Park, The Caves of the Door Bluff Headlands Cache, Follow More Exploring Off the Beaten Path on WordPress.com, NPS Passport Stamps – More Things to Hunt, Tuzigoot National Monument, Clarkdale, AZ, Threat Centered Revolver Handgun Training. Recommended parking for this cache is the dirt parking lot behind the Ramada Inn in Breezewood. The others included the Sideling Hill Tunnel, and farther west, the Laurel Hill Tunnel.. Rays Hill Tunnel is 3,532 feet (1,077 m) long. East end of tunnel is 40.223386,-78.055207. The road was four lanes but the tunnels were two lanes and very narrow and dark. In fact, most of Pennsylvania is heavily wooded and mountainous. Urban explorers will like the elaborate graffiti. At 3,532 feet, it was the shortest of the seven tunnels on the turnpike. The eastern portal of the Rays Hill Tunnel on September 30, 1940 – the day before the opening. There are over a dozen random header images that change with every click (most of the time). Tunnel on abandoned alignment of Pennsylvania Turnpike Unofficially open to hikers and bicyclists This is where the tunnels came in, but that design parameter didn’t last long. Don’t let that fool you. You’ll be biking in pitch black darkness for almost a mile. This is a simple bike ride or a short hike to the base of the tunnel. A family friendly blog for explorers, educators, curiosity seekers and lifelong learners of all ages. You can’t see the other end because there’s a slight rise and fall built into the roadway. "Red Bank Trail", which is signed and blazed red, extends from atop the large hill, crossing Oregon Road, and terminates directly onto the Abandoned Turnpike. The coordinates for this parking area are 39.999881, -78.228380. Rays Hill Tunnel lies about two miles east of this point. The original design envisioned speeds of up to 100 mph. Rays Hill Tunnel (Bedford County, Pennsylvania) Begun ca. The eastern portal of the Rays Hill Tunnel in 1885 with the geocache location shown. The line and its tunnels spent over 40 years in legal and financial limbo until the whole right-of-way was bought by the Turnpike Commission in 1937. The original turnpike followed the right-of-way for the Southern Pennsylvania Railroad. Modeled after the German Autobahn, it was the first high speed limited access superhighway in the United States. The second is a 12-mile stretch east of Breezewood, which is shown here. To Laurel Hill Tunnel - EXIT 9 The western portal of Laurel Hill tunnel is easily visible if you stop your car on the eastbound side of the turnpike at MP 99.2. Ray's Hill Tunnel, 5,532 feet long. From the earliest days of exploration to modern times, the Alleghenies have challenged those who tried to tame them with roads, canals and tracks. This is between Donegal (exit 9[milepost 90.7]) and Somerset (exit 10). From July, 2011 – the Rays Hill Tunnel geocache. This took the Rays Hill Tunnel and the nearby Sideling Hill Tunnel out of action. ; bypassed and abandoned in 1968. Off to the right side of the turnpike you'll see a … Built in 1881 as part of the failed South PA railroad. There are pools of water everywhere, some torn up pavement and the occasional rock or branch in the way. A small gravel parking area between Rays Hill and the town of Breezewood is a popular spot for bike riders to park and ride the abandoned highway. By the late 1950’s, the flow of traffic was significantly inhibited and the Turnpike Commission embarked on an aggressive program to remedy the tunnel jams. West end of tunnel is 40.223288,-78.059499 While not officially open to the public, the inner workings of the tunnels are accessible to the adventurous. This is the eastern portal of the tunnel. One of three tunnels abandoned by the turnpike in 1964 and 1968. A parking lot exists on the trail at the eastern end of the turnpike off Pump Station Road north of US 30; the entrance is a service road just south of where a turnpike overpass was removed in 2005. The entire abandoned section, along with its two tunnels, became the Pike2Bike Trail in 2001. abandoned , Abandoned pa turnpike , abandoned turnpike , Pennsylvania turnpike , Rays hill tunnel , Sideling hill tunnel , turnpike turn pike Laurel Hill Tunnel. Likewise, you’ll need a strong bike light to go through the tunnels. down the road next to the cemetery that you can pay to park over night. This left a 13.5 mile stretch of former Turnpike right-of-way abandoned along with the Rays Hill and Sideling Hill Tunnels. The Sideling Hill and Raya Hill Tunnels were routed around in 1968. The second is via Oregon Road. At that time,the tunnels on the Turnpike had only one travel lane in each direction.The result was significant bottlenecks as traffic increased over the years.In order to alleviate these bottlenecks, additional relief tunnels were added at mostlocations. Sideling Hill Tunnel is one of three original Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels abandoned (this one in 1968) after two massive realignment projects. I called it Wrays as a result of reading this in Wiki and it's called this in East Broad Top Railroad & Coal Company's map showing the line from 1871-1956. The small dot of light in the center of the blackness is the other end. There’s quite a bit of information about all this on the Internet. Mount a flamethrower on the handlebars. The trip is relatively flat and easy to traverse. The others are nearby Rays Hill Tunnel, and farther west, the Laurel Hill Tunnel.It was less expensive to realign the Turnpike than to bore a second tube for four lane traffic. The gold arrow points to the cache location. Sideling Hill Tunnel is 6,782 feet (2,067 m) long. However, for an 11-mile section of Turnpike that included Rays Hill Tunnel (0.7 miles)on the border of Bedford and Fulton Counties, and Sideling Hill Tunnel (1.3 miles; th… We sure did. Sideling Hill Tunnel is 6,782 feet (2,067 m) long. That is where the fun comes in for us. To make the list, there has to be something extraordinary or unique about the geocache under consideration. Over the course of 10 years, a lot of work was done on the railroad, including nine tunnels, and a lot of money was spent but the project was never completed. Rays Hill Tunnel is one of three original Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels which were abandoned (this one in 1968) after two massive realignment projects. Just before reaching the Rays Hill Tunnel, you’ll cross over Mountain Chapel Road via the short bridge pictured below. Each one has a caption that identifies it. The tunnels — Sideling Hill and Rays Hill, respectively — were closed in the 1960s in favor of a new route for the highway and travel plaza. The others included the Sideling Hill Tunnel, and farther west, the Laurel Hill Tunnel. Trying to nail down the Top 10 is a moving target because as we travel around, we run into a lot of potential Top 10’s. Hike To Abandoned Rays Hill Tunnel In Pennsylvania For A Unique Outdoor Adventure. The first is the parking area located at the western end of the road. A local bike shop does tours of the pike and the tunnels. The others are nearby Rays Hill Tunnel, and farther west, the Laurel Hill Tunnel.It was less expensive to realign the Turnpike than to bore a second tube for four lane traffic. Take your light and wear your helmet. From the parking lot at U.S. 30 and Tannery Road, head east along the abandoned road to kick off this out-and-back (up to 7.3 miles each way). This is the area where I grew up and it looks much as it did 250 years ago – trackless woods as far as the eye can see. The original turnpike followed the right-of-way for the Southern Pennsylvania Railroad. Most of us have used, or use on a regular basis, the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Roughly one-third of the way in, the temperature had … It has been off limits since it was taken out of service in 1964. (N40 00.000, W78 13.682) Access to the trail is up the embankment. The Rays Hill Tunnel is about a mile long, some 20 feet tall, and about two and a half lanes wide. This segment includes the Rays Hill Tunnel, Sideling Hill Tunnel, and the former Cove Valley Service Plaza and was abandoned by the PA Turnpike Commission in 1968. Sideling Hill Tunnel is one of three original Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels abandoned (this one in 1968) after two massive realignment projects. A year before Pearl Harbor, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania opened a four lane concrete toll road through these mountains that would eventually run east-west from border to border – the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The first section of abandoned Turnpike is a two-mile stretch which includes Laurel Hill Tunnel. The original turnpike followed the right-of-way for the Southern Pennsylvania Railroad. Both were sold to Southern Alleghenies Conservancy in 2001 for $1, and together they now form the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike. Since then, our Top 10 have changed a bit as we have been to some really cool places. When people think of my native Pennsylvania, they usually think Pittsburgh and Philadelphia – urban areas. The road was designed to maximize straightaways while minimizing curves and hills. The first 160 mile section from Carlisle to Irwin opened for business on October 1, 1940. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. It was the shortest of the seven original tunnels on Pennsylvania Turnpike. All of these tunnels were dark and dingy, with cement lining and recessed lighting. Over the course of 10 years, a lot of work was done on the railroad, including nine tunnels, and a lot of money was spent but the project was never completed. If starting on the west end, you will park in Breezewood. The future geocache location is marked. It’s a great introduction to the world of “urban exploration” or URBEX, which we dabble in occasionally. It is located at the Westmoreland/Somerset County line and was bypassed in 1964. Here’s a link with their description and location. Click on the coordinates for a Google map. Within 10 years, traffic jams at the tunnels became a regular occurrence. The Allegheny Mountains run northeast to southwest through the center half of the state. Rays Hill-Sideling Hill Tunnels. There’s no water or facilities on the trail. There are a couple of trail heads and a service road called Oregon Road that allow access to the pike. The Pennsylvania Turnpike (America's first "superhighway") was opened to traffic in 1940. Slow and easy does it, both inside the tunnel and out. Our #2 cache made the list because of the unique geocaching environment it is located in – an abandoned highway tunnel on an abandoned section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Footing can be treacherous. Take the right turn. A parking lot exists on the trail at the eastern end of the turnpike off Pump Station Road north of US 30; the entrance is a service road just south of where a turnpike overpass was removed in 2005. Enjoy. 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Nearby Sideling Hill Tunnel and out is a popular and fairly easy 26 ride...

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